American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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In 2004, I brought over a Springfield TRP Operator, which used a
.45-caliber round. It had a 1911 body style, with custom grips and a rail
system that let me add a light and laser combo. Black, it had a bull
barrel and was an excellent gun—until it took a frag for me in Fallujah.
I was actually able to get it repaired—those Springfields are tough.
Still, not wanting to press my luck, I replaced it with a SIG P220. The
P220 looked pretty much exactly like the P226, but was chambered for
.45 caliber.
Carrying My Pistol
On my first two deployments, I had a drop-leg holster. (A drop-leg
sits against the upper thigh, within easy reach of the pistol hand.) The
problem with that type of holster is that it tends to move around. During
combat, or even if you’re simply bouncing around, the rig slides
over on your leg. So after the first two deployments, I went to a hip
holster. That way, my gun was always where I expected it to be.
Med Gear
Everyone always carried their own “blowout kit,” a small set of medical
supplies. You always carried the bare necessities to treat a gunshot
wound—bandages for different wounds, IV, clotting medicine. It had
to be readily accessible—you didn’t want the person helping you have
to search for it. I put mine in my right-hand cargo pocket on my leg,
under the holster. If I’d ever been shot, my buddies could have cut out
the bottom of the cargo pocket and pulled out the kit. Most guys did it
that way.