In honor of Black Friday — when all good Americans demonstrate their profound sense of materialism and economic entitlement — it’s worth noting that the U.S. Marines have been doing their bit to boost the economy, too.
Prior to 9/11, it cost about $1,200 to outfit a Marine for war, and this is what he looked like.
These days, it costs more than $7,000 to outfit the same Marine for battle:
The big costs are the personal body armor — the modular tactical vest and SAPI plates — that have helped so many survive bullet wounds and roadside blasts, and the Flame-Resistant Operational Gear — FROG — that is the Marine’s version of sweat-wicking garments like those made by Under Armor. Here’s the detailed pricelist:
For real gear heads, this PowerPoint brief shows just how a Marine’s combat gear has changed in recent years.