GOV/MIL One hundred lost NVGs at Fort Hood triggers investigation

Weps

Weps

Veteran Member
Special agents from Fort Hood’s CID detachment are investigating the potential theft of “more than 100″ missing night-vision devices, III Corps officials confirmed to Army Times.

“Fort Hood is investigating missing Monocular Night Vision Devices from a maintenance facility at Fort Hood, Texas reported on July 12,” said Maj. Marion Nederhoed, a III Corps spokesperson. “Currently, the missing equipment has no immediate impact on unit readiness.”

Night-vision goggles are considered extremely sensitive items throughout the military, and units will often lock down their perimeter and organize massive search parties for even one missing device.

The shocking quantity of missing devices first came to light through a post by U.S. Army W.T.F. Moments, a popular Facebook page focusing on Army culture.

The post included a screenshot of a text message directing the measures the unit — which Fort Hood officials did not identify — would take to search for the devices.

“Yesterday ELM had 106x NVGs stolen from their secured storage facility,” said the text.

ELM likely refers to the unit’s electronics communications maintenance facility, where skilled soldiers repair unserviceable electronic devices — such as night-vision equipment.

Typically, night-vision devices are secured in a unit’s arms room, behind a vault door. But they may be more vulnerable to theft when at a repair facility, because not all maintenance shops are equipped with heavy vaults like those found in arms rooms.

III Corps officials did not answer questions about the maintenance facility’s security, nor did they confirm which unit lost the devices.

“If anyone has information related to this investigation please call the Fort Hood CID tips line at 254-287-2722,” urged Nederhoed, the III Corps spokesperson.

A 3rd Special Forces Group property book officer was sentenced to more than two years in prison last year for stealing 43 obsolete night-vision devices from his unit’s Fort Bragg, North Carolina facilities and selling some of them to a military surplus store.
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www.armytimes.com

One hundred lost NVGs at Fort Hood triggers investigation

Fort Hood officials confirmed that more than 100 night-vision devices were missing.
www.armytimes.com www.armytimes.com

I don't expect to see a follow-up report on this incident, chances of DoD recovering these is slim to none, much like the recent case with the 25 missing AR's for Miami PD.

Would be wise to note this incident in your intel notes; just assume cartels, BLM/ANTIFA, or the PRC now have themselves nice shiny refurbed PVS-7's or 14's.

In a related note, the OP article mentions another article covering an incident from last year at Fort Bragg where an SF property book officer was selling off 43 "obsolete night vision-devices"...specifically the article states the AN/PSQ-20 is just a 3rd Gen night vision system designed to replaced older PVS-14's and 7's...which isn't the whole story. The PSQ-20 is indeed a 3rd Gen system that was designed to replace the PVS-14 and PVS-7, but it's a bit more in-depth; the PQS-20 is an ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) that utilizes sensor-fused technology to display thermal imaging (FLIR) and imagine-intensification (NVG) simultaneously or individually, allowing the user to operate in absence of ambient light needed to operate image-intensifiers.

There are newer commercial offerings that offer a similar form of performance, such as the NVD, Inc COTI (Clip-On Thermal Imager) that overlays a thermal view in the center of your PVS-'s, but requires external attachment, is only usable over a single tube at a time, doesn't allow for simultaneous/hybrid use, and has a separate control system and battery bank; however for these systems we're taking anywhere from $4,000 to $9,000 depending on the attachment method and that's after you've dropped $2,000+ on a PVS-14 style system.

The above PSQ-20 were being sold for $2,500 a pop.

Of the 43 PSQ-20 sets, 30 are still in the wild. CID & DHS recovered 13 sets during a raid on Red Horse Military Surplus.
 
Tex88

Tex88

Veteran Member
1626549681221.png

Good to see there's still stores around selling actual mil "surplus", not just Chinese knock-offs and fantasy doodads!
 
ShadowMan

ShadowMan

Designated Grumpy Old Fart
Hmmm wonder who the last person was that signed them out and back in?? Or who failed to properly survey these. Someone's gonna get their arse burned over this. It also could be that someone didn't store them properly and they are somewhere in a warehouse lost. That does happen, but if someone thinks they are going to sell them in the black market....they will eventually be caught and visit Kansas for a long - long - long time.
 
Jeff B.

Jeff B.

Don’t let the Piss Ants get you down…
100 sets? I remember the PVS7’s being hot potatoes, like Vinson Devices (KYK13 ?) and of course weapons.

One time at Fort Drum, we were on an FTX and about 8:30 PM, our D Company Commander (Truck Company) came to me and told me they lost a CEOI. We started going through the accountability by the numbers to include physically retracing every place this LT had been.

My S2 NCOIC told me how much time we had before we were required to escalate the report. I woke up the BC and left him know, he said OK and went back to sleep…. About 10 minutes before we had to notify our next higher HQ, they found it in the Company Offices where the LT had a pizza while in the rear that afternoon/evening. Huge relief.

That Company Commander made that LT his personal project for the next year. Actually turned into a decent officer after being ridden by his CO like a $5.00…. well you know.

BC asked in the morning how things were regarding “the item”. He spent too much time at echelons above reality (owned a house near DC) to get how much shit he would have taken over that.

No matter, he had a good S3, and his concept was the I RAN the BN, he COMMANDED it. :rolleyes:

Jeff B.
 
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Doc1

Doc1

Has No Life - Lives on TB
NV is just not that exotic anymore. Anyone who really wants it can get it. Thirty years ago when I got my first Gen III NV, it was rare, expensive and hard to get. Not so much anymore.

Don't get me wrong. US-made Gen III (in all its flavors) is still expensive, but good, used units generally cost much less than even a good cheap, running, used car (say $1000 to $2500). The units that disappeared from the military almost certainly didn't wind up in the hands of terrorists or cartels. They wound up primarily in the hands of good ol' boy hunters, perhaps a few survivalist types and maybe a very few wound up in the hands of urban criminals.

Some NCO and his buddies made a pocketful of cash. The government always likes to throw out the terrorist card, irrespective of who or what was responsible.

Also, understand that NV is only a tool. It's most effective when it's used in the context of a tactically sound small military unit or in specialized aviation, sea borne or armored applications. The average urban criminal might gain a little operational advantage with NV, but not much.

In the 1995 movie "Heat", a group of bank robbers had a well-executed plan to rob a bank and had sophisticated weapons and a well-conceived plan using sound tactics. They didn't use night vision, but my point is that the planning and tactics were much more important than the hardware. An urban thug looking to rob a liquor store just isn't going to get much mileage out of night vision.

For readers here at TB2K, I still recommend night vision as an essential part of your preps but it needs to be used hand-in-hand with sound tactics and training. Cheap Gen I can be found for $100 (or so) and Gen II up to maybe $1500 - $2000 for new units. Also, there's decent - and cheaper - foreign Gen III out there. Gen I and Gen II is worth having, but it's not as good as Gen III.

NV gives you some Superman capability, but you still can't go faster than a speeding bullet or leap tall buildings in a single bound ;-)

Best
Doc
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Digital NV with an illuminator is WAYYYYYY better than nothing.

Unless you are looking for someone else with NV.

45422520794_5ae0a71082_c.jpg
 
Squib

Squib

Veteran Member
Doc1 said:
In the 1995 movie "Heat", a group of bank robbers had a well-executed plan to rob a bank and had sophisticated weapons and a well-conceived plan using sound tactics. They didn't use night vision, but my point is that the planning and tactics were much more important than the hardware.
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I have that movie, really good MOUT type fire team tactics. I heard some .mil guys said they watched that during part of their training…don’t know if that’s BS or not.

I still only have cheap gen 1 stuff. It was either get one gen 3 or several gen 1.

Got enough for me, the wife & kids as they were growing up…for hunting, walking around at night checking on the animals, here in the sticks in Montana when the dogs go crazy, etc… they do just fine.
 
Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde

Membership Revoked
Ractivist said:
Infared
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Rac, both thermal and "NV" are "infrared".

Fair utilage 'n such:
What is the difference between active IR and thermal imaging?

"Active IR systems use short wavelength infrared light to illuminate an area of interest. Some of the infrared energy is reflected back to a camera and interpreted to generate an image. Thermal imaging systems use mid- or long wavelength IR energy. Thermal imagers are passive, and only sense differences in heat. These heat signatures (usually black (cold) and white (hot)) are then displayed on a monitor. Because thermal imagers operate in longer infrared wavelength regions than active IR, they do not see reflected light, and are therefore not affected by oncoming headlights, smoke, haze, dust, etc".

O.W.
 
mistaken1

mistaken1

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Double_A said:
So do these use rare batteries? Would looking to buy a set of batteries cause an instant red-flag?
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No. Most use AA batteries (NODS). Thermal can be AA or CR123 or proprietary rechargeable batteries.
I think devices that use common battery types are far better than devices that use proprietary rechargeable batteries.

NVG is no longer exotic. Depends on your income for some it may be unobtainable but for others it is just a drop in the bucket. Too easy to buy it legitimately to mess around with potentially hot mil items.

nightvisionhome.com

AN/PSQ-20A DSNVG Dual Sensor Night Vision Goggle (Fusion Goggle) - Night Vision Home

AN/PSQ-20A DSNVG Dual Sensor Fusion Goggle
nightvisionhome.com nightvisionhome.com
 
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db cooper

db cooper

Resident Secret Squirrel
ShadowMan said:
Or who failed to properly survey these.
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Once upon a time I had a job where I was accountable for government goodies and the annual survey was a nightmare because even though I signed for the items I had zero control over who could take possession of them during the year. Being a low level supervisor I could not force any form of accountability, especially when my own supervisor, the one writing my appraisal, was the biggest abuser.

If this sort of thing went on with the night vision stuff, they really can't hang it on the person that actually signed for the equipment. However, push come to shove, they will.
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
FLIR Breach.

Uses a 123, run time sucks on it.

Have a battery pack that plugs in via USB-C port.

Good for all night.


ATN scope.

All night on internal batteries.
 
M

Matt

Veteran Member
this makes me smile! We know that the mil is going to be used against "we the people". I am glad to see that the built in chronic corruption of the undisciplined low performance troops is already endemic to the force.
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Oscar Wilde said:
Issokay D'nC, thanks.



Yours received some poor reviews based on expectations that are
beyond the published features/ limitations of the camera/ viewer.

Is yours a head mount Millwright? Ya happy with it?

O.W.
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I head mount NV on a skull crusher and carry my thermal in a shirt pocket. The FLIR head harness is WAY more comfortable than the milspec torture device.

I'm happy with it, but got to test drive that model before I purchased it.
 
M

mikeabn

Finally not a lurker!
Jeff B. said:
100 sets? I remember the PVS7’s being hot potatoes, like Vinson Devices (KYL13 ?) and of course weapons.

One time at Fort Drum, we were on an FTX and about 8:30 PM, our D Company Commander (Truck Company) came to me and told me they lost a CEOI. We started going through the accountability by the numbers to include physically retracing every place this LT had been.

My S2 NCOIC told me how much time we had before we were required to escalate the report. I woke up the BC and left him know, he said OK and went back to sleep…. About 10 minutes before we had to notify our next higher HQ, they found it in the Company Offices where the LT had a pizza while in the rear that afternoon/evening. Huge relief.

That Company Commander made that LT his personal project for the next year. Actually turned into a decent officer after being ridden by his CO like a $5.00…. well you know.

BC asked in the morning how things were regarding “the item”. He spent too much time at echelons above reality (owned a house near DC) to get how much shit he would have taken over that.

No matter, he had a good S3, and his concept was the I RAN the BN, he COMMANDED it. :rolleyes:

Jeff B.
Click to expand...
He'll, wish my S-3 was like that....
 
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