Let me start by saying that this is a list of what I took, what I wish I had taken, and what I would have taken had I been allowed. This is all-inclusive and may include items that you'll find you won't need or already have. It is not in any particular order of importance (although, I would definitely put the MICH/ACH Helmet at the top of my own priority list). My list is more military oriented because I went over as an infantry soldier, but is probably quite relevant for PSD's and civilian contractors. If you haven't been issued these items, they can all be found at
www.lightfighter.com unless noted otherwise.
-ACH Helmet (also called TC-2000 or MICH). If you have to wear a combat helmet for any period of time this one is probably the best available and will save you from fatigue and headaches. It is neutrally buoyant and is also authorized for use as a motorcycle helmet by the Special Operations Command. The Oregon Aero pad system is a huge step forward in ergonomics and comfort over the old leather sweatband from helmets past. They use a unique and proprietary construction process to make them the best thing to happen to helmets since the steel pot. Previous helmets would literally wear you down the longer you had to wear them. If you can't get your hands on an ACH helmet, then at least get the Oregon Aero BLU upgrade and the Specialty Defense 3-Point chinstrap for the K-Pot. This upgrade kit takes a couple of minutes to install and basically converts your K-pot suspension over to the same setup as the ACH helmet. Unfortunately, this won't improve the helmet shape or ballistic protection that the ACH provides, but it will greatly increase the comfort level.
-Lightfighter RAID Pack. This is a medium sized assault pack that I designed along with the original owner of Lightfighter Tactical, SSG Brad Nelson. We developed it based off of our own experiences in the Army. It has all the features that were never available in an Assault Pack until this one. It has a full length zipper that allows unrestricted access to the contents of the pack. The RAID Pack is covered from top to bottom in modular PALS webbing that enables it to be used with any of the MOLLE style pockets currently issued by the Army and Marine Corps. You may not be doing much, if any, straight Infantry stuff, but it will make your life a lot easier for the day to day living. I lived out of mine for days and weeks at a time and it never let me down. In addition to being the best assault pack ever made, it is also a great day pack and carry-on bag. Make sure to take some extra pockets of varying sizes for the exterior. This will allow you to configure it as a larger pack if you need the additional space.
-Body armor and load carrying equipment. I'm going to assume that you'll be wearing some kind of protective armor anytime that you're not asleep or on the can (and sometimes even then!). If you can lay your hands on one, Eagle Industries' CIRAS Releasable Armored Vest is a top preference and the vest that I use now. It comes in a maritime and land variant, but they both serve basically the same purpose (I prefer the Maritime variant for its slightly more streamlined design). I would also highly recommend the releasable or non-releasable versions of Paraclete's RAV Armor. Point Blank's FSBE armor is another good choice and it's what I wore in the sandbox for OIF1. Lightfighter Tactical has just introduced the Warhammer vest (December 04) that looks like it will be the best choice for someone who doesn't need releasable armor. It has 6 integral mag pockets, internal plate carriers, and is priced very reasonably. Use IIIA soft armor panels (or the SPEAR BALCS equivalent) and Level III or IV hard armor plates (the issued SAPI or BALCS plates are probably fine) depending on the known threats in your area of operations. Take extra pockets that you think you might need so that you can tailor your load to specific threats and missions. The Eagle MLCS/RLCS (my personal favorite) or the Paraclete LCS/Assaulter kit both have a variety of pockets, vests, and a deployment bag in which to carry all the pieces and parts. They are expensive ($1500 to $2500 for the complete set), but contain enough pouches to create an unlimited number of load carrying options. I kept my pouches and pockets attached directly to my vest and didn't need a separate vest or chest rig. Make sure you try it both ways for long stretches of time before you rule one or the other out. I didn't realize how uncomfortable the unpadded straps of my chest rig were, even over my armor, until I'd worn a full combat load in it for 5 days straight. That's when I put all my kit directly onto my armor and ditched the chest harness. Don't worry about taking to much kit. If nothing else, there will be guys over there that will need items that you have and aren't using that you can barter with.