VS-17/GVX Signal panel in use in OIF/OEF

The VS-17/GVX is a compact signal panel that when fully extended measures 2 feet across by 6 feet tall, it has hi-viz colors on either side, both Orange and Pink. This style of signal panel has been used since the Vietnam war and is quite useful and actually used more often than one would think. The has tie downs and snaps at each corner, the panels can be snapped together to form symbols, numbers, or letters.

here is mine (I need to turn the ISO down on my camera )






I was just going to post pictures of the panel itself for reference until I realized that I had seen a panel in one of the 490 SF pictures I downloaded a little bit ago, so I went on a hunt and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few pictures with that little hi-viz panel hiding in plain sight!(how'd you like that little pun?)

Without further adieu, here they are.

This one was also posted in the Pro-Tec thread...funny how that work eh?


On top of the truck


In the hands of the guy on the left


On the side of the truck, under the SATCOM dish


This one is hard to spot, but I think I see a bit of pink to the top left of the rear door. Also, the camo on the HMMWV is absolutely badass...this is one of my favorite pictures


This one is also pretty elusive, I think I see it right above the front of the stretcher


Hiding in the bottom right of the frame


draped over the tailgate, above the spare tire


Tied to the top of the Spare Tire


Cut up and tied to the top of the spare tire again


And another one on the spare but this one is REALLY faded




Hope you guys like these pictures, I havent yet seen a thread dedicated to signal markers

Nice one,never seen one in use obviously,but an interesting piece of kit

Easy Gee wrote:Nice one,never seen one in use obviously,but an interesting piece of kit

I agree, and I had not seen any posted up here before..so i might as well! Glad you like it!




Actually....those last 2 pictures are of the same vehicle. I didnt even notice that!


LOL..P-E posted these up in the 3 color PASGT vest cover thread on OIF/OEF

So he did, I will have to check this out in more detail....

It was common practice for Rangers to cut these panels up and sew them into the inside lining of thier hat so in case they were in trouble / lost they could flip thier hat inside out. I have two of these caps like this, most of them have rank, name on back, and cat eyes. In fact, I just sold one on eBay like this.
Andrew

AndrewA74 wrote:It was common practice for Rangers to cut these panels up and sew them into the inside lining of thier hat so in case they were in trouble / lost they could flip thier hat inside out. I have two of these caps like this, most of them have rank, name on back, and cat eyes. In fact, I just sold one on eBay like this.
Andrew

Not just a Ranger practice. We would do that too, usually in a boonie. Shane is correct, used alot more than people thingk about or see in pics. The 17 panels were usually a dime a dozen, and each crew, squad seemed to have three or four of them, lol. And the cut out pieces aren't used so much for when one is mis-orientated**, but more for near recognition procedures when conducting dismounted passage of lines, and other recognition purposes when out and about on foot. Also used for marking LZ/DZ's, etc..


** One never gets LOST. Simply mis-orientated, or "no, I was checking something out before getting back on track". Exception to that term, and it used as LOST, is if it is a cherry LT, then he is without a doubt LOST. Often said as Lima Lima Mike Fofxtrot.....Lost Like a Mother F****R!!

Lima Lima Mike Fofxtrot.....Lost Like a Mother F****R!!

LMAO I just blew coffee all over my key board !!!!!!!

Exellent little piece of material .
I always liked the bride colors.
And when I,m in the mountens there always 1 on the person.

There is also a Dutch variant .I will look it up.

jeroen from holland

I find this picture particularly interesting. The guy is throwing a bag of seized opium gum into the back of the truck. There is literally tens of millions of dollars worth in the back of that truck.

HoovieDude wrote:

AndrewA74 wrote:It was common practice for Rangers to cut these panels up and sew them into the inside lining of thier hat so in case they were in trouble / lost they could flip thier hat inside out. I have two of these caps like this, most of them have rank, name on back, and cat eyes. In fact, I just sold one on eBay like this.
Andrew

Not just a Ranger practice. We would do that too, usually in a boonie. Shane is correct, used alot more than people thingk about or see in pics. The 17 panels were usually a dime a dozen, and each crew, squad seemed to have three or four of them, lol. And the cut out pieces aren't used so much for when one is mis-orientated**, but more for near recognition procedures when conducting dismounted passage of lines, and other recognition purposes when out and about on foot. Also used for marking LZ/DZ's, etc..


** One never gets LOST. Simply mis-orientated, or "no, I was checking something out before getting back on track". Exception to that term, and it used as LOST, is if it is a cherry LT, then he is without a doubt LOST. Often said as Lima Lima Mike Fofxtrot.....Lost Like a Mother F****R!!

LLmF,good one one Dude......kind of on the lines of FUBAR ,I guess

cobalt545 wrote:

I find this picture particularly interesting. The guy is throwing a bag of seized opium gum into the back of the truck. There is literally tens of millions of dollars worth in the back of that truck.

Man,the amount of militaria,you buy with that kind of cash......now that would be a superb trade

cobalt545 wrote:

I find this picture particularly interesting. The guy is throwing a bag of seized opium gum into the back of the truck. There is literally tens of millions of dollars worth in the back of that truck.

Good eye! I wasnt sure what they were throwing into that truck and why...thanks for clearing that up! I wish I had tens of millions of dollars in MY truck....but not opium though.

misanthropic_gods wrote:

cobalt545 wrote:

I find this picture particularly interesting. The guy is throwing a bag of seized opium gum into the back of the truck. There is literally tens of millions of dollars worth in the back of that truck.

Good eye! I wasnt sure what they were throwing into that truck and why...thanks for clearing that up! I wish I had tens of millions of dollars in MY truck....but not opium though.

I know from first hand experience in Afghanistan. Still though, I shouldn't be hijacking this thread like that. My apologies to the original poster.

cobalt545 wrote:

misanthropic_gods wrote:

cobalt545 wrote:

I find this picture particularly interesting. The guy is throwing a bag of seized opium gum into the back of the truck. There is literally tens of millions of dollars worth in the back of that truck.

Good eye! I wasnt sure what they were throwing into that truck and why...thanks for clearing that up! I wish I had tens of millions of dollars in MY truck....but not opium though.

I know from first hand experience in Afghanistan. Still though, I shouldn't be hijacking this thread like that. My apologies to the original poster.

Im the OP and I say its fine! We were discussing something that was going on in one of the pictures, I dont feel it was off topic at all.

Thanks for the info!