PDWs...and other small arms.

[stanc]

There are a lot of things in theater that are not filmed. Not a lot of media when out on road clearing operations with the Combat Engineers and our Soldiers were too busy to be filming themselves. There are not enough M9s (or other pistols) for every Soldier/Marine to dual carry but it was much more common that you indicated.

I'll take your word for that. Previously, all I had to go by is the photographic and video evidence, which shows -- for infantry and special forces -- that dual carry is rather uncommon.

Frankly, only a fraction of deployed Soldiers/Marines deployed in theater went outside the wire so if DOD wanted all those outside wire could have dual carried. At some point, you have to make the "weight" question of do I want to carry pistol, holster, extra mags, etc. or does rifle ammo, radio, etc. take priority.

Yup. And it seems pretty clear that the majority of troops who went outside the wire elected to not dual carry.