After action report:
Many U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq are newly battle tested, but so too are many of the weapons and much of the equipment they took to the fight. A team of evaluators from Program Executive Office Soldier, the Army unit that oversees everything soldiers wear or carry into combat, visited the troops in the combat zone to gauge the performance of their gear. They spoke with dozens of soldiers from May 5-10 and recorded their findings in a draft document obtained by Army Times. The soldiers whose opinions are included in âOperation Iraqi Freedom: PEO Soldier Lessons Learnedâ were in Iraq with elements of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Infantry Division. Where appropriate, some of the key findings will be used to guide weapons, uniform and equipment modifications and replacements. They include:- 9mm pistol: Soldiers generally disliked it, saying it lacked significant stopping power. The 9mmâs magazines also performed poorly, with soldiers stretching the spring to get sufficient force to feed rounds into the chamber.
Bring back the .45ACP!
- XM107 .50-caliber sniper rifle. Maybe the most useful weapon for urban combat, soldiers said. Soldiers liked the range, accuracy and stopping power. Some, however, thought the Leopold Sight was not ballistically matched to the weapon.
Sigh, I want one. Not that I need it, but just because.
- M4 assault rifle. Soldiers said it performed well in the demanding environment, but the weaponâs range was inadequate for targets in excess of 500 meters, even with the flip-up sight.
Gee, wasn't it just a few years ago when all the experts were saying nobody needed to shoot at anyone over 300 meters away with a rifle?
- Interceptor Body Armor: The troops in Iraq expressed confidence in it when âtrolling for contactâ with the enemy, but said it interfered with a prone firing position.
Just thinking about what the phrase âtrolling for contactâ means makes my skin crawl.
- ICOM radio. With poor range ability, it was evaluated as the worst example of squad communications, which were poor overall. âEveryone had a Motorola-type hand-held radio that had vastly better range and power performance,â the document stated.
- Desert combat boots. They were a problem in Afghanistan and theyâre a problem for soldiers in Iraq. Soldiers said the soles were too soft and too easily damaged by the terrain. PEO Soldier has been experimenting with alternatives to this boot.
Reading a little history has shown me that soliders have complained about their footgear every war since they invented sandals.
- MOLLE rucksack system. The Modular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment was well-received as an improvement over its predecessors, though soldiers offered several areas that need attention. They disliked the snaps and would prefer Velcro in combination with fast tech-type connectors, for example.
- Assault ruck. Soldiers had many favorable things to say about this item, although some found it too small and not durable.
- Individual gear. Soldiers, as they have done for decades, spend their own money to purchase the quality packs, pouches, belts, underwear, socks and gloves they believe they need for mission success, according to the document. Soldiers are buying their own Coolmax-type T-shirts because of their wicking properties. Under Armour is another popular brand. Socks were an item that generated âa good deal of discussion,â according to the document. Many received black wool/poly pro blend that were too hot for comfort in the Iraqi desert. Some received the tan and white Wright sock, which shrank too much after washing. Soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division received the dark green sock, and they continued to judge it as superior. âSoldiers felt if they could just keep their socks clean, they could better protect their feet,â the document stated.
- The Camelbak-style hydration system was deemed the way to go in the parched desert of Iraq. Soldiers stopped using their one-quart canteens once the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction subsided. However, the Camelbak variant distributed to the 82nd Airborne Division was not rugged enough. Troops said bladders ruptured easily and they had no way to replace them.
PEO Soldierâs Rapid Fielding Initiative has been addressing many of these individual-gear needs.
Interesting. |