Changes to military combat uniforms and tactical equipment design

Uniform Alterations

Military combat has become a very contentious issue in today's upcoming presidential elections. Many individuals, including myself, believe America is fighting a fruitless war in the Middle East. The war in Afghanistan, in particular has been a contentious issue for both developed nations and those around the world. The Middle East, and specifically, Afghanistan, has had a profound impact on global prosperity and the resultant quality of life for all stakeholders involved. As such, this conflict has major implications for developed countries. Currently many individuals within Europe and American want their respective troops out of Afghanistan and returned to their families at home. A survey of over 1000 individuals showed that nearly 68% thought that troops should be removed from the territory (BBC news, 2008). I believe these 68% of individuals to be correct. Although, some form of presence is needed, I believe having military present on foreign soil only increases the turmoil within the country itself. This war, like most conflicts of global proportions cause numerous casualties for those involved and their families. In fact, the death toll in the war in Afghanistan is now at & #8230;.As such, it is very important for nations to be prepared for war and uniforms provide a large advantage during periods of conflict.

War and conflict are virtually inevitable. As long as human beings conflict with each other, disagreements and eventually wars will arise. As such, America must be prepared to defend the countries borders appropriately against any attack both domestically and abroad. A major component of defense that is often overlooked is that of military combat uniforms. These uniforms provide defense against many elements not commonly discussed during periods of war. These defenses include weather, the environment, friendly fire, and deadly animals with the battlefield. War, as it was known in the 1880's has changed dramatically. With the advent of technology a single individual can cause thousands, if not millions of deaths. This was apparent during September 11th, as a single faction was able to slay thousands of lives in an instant. As such, the military combat uniform has an every increasing role within the daily operations of war as a single individual is now capable of extreme damage.

What changes exactly should be made to the military uniform? First all recommended alterations to the uniform are those that will align military objectives with those of the individual soldiers. These objectives incorporate ease of use, ease of mobility, functionality, and more. The alterations therefore should all provide enhancements in these above mentioned areas. The first alteration therefore pertains primarily to functionality. Velcro, is simple unacceptable on todays military uniform. First, it is entirely too noisy when used in a hostile environment. Can you imagine a stealth mission that ends in failure as a soldier is noticed because of Velcro? This simply isn't functional in today's war environment. As mentioned earlier, one individual can now have a major impact on a particular assignment. As such, the one person relies on fewer individuals within the team. With fewer individuals more responsibility is delegated. To have all this time a preparation be thwarted by the use of unnecessary Velcro may be a critical mistake that ends with lost lives.

Next we discuss the next topic mentioned above which is "Ease of mobility." Currently the uniforms now in use today shrink often. This may seem insignificant to the outside observer, but this shrinkage could have a profound impact on mobility. Like functionality, mobility is increasing needed as more emphasis is placed on stealth and camouflage. In order to be the most effective, mobility or the ability to swiftly shift positions is needed. Soldiers most be aware of these positions relative to the enemy and adjust according in a very quick manner. This ability is abated if a uniform is too small to allow an individual soldier to so effectively. By having a small uniform, the soldier leverage is significantly hindered as he cannot move within his full range of motion. Instead the soldier's range of motion is restricted as his uniform constrains his muscle movements. This can be a huge detriment to the soldier when in a hostile environment. As such, the uniforms must either be made of material that can easily expand or contract with muscle movement (much like the Under Armor brand products), or it must be able to repel shrinkage. The benefits of the first option are that the uniform will contour to the individual's body irrespective of size. The material is breathable and wicks away sweat keeping the body dry while it cools itself. Furthermore, if the material does shrink, it can still contour to the individuals body providing much needed range of motion. The second option, albeit inferior to the first, is still a better alternative than what is currently in place. By reducing the overall amount of shrinkage, the soldiers can still maintain an adequate range of motion to maneuver in the face of hostility.

Finally, the uniform alternations most incorporate, "Ease of use." To incorporate this aspect, improvements to the pants and boots will be needed. The pants will incorporate built in knee pads for ease of use in the field. Soldiers are often maneuvering on the group in order to complete a mission or task. Knee pads allow the soldier to transition seamlessly from an upright position to that of one more prone on the ground. This seamless transition creates efficiencies in regards to movement in hostile environment, better aiding the soldier. These pants should also be fire resistant as many of the materials in hostile environments cause fires to occur. In addition the boots should be altered to better handle multiple terrains. Soldiers, not more than ever, venture into lands that are entirely different then those in America or elsewhere in the world. In order to accommodate this change, boots will be needed to help address this issue of varying terrain (Improved Combat Gear to Debut in 2012). The uniform alterations to boots will also aid in mobility as soldiers are better equipped to handle hostile conditions irrespective of the environment in which they occur.