An Army Surgeon Says New Helmet Doesn’t Fit Iraq:
The Army had begun issuing a new helmet, dubbed the Advanced Combat Helmet. Made of a new type of Kevlar, the helmet is stronger and lighter than its predecessor. But the new helmet has a critical flaw, Col. Poffenbarger contends: It is about 8% smaller than the old helmet, offering less protection on the back and side of the head.In past wars, this might not have been a big problem. In infantry-style combat, soldiers typically are struck in the front of the head as they charge toward the enemy. But in Iraq, where the deadliest threat is remote-detonated roadside bombs, many soldiers are getting blasted on the sides and back of the head, says Col. Poffenbarger. In other words, they are getting hit in areas where the new helmet offers less coverage.
Col. Poffenbarger bases his conclusions on what’s he’s seen at the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad:
His research is based on about 160 head-trauma patients who have passed through the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where he works. Because the hospital houses the only American neurosurgeons in Iraq, virtually every serious head-trauma patient is treated by him or his partner. “If you get shot in the head in Iraq, I see you,” he says.He has gone through the records of all the hospital’s head-trauma patients, documenting the exact entry point at which the shrapnel or bullet entered the brain and the type of helmet the soldier or Marine was wearing. Extrapolating from this, Col. Poffenbarger estimates the new helmet might result in a 30% increase in serious head traumas if distributed throughout the entire force in Iraq.
When in doubt, follow the Marines’ example:
The Marines have developed their own new helmet, made of the same stronger Kevlar as the Army’s. The Marines decided not to alter the shape, so their new helmet will continue to cover portions of the side and back of the head.The Marines say their helmet provides protection against mortars, remote-detonated roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades — three of the biggest killers of U.S. troops in Iraq. “We felt like the extra coverage was needed to protect against those indirect fire threats,” says Lt. Col. Gabe Patricio, the Marine Corps’ project manager for infantry equipment.
Why did the army make the helmet smaller in the first place? They had a good reason:
There’s a good reason that the new helmet is slightly smaller, Col. Norwood says. For years, soldiers have complained that when they are lying on their stomachs firing rifles, their body armor rides up — tipping their helmet over their eyes. The new helmet was designed to address that problem. “We think it is a good trade-off or we wouldn’t be fielding it,” he says.The new helmets — which cost $300 each, compared with about $100 for the old ones — are made to the Army’s specifications by MSA Corp., based in Pittsburgh; Specialty Defense Systems of Dunmore, Pa.; and Gentex Corp., of Carbondale, Pa. Like the Army, the manufacturers say the new helmet allows soldiers to see and hear better than its predecessor. A spokesman for MSA says soldiers are likely to wear the new helmet longer because it is more comfortable.