are the heavy looking uniforms/ helmets etc worn by US military personnel as hot to wear in the searing heat of desert conditions- such as Iraq, as they look? If so, how do they stay cool/ function?
In: Other
The uniforms and equipment are hot as all get out, but they’re a lot better than you’d think.
For example, the helmets are a singular pad or a harness on the inside, there are multiple pads arranged around the head that are covered with a moisture-wicking fabric. The separation of the pads allows air to move through them between the scalp an the helmet, doing a decent job of cooling the head a bit.
Around 2007 they started issuing “combat shirts” to be worn under body armor instead of the normal uniform top. The shirts are made of a moisture wicking fabric and are treated with antimicrobial chemicals to keep shit from growing on them. They do a pretty decent job of moving your sweat from your upper body to your arms where it can evaporate.
The desert boots (tan suede) do amazing things to keep your feet from cooking in the sun, too.
But even with those advances, you’re still carrying around a hundred pounds of gear on you in triple-digit temperatures. So how does one manage that?
Well, I hate to say it, but it’s (usually) a dry heat, and that makes one massive motherfucker of a difference (sorry, anyone who’s been stuck in Kuwait or Jalalabad). We also drink a shitload of water and make sure we eat the right kind of foods to keep our electrolytes from being flushed out (there is such a thing as water toxicity). But mostly? You get used to it. The adaptability of the human body is amazing. Soldiers (even the fat ones) are in pretty good shape and have been trained to recognize the signs of a heat related injury in both themselves and others, and it became kes less of an issue once you acclimate (takes two to four weeks). New arrivals to country were fucking miserable, which was why they tended to sit around for the first couple of weeks and get adjusted to the heat. The official reason was “training verification,” but the real reason was so nobody dropped dead from heat stroke on their first mission.
Latest Answers