MILITARY FEATURE MP

March 15, 2008

Outfitting America’s HeroesWar is a common thread shared between genera-tions of American families in the 20th and 21st centuries. While core experiences remain the same, each war brings new environmental challenges to our Infantry Soldiers. Improvements in uniforms and equipment are critical to Soldier success in maintaining combat advantage on the battle-fields of today and tomorrow. Nylon based fabrics have revolutionized military apparel that was previously made from cotton and wool. By offering durability, versatility and toughness, the fabrics allow Soldiers to successfully face a broad spec-trum of combat conditions. INVISTA has helped the Army improve military apparel and equipment, based in part on CORDURA® fabric technologies. It has supported the Infantry Soldier through multi-ple conflicts and is committed to providing innovative solutions to meet future combat requirements.

World War II World War II was the first truly modern war in which American Infantry Soldiers encountered a winter season on the battlefield. Their experiences proved that their uniforms were ill-equipped to handle the cold. These Soldiers were outfitted with a combination of cotton and wool-based Basic Dress Uniforms (BDU) and Basic Field Uniforms (BFU). The footwear was a basic low quarter tanned leather shoe with heavy canvas leggings. However, the heavy wool uniforms and leather footwear were not enough to protect wearers from freezing temperatures and inclement winter conditions. As a result, many Soldiers suffered severe frostbite.

Following World War II, the Army made thermal protection a top priority in adaptations to Soldiers’ uniforms. To this end, the Temperate and Artic uniforms, designed with heavyweight cotton sateen weave fabric, were developed to provide the warmth and durability needed to survive in harsh winter conditions. Although it kept them insulated, the uniform weighed Soldiers down, decreasing speed and agility.

World War II also created a need for the United States to independently procure materials for the development of uniforms and supplies. Natural fibers, such as the silk and cotton used in the development of uniforms, ballistic vests and para- chutes, were difficult to acquire since sourcing was located behind enemy lines. In an effort to resolve supply issues, Dupont (now INVISTA) developed nylon, a synthetic fiber that eliminated America’s dependency on outside countries for clothing fibers during and after WWII.

The end of WWII resulted in a new threat – thermonuclear weapons. An Infantry Soldier situated a mile away from ground zero of a nuclear deto-nation would be immediately killed by clothing that ignited into full flame. The military tested 3,000 blends of every natural and synthetic fiber available to find a fabric that would not ignite and would remain intact as a barrier to radiation. Extensive exploration resulted in the discovery of the unique thermal interaction of a higher melt-ing point nylon (type 6,6) and cotton.

With higher ignition resistance than other flam-mable fabrics, these blends did not ignite under thermonuclear flash exposures. Because the Soviet Union was viewed as the most likely nuclear threat at the time, the fabric was adopted in a sateen weave for Artic uniforms. Future genera-tions of combat uniforms made with this fabric have benefited from increased thermal protec-tion when exposed to low level thermal threats.

Vietnam Era Infantry Soldiers in the Vietnam War encountered wet and warm equatorial conditions that were unforgiving to equipment and to men. The wide-ranging climate included a six-month monsoon season, a severe range of fluctuating tempera-tures from 40 to 100 degrees and rugged terrain that varied from the coastal sands of the South China Sea to the towering Annamese Cordillera mountain ranges (upwards of 8,000 feet). This environment revealed that natural fabrics, such

as wool, cotton and leather, deteriorated rapidly under the continuous exposure to diverse weather elements.

The WWII cotton herringbone twill had been replaced by the cotton sateen fabric for the temperate uniform. However, the sateen fabric proved too heavy and hot for the tropical climate. The utility design was also restrictive and had inadequate pockets for combat use. By the end of 1967, most Infantry Soldiers were wearing solid green hot weather cotton ripstop jungle fatigues. The light-weight ripstop dried faster than the heavyweight sateen, making it less prone to rot and more durable.

For special units, the traditional solid green uniforms were replaced with the “tiger suit” – a camouflage uniform. This first use of a disruptive camouflage introduced the jungle green pattern to help Soldiers blend into their surroundings and evade from the North Vietnamese Army.

Although they were issued a new uniform, Infantry Soldiers still received 100 percent cotton socks, underwear and t-shirts, which retained high levels of moisture in the tropical conditions. The sweat retention frequently caused severe rashes and fungal infections commonly referred to as “jungle rot.”

Former 1LT W. Earlston Andrews of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam remembers the measures he and his men took to avoid jungle rot. “Cotton was the enemy too. The first thing I would do when new replacements arrived was make them open their rucksacks and throw

March 15, 2008

away all their socks, underwear and t-shirts to avoid jungle rot,” Andrews said. After this streamlining effort, the tiger suit simply consisted of boots, trousers and uniform jacket.

Problems were not only caused by the cotton under- garments but also by their leather boots. Because the boots retained moisture for extended periods of time, they lacked breathability, deterior- ated quickly and caused severe fungus infections, sores and blisters.

By the time the Vietnam War ended, initial progress had been made in outfitting the Infantry Soldier with better equipment and apparel, but additional improvements were still needed. A new temperate weight twill fabric made of nylon and cotton and printed in a newly developed woodland camouflage pattern allowed the BDUs to last three to four times longer. While increased durability and higher ignition resistance drove adoption of temperate BDUs in 1978, hot weather ripstop BDUs remained in cotton.

The Persian Gulf WarInfantry Soldiers in the Persian Gulf War encoun-tered extremely hot temperatures coupled with the severity of migrating sand, both of which had unique effects on their equipment and uniform. In their initial deployments, Soldiers found that the abrasive desert sand slashed their cotton rip-stop uniforms in two to three weeks.

The Army introduced tri-color desert camouflage to allow Soldiers to more easily evade from op-posing forces. Before the main offensive, uniforms based on temperate twill fabric made of nylon and cotton were issued and printed in the new tri-color desert camouflage pattern. The temperate weight fabric held up against the desert rigors, but posed a challenge against the heat. Soldiers who fought in the conflict remember having to stand down to cool off in the 90 to 120 degree heat. In response to the need for a more durable solu- tion for the Desert Combat Uniform (DCU), INVISTA developed CORDURA® NYCO ripstop fabrics. Less susceptible to abrasion by sand, the DCU lasted two to three times as long as cotton ripstop BDUs in both combat and training.

The Persian Gulf War also brought renewed attention to footwear. Boots issued at the beginning of the war were not designed for the sand and dust, so Soldiers wore them out quickly. A lighter,

more breathable, desert tan boot was developed using fabrics made with nylon filament based CORDURA® fabric technology. The new boot with- stood the environmental challenges, as well as the rigors of 12 to 17 hour days.

During the decade after Desert Storm, new sock technology addressed what may have been the Infantry Soldier’s number one desire – socks that did not sag. The improved combat sock fea-tured LYCRA® fiber technology from toe to top and was the first sock that stayed in place. This eliminated the bunching up of the fabric that caused discomfort and abrasions.

The military apparel advancements developed during and after the Persian Gulf War gave the Infantry Soldier a more regulated body tempera-ture, camouflage to evade opposing forces and adequate footwear acclimated to the harsh desert climate.

OEF/OIF: Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi FreedomWith lessons learned from Desert Storm, the DCU proved its lightweight durability and comfort by enduring for more than a year in OEF/OIF deploy- ments. Most Soldiers did not take advantage of authorized replacement uniforms at the six-month point, but waited until they returned home to re-place their DCUs.

The Land Warrior future technology program spurred a redesign of the backpack and body armor used in the Persian Gulf War. The new design evolved into today’s Interceptor body armor and MOLLE pack system, both made with filament based fabrics. However, the BDU design did not interface well with the new design for the Inter-ceptor and MOLLE. The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) was created to increase functionality. The ACU made of the same nylon and cotton fabric as the DCU incorporated two features: a new universal

digital pattern for use in multiple terrains and wrinkle resistant fabric treatment for ease of care.

One of the deadliest new weapons on the frontline is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The new ACU provides a degree of protection for short duration flash fire. When incidents involve a secondary flash fire and limited egress, higher flame resistance is required.

The initial flame resistant ACU, issued since July 2007, contains 10 percent T420 nylon fiber improving the durability of the flame resistant fabric. In response to the continued threat of sec-ondary fire, a new knit fabric based on a unique blend of INVISTA T420 nylon fiber and cotton has been developed. When exposed to severe heat in flash fire situations, like IEDs, the fabric forms gels and chars around the cotton creating an entirely new fabric structure with a higher ignition resis- tance that does not drip or melt.

Looking AheadAppropriate equipment and uniforms are a sig-nificant factor in the success of the Infantry Soldier’s mission. By learning from previous con-flicts, developments have increased the comfort of uniforms and footwear and brought life-saving improvements. Ongoing adaptations in apparel have resulted in American troops being lighter, faster and more efficient. By continually advancing CORDURA® fabric technology, INVISTA is honored to play a key role in the successes of the military on the battlefields of yesterday, today and if needed, tomorrow.

MILITARY FEATURE MP

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