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By PETER A BUXBAUM
MMT CORRESPONDENT
The prevention of hypothermia among battlefield casualties isa major challenge for combat medics and not only in extreme coldconditions Hypothermia is the fourth leading cause of preventablebattlefield deaths The most frequent cause is hemorrhage Andthere is a connection between those two phenomena
Hypothermia induces coagulopathy a condition making bloodclotting more difficult Even a small decrease in body temperaturecan interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of exsan-guination noted a 2010 memorandum from the Defense HealthBoard Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) working group Com-bat casualties in shock are at even greater risk of hypothermiccoagulopathy Shock victims are thus predisposed to hypothermia
A TC3 protocol encourages combat medics encountering acasualty suffering from a penetration wound to be mindful of theimplications for hypothermia Hypothermia is far easier to pre-vent than it is to treat said the TC3 memo so prevention of heatloss should begin as soon after wounding as the tactical situationpermits
The US military has acquired a number of products that helpmedics deal with this difficult battlefield situation The armedservices have also developed and acquired a range of cold weathergarments allowing warfighters to operate and medics to treatcasualties in adverse conditions
Our primary goal is to help the patient create clotting factorsat the point of injury said Captain Martin Stewart of the IOthMountain Division Medical Simulation Training Center in FortDrum NV In hypothermic patients it becomes difficult for themto create their own clotting
By using the right kind of gear and applying the right proce-dures it is possible to reduce the number of preventable combatdeaths to zero said Ricardo Flores-Artola director of militaryproducts at North American Rescue This has been documented
6 I ItIItIT 158
among an Army Rangers unit that has been at the forefront of a lotof combat missions
Cold weather clothing helps warfighters and medics to work incold weather conditions We fielded the third generation of ourExtended Cold Weather Clothing System in 2006 said Major BarryCastro assistant product manager for cold weather clothing at theArmys Program Executive Office Solider We heard from com-manders in Afghanistan that our soldiers had the ability to fight incold weather while the Taliban had to hole up and were unable toexercise tactical operations
We understand the austere environments that warfighters facein theater said Sean McDearmon Army branch specialist for WLGore amp Associates the makers of Gore-Tex fabric and a supplierto the Armys Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS)Our innovation efforts are focused on the comfort and survivabil-ity of soldiers in these extreme weather situations
North American Rescue produces the Hypothermia Preventionamp Management Kit (HPMK) which has been endorsed by TC3HPMK is specifically designed to prevent hypothermia duringtactical casualty evacuation said Flores
The HPMK includes the Heat Reflective Shell (HRS) con-structed of a four-ply composite fabric that provides thermal insu-lation and is impervious to wind and rain The HRS has a built-inhood and fluid absorption pad A system of hook and loop closuresallows access by medics to the casualty The kit also contains aself-heating four-cell shell liner designed to sustain six hours ofcontinuous dry heat at a temperature of 106 F
The companys ARC-TC Thermal Wrap is a single-use dis-posal product designed for early prevention and management ofhypothermia as close as possible to the point of injury Within90 seconds of activation the unit delivers 104 F of continuousradiant heat to the casualtys back and chest lasting a minimum
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
-The Thermal Angel blood warmer is a disposable lightweight and portable blood and IV fluidinfusion warming device providing warm fluids within 45 seconds [Photo courtesy of EstillMedical Technologies Inc]
of five hours from a fully charged BA-5590 battery said FloresThis heating solution overcomes the limitations of chemicalself-heating devices by providing the capability to quickly produceconstant heat for a long duration even in high altitudes and inmoist environments The chest heaters can be adjusted to evaluatethe casualtys chest by moving the chest flaps to the side duringthe examination
North American rescue is experimenting with a new Dupontmaterial that could make its hypothermia wraps lighter more rug-ged and more heat conductive The company is awaiting approvalfrom the Food and Drug Administration before introducing theproduct to the market
Estill Medical Technologies Inc produces Thermal Angelwhich heats fluids such as blood Hextend and other intravenousfluids providing a casualty with warm fluids in an effort to preventhypothermia Thermal Angel regulates the infusate at 5000 timesper second producing a normothermic output temperature of 38 C[100 F] said Brandon Lopez the companys vice president for salesand marketing The Thermal Angel does not require calibrationcleaning or maintenance It is very easy to use and set up It wasdesigned to follow the patient throughout the entire continuum ofcare streamlining the training requirements and decreasing thelogistical footprint associated with managing the trauma patient
Estill Medical also produces a portable power source for theThermal Angel known as the Thermal Angel Ultra Battery Arecently introduced product innovation reduces the weight of thepower source from six pounds to 125 pounds The Ultra Batteryis chargeable from a variety of sources The caregiver can get outthere on a mission said Lopez knowing that whatever powersource is available will be able to charge the battery
The US Army Center for Predeployment Medicine trains doc-tors and physician assistants in the use of Thermal Angel as partof a course provided to them 90 days before they are deployed totheater It is a one-hour block of instruction said Brian Hill aphysician assistant and instructor in the tactical combat medi-cal care course and we continue to use the product throughoutthe week-long course Thermal Angel introduces the fluids to thepatient at slightly warmer than normal body temperature in orderto help prevent hypothermia
We have found that the hypothermic kit and the warm fluidsare a really good combination said Stewart The new Thermal
wwwltfltfT-kmicom ItfItfT 158 I 7
Angel battery system is more por-table and more advantageous formedics to use on the battlefield
The US Armys Extended ColdWeather Clothing System is a col-lection of seven layers designedto be mixed and matched by indi-vidual warfighters to meet theirmission needs and the conditionsof the environments in which theyare operating The various compo-nents of the system are suppliedby several different manufacturersand then kitted and supplied tothe military by ADS of VirginiaBeach Va The Soldier Protectiveand Individual Equipment office ofPEO Soldier designed and initiallyfielded the system but the DefenseLogistics Agency is now in chargeof awarding long-term contractsfor the garments Material produced by TenCate Protective Fabrics has been incorporated in a number of military garments including the Marine Corps inclement
The first generation of ECWCS weather combat shirt [Photo courtesy ofTenCate Protective Fabrics)
was introduced in the late 1980sand consisted of an outer layer parka and trousers which incorpo-rated the Gore-Tex fabric a fleece middle layer and long thermalunderwear The second generation replaced the middle and underlayers with less bulky material that provided the same level ofwarmth
The third generation represents a significant improvement overthe second generation said Castro We never before approachedthe problem holistically This time we attacked the problem of layer-ing by giving soldiers the option of removing and replacing layers
The seven ECWCS layers consist of silk-weight top and bottomundergarments made of a thin moisture-wicking fabric followed bya light fleece layer The fleece top is equipped with a half zipper sothat the wearer can adjust the garment has he warms up
The third layer is a fleece jacket that provides protection againstcold but not wind The next layer up is a wind shirt that provideswind protection These two layers can be worn individually ortogether depending upon conditions
The fifth layer is a soft shell top and bottom including a jacketwith hood designed to provide cold weather protection but onlylimited protection from inclement weather Next up is a is a seam-sealed wetcold weather jacket and trousers constructed with two-layer Gore- Tex fabric that is completely waterproof windproof andbreathable
Technically it is not a rain suit Its design and constructionproperties far exceed that of a simple rain suit Finally the seventhlayer is a large puffy parka and trousers for use in extreme cold whenperforming stationary tasks such as guard duty
The system is tailorable to any mission said Castro As sol-diers move and produce sweat they can take some layers off and putothers on
The Army doesnt produce policies as to when each layer shouldbe worn We have a mandate to operate from 120 degrees to minus60 said Castro It is up to the soldiers and their leadership Thedesign of the system is user dependent The feedback we havereceived from soldiers has been great
8 I ItIItIT 158
wL Gore does not manufacture garments itself but supplies itsGore- Tex fabrics to others who product the components for ECWCSand other cold weather gear for the US military These pieces includeouterwear footwear and gloves We describe Gore-Tex fabrics asdurably waterproof windproof and breathable said McDearmon
To produce a finished fabric a Gore membrane is laminated tovarious textiles including nylon polyester or Nomex Gore-Tex fab-rics have been incorporated into every generation of Army ECWCSas well as into outerwear for all other branches of the US military
TenCate Protective Fabrics likewise produces materials that areincorporated into garments manufactured by others The companysDefender M fabric was designed primarily to be flame resistant buthas been incorporated in gear designed to protect warfighters fromthe elements
The fabric was adopted by theUnited States Marine Corps for itsinclement weather combat shirtsaid Mike Stanhope the companysglobal RampD manager The shirt is notdesigned for extreme conditions butfor intermediate conditions requiringwater repellent properties and protec-tion from cold and wind If you arewet and it is 55 degrees out you maysuffer from hypothermia which couldlead to death
The shirt is worn as part of a layered system usually against theskin and under the body armor according to Stanhope The Norwe-gian Italian and Australian militaries have also adopted the TenCateDefender M protective materials for some of their forces gear
For more information contactMMTEditorBrian OShea at brianokmimediagroupcom
or search our online archives for related stories at ~vwMMT-kmicolll
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
By PETER A BUXBAUM
MMT CORRESPONDENT
The prevention of hypothermia among battlefield casualties isa major challenge for combat medics and not only in extreme coldconditions Hypothermia is the fourth leading cause of preventablebattlefield deaths The most frequent cause is hemorrhage Andthere is a connection between those two phenomena
Hypothermia induces coagulopathy a condition making bloodclotting more difficult Even a small decrease in body temperaturecan interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of exsan-guination noted a 2010 memorandum from the Defense HealthBoard Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) working group Com-bat casualties in shock are at even greater risk of hypothermiccoagulopathy Shock victims are thus predisposed to hypothermia
A TC3 protocol encourages combat medics encountering acasualty suffering from a penetration wound to be mindful of theimplications for hypothermia Hypothermia is far easier to pre-vent than it is to treat said the TC3 memo so prevention of heatloss should begin as soon after wounding as the tactical situationpermits
The US military has acquired a number of products that helpmedics deal with this difficult battlefield situation The armedservices have also developed and acquired a range of cold weathergarments allowing warfighters to operate and medics to treatcasualties in adverse conditions
Our primary goal is to help the patient create clotting factorsat the point of injury said Captain Martin Stewart of the IOthMountain Division Medical Simulation Training Center in FortDrum NV In hypothermic patients it becomes difficult for themto create their own clotting
By using the right kind of gear and applying the right proce-dures it is possible to reduce the number of preventable combatdeaths to zero said Ricardo Flores-Artola director of militaryproducts at North American Rescue This has been documented
6 I ItIItIT 158
among an Army Rangers unit that has been at the forefront of a lotof combat missions
Cold weather clothing helps warfighters and medics to work incold weather conditions We fielded the third generation of ourExtended Cold Weather Clothing System in 2006 said Major BarryCastro assistant product manager for cold weather clothing at theArmys Program Executive Office Solider We heard from com-manders in Afghanistan that our soldiers had the ability to fight incold weather while the Taliban had to hole up and were unable toexercise tactical operations
We understand the austere environments that warfighters facein theater said Sean McDearmon Army branch specialist for WLGore amp Associates the makers of Gore-Tex fabric and a supplierto the Armys Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS)Our innovation efforts are focused on the comfort and survivabil-ity of soldiers in these extreme weather situations
North American Rescue produces the Hypothermia Preventionamp Management Kit (HPMK) which has been endorsed by TC3HPMK is specifically designed to prevent hypothermia duringtactical casualty evacuation said Flores
The HPMK includes the Heat Reflective Shell (HRS) con-structed of a four-ply composite fabric that provides thermal insu-lation and is impervious to wind and rain The HRS has a built-inhood and fluid absorption pad A system of hook and loop closuresallows access by medics to the casualty The kit also contains aself-heating four-cell shell liner designed to sustain six hours ofcontinuous dry heat at a temperature of 106 F
The companys ARC-TC Thermal Wrap is a single-use dis-posal product designed for early prevention and management ofhypothermia as close as possible to the point of injury Within90 seconds of activation the unit delivers 104 F of continuousradiant heat to the casualtys back and chest lasting a minimum
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
-The Thermal Angel blood warmer is a disposable lightweight and portable blood and IV fluidinfusion warming device providing warm fluids within 45 seconds [Photo courtesy of EstillMedical Technologies Inc]
of five hours from a fully charged BA-5590 battery said FloresThis heating solution overcomes the limitations of chemicalself-heating devices by providing the capability to quickly produceconstant heat for a long duration even in high altitudes and inmoist environments The chest heaters can be adjusted to evaluatethe casualtys chest by moving the chest flaps to the side duringthe examination
North American rescue is experimenting with a new Dupontmaterial that could make its hypothermia wraps lighter more rug-ged and more heat conductive The company is awaiting approvalfrom the Food and Drug Administration before introducing theproduct to the market
Estill Medical Technologies Inc produces Thermal Angelwhich heats fluids such as blood Hextend and other intravenousfluids providing a casualty with warm fluids in an effort to preventhypothermia Thermal Angel regulates the infusate at 5000 timesper second producing a normothermic output temperature of 38 C[100 F] said Brandon Lopez the companys vice president for salesand marketing The Thermal Angel does not require calibrationcleaning or maintenance It is very easy to use and set up It wasdesigned to follow the patient throughout the entire continuum ofcare streamlining the training requirements and decreasing thelogistical footprint associated with managing the trauma patient
Estill Medical also produces a portable power source for theThermal Angel known as the Thermal Angel Ultra Battery Arecently introduced product innovation reduces the weight of thepower source from six pounds to 125 pounds The Ultra Batteryis chargeable from a variety of sources The caregiver can get outthere on a mission said Lopez knowing that whatever powersource is available will be able to charge the battery
The US Army Center for Predeployment Medicine trains doc-tors and physician assistants in the use of Thermal Angel as partof a course provided to them 90 days before they are deployed totheater It is a one-hour block of instruction said Brian Hill aphysician assistant and instructor in the tactical combat medi-cal care course and we continue to use the product throughoutthe week-long course Thermal Angel introduces the fluids to thepatient at slightly warmer than normal body temperature in orderto help prevent hypothermia
We have found that the hypothermic kit and the warm fluidsare a really good combination said Stewart The new Thermal
wwwltfltfT-kmicom ItfItfT 158 I 7
Angel battery system is more por-table and more advantageous formedics to use on the battlefield
The US Armys Extended ColdWeather Clothing System is a col-lection of seven layers designedto be mixed and matched by indi-vidual warfighters to meet theirmission needs and the conditionsof the environments in which theyare operating The various compo-nents of the system are suppliedby several different manufacturersand then kitted and supplied tothe military by ADS of VirginiaBeach Va The Soldier Protectiveand Individual Equipment office ofPEO Soldier designed and initiallyfielded the system but the DefenseLogistics Agency is now in chargeof awarding long-term contractsfor the garments Material produced by TenCate Protective Fabrics has been incorporated in a number of military garments including the Marine Corps inclement
The first generation of ECWCS weather combat shirt [Photo courtesy ofTenCate Protective Fabrics)
was introduced in the late 1980sand consisted of an outer layer parka and trousers which incorpo-rated the Gore-Tex fabric a fleece middle layer and long thermalunderwear The second generation replaced the middle and underlayers with less bulky material that provided the same level ofwarmth
The third generation represents a significant improvement overthe second generation said Castro We never before approachedthe problem holistically This time we attacked the problem of layer-ing by giving soldiers the option of removing and replacing layers
The seven ECWCS layers consist of silk-weight top and bottomundergarments made of a thin moisture-wicking fabric followed bya light fleece layer The fleece top is equipped with a half zipper sothat the wearer can adjust the garment has he warms up
The third layer is a fleece jacket that provides protection againstcold but not wind The next layer up is a wind shirt that provideswind protection These two layers can be worn individually ortogether depending upon conditions
The fifth layer is a soft shell top and bottom including a jacketwith hood designed to provide cold weather protection but onlylimited protection from inclement weather Next up is a is a seam-sealed wetcold weather jacket and trousers constructed with two-layer Gore- Tex fabric that is completely waterproof windproof andbreathable
Technically it is not a rain suit Its design and constructionproperties far exceed that of a simple rain suit Finally the seventhlayer is a large puffy parka and trousers for use in extreme cold whenperforming stationary tasks such as guard duty
The system is tailorable to any mission said Castro As sol-diers move and produce sweat they can take some layers off and putothers on
The Army doesnt produce policies as to when each layer shouldbe worn We have a mandate to operate from 120 degrees to minus60 said Castro It is up to the soldiers and their leadership Thedesign of the system is user dependent The feedback we havereceived from soldiers has been great
8 I ItIItIT 158
wL Gore does not manufacture garments itself but supplies itsGore- Tex fabrics to others who product the components for ECWCSand other cold weather gear for the US military These pieces includeouterwear footwear and gloves We describe Gore-Tex fabrics asdurably waterproof windproof and breathable said McDearmon
To produce a finished fabric a Gore membrane is laminated tovarious textiles including nylon polyester or Nomex Gore-Tex fab-rics have been incorporated into every generation of Army ECWCSas well as into outerwear for all other branches of the US military
TenCate Protective Fabrics likewise produces materials that areincorporated into garments manufactured by others The companysDefender M fabric was designed primarily to be flame resistant buthas been incorporated in gear designed to protect warfighters fromthe elements
The fabric was adopted by theUnited States Marine Corps for itsinclement weather combat shirtsaid Mike Stanhope the companysglobal RampD manager The shirt is notdesigned for extreme conditions butfor intermediate conditions requiringwater repellent properties and protec-tion from cold and wind If you arewet and it is 55 degrees out you maysuffer from hypothermia which couldlead to death
The shirt is worn as part of a layered system usually against theskin and under the body armor according to Stanhope The Norwe-gian Italian and Australian militaries have also adopted the TenCateDefender M protective materials for some of their forces gear
For more information contactMMTEditorBrian OShea at brianokmimediagroupcom
or search our online archives for related stories at ~vwMMT-kmicolll
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
-The Thermal Angel blood warmer is a disposable lightweight and portable blood and IV fluidinfusion warming device providing warm fluids within 45 seconds [Photo courtesy of EstillMedical Technologies Inc]
of five hours from a fully charged BA-5590 battery said FloresThis heating solution overcomes the limitations of chemicalself-heating devices by providing the capability to quickly produceconstant heat for a long duration even in high altitudes and inmoist environments The chest heaters can be adjusted to evaluatethe casualtys chest by moving the chest flaps to the side duringthe examination
North American rescue is experimenting with a new Dupontmaterial that could make its hypothermia wraps lighter more rug-ged and more heat conductive The company is awaiting approvalfrom the Food and Drug Administration before introducing theproduct to the market
Estill Medical Technologies Inc produces Thermal Angelwhich heats fluids such as blood Hextend and other intravenousfluids providing a casualty with warm fluids in an effort to preventhypothermia Thermal Angel regulates the infusate at 5000 timesper second producing a normothermic output temperature of 38 C[100 F] said Brandon Lopez the companys vice president for salesand marketing The Thermal Angel does not require calibrationcleaning or maintenance It is very easy to use and set up It wasdesigned to follow the patient throughout the entire continuum ofcare streamlining the training requirements and decreasing thelogistical footprint associated with managing the trauma patient
Estill Medical also produces a portable power source for theThermal Angel known as the Thermal Angel Ultra Battery Arecently introduced product innovation reduces the weight of thepower source from six pounds to 125 pounds The Ultra Batteryis chargeable from a variety of sources The caregiver can get outthere on a mission said Lopez knowing that whatever powersource is available will be able to charge the battery
The US Army Center for Predeployment Medicine trains doc-tors and physician assistants in the use of Thermal Angel as partof a course provided to them 90 days before they are deployed totheater It is a one-hour block of instruction said Brian Hill aphysician assistant and instructor in the tactical combat medi-cal care course and we continue to use the product throughoutthe week-long course Thermal Angel introduces the fluids to thepatient at slightly warmer than normal body temperature in orderto help prevent hypothermia
We have found that the hypothermic kit and the warm fluidsare a really good combination said Stewart The new Thermal
wwwltfltfT-kmicom ItfItfT 158 I 7
Angel battery system is more por-table and more advantageous formedics to use on the battlefield
The US Armys Extended ColdWeather Clothing System is a col-lection of seven layers designedto be mixed and matched by indi-vidual warfighters to meet theirmission needs and the conditionsof the environments in which theyare operating The various compo-nents of the system are suppliedby several different manufacturersand then kitted and supplied tothe military by ADS of VirginiaBeach Va The Soldier Protectiveand Individual Equipment office ofPEO Soldier designed and initiallyfielded the system but the DefenseLogistics Agency is now in chargeof awarding long-term contractsfor the garments Material produced by TenCate Protective Fabrics has been incorporated in a number of military garments including the Marine Corps inclement
The first generation of ECWCS weather combat shirt [Photo courtesy ofTenCate Protective Fabrics)
was introduced in the late 1980sand consisted of an outer layer parka and trousers which incorpo-rated the Gore-Tex fabric a fleece middle layer and long thermalunderwear The second generation replaced the middle and underlayers with less bulky material that provided the same level ofwarmth
The third generation represents a significant improvement overthe second generation said Castro We never before approachedthe problem holistically This time we attacked the problem of layer-ing by giving soldiers the option of removing and replacing layers
The seven ECWCS layers consist of silk-weight top and bottomundergarments made of a thin moisture-wicking fabric followed bya light fleece layer The fleece top is equipped with a half zipper sothat the wearer can adjust the garment has he warms up
The third layer is a fleece jacket that provides protection againstcold but not wind The next layer up is a wind shirt that provideswind protection These two layers can be worn individually ortogether depending upon conditions
The fifth layer is a soft shell top and bottom including a jacketwith hood designed to provide cold weather protection but onlylimited protection from inclement weather Next up is a is a seam-sealed wetcold weather jacket and trousers constructed with two-layer Gore- Tex fabric that is completely waterproof windproof andbreathable
Technically it is not a rain suit Its design and constructionproperties far exceed that of a simple rain suit Finally the seventhlayer is a large puffy parka and trousers for use in extreme cold whenperforming stationary tasks such as guard duty
The system is tailorable to any mission said Castro As sol-diers move and produce sweat they can take some layers off and putothers on
The Army doesnt produce policies as to when each layer shouldbe worn We have a mandate to operate from 120 degrees to minus60 said Castro It is up to the soldiers and their leadership Thedesign of the system is user dependent The feedback we havereceived from soldiers has been great
8 I ItIItIT 158
wL Gore does not manufacture garments itself but supplies itsGore- Tex fabrics to others who product the components for ECWCSand other cold weather gear for the US military These pieces includeouterwear footwear and gloves We describe Gore-Tex fabrics asdurably waterproof windproof and breathable said McDearmon
To produce a finished fabric a Gore membrane is laminated tovarious textiles including nylon polyester or Nomex Gore-Tex fab-rics have been incorporated into every generation of Army ECWCSas well as into outerwear for all other branches of the US military
TenCate Protective Fabrics likewise produces materials that areincorporated into garments manufactured by others The companysDefender M fabric was designed primarily to be flame resistant buthas been incorporated in gear designed to protect warfighters fromthe elements
The fabric was adopted by theUnited States Marine Corps for itsinclement weather combat shirtsaid Mike Stanhope the companysglobal RampD manager The shirt is notdesigned for extreme conditions butfor intermediate conditions requiringwater repellent properties and protec-tion from cold and wind If you arewet and it is 55 degrees out you maysuffer from hypothermia which couldlead to death
The shirt is worn as part of a layered system usually against theskin and under the body armor according to Stanhope The Norwe-gian Italian and Australian militaries have also adopted the TenCateDefender M protective materials for some of their forces gear
For more information contactMMTEditorBrian OShea at brianokmimediagroupcom
or search our online archives for related stories at ~vwMMT-kmicolll
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
Angel battery system is more por-table and more advantageous formedics to use on the battlefield
The US Armys Extended ColdWeather Clothing System is a col-lection of seven layers designedto be mixed and matched by indi-vidual warfighters to meet theirmission needs and the conditionsof the environments in which theyare operating The various compo-nents of the system are suppliedby several different manufacturersand then kitted and supplied tothe military by ADS of VirginiaBeach Va The Soldier Protectiveand Individual Equipment office ofPEO Soldier designed and initiallyfielded the system but the DefenseLogistics Agency is now in chargeof awarding long-term contractsfor the garments Material produced by TenCate Protective Fabrics has been incorporated in a number of military garments including the Marine Corps inclement
The first generation of ECWCS weather combat shirt [Photo courtesy ofTenCate Protective Fabrics)
was introduced in the late 1980sand consisted of an outer layer parka and trousers which incorpo-rated the Gore-Tex fabric a fleece middle layer and long thermalunderwear The second generation replaced the middle and underlayers with less bulky material that provided the same level ofwarmth
The third generation represents a significant improvement overthe second generation said Castro We never before approachedthe problem holistically This time we attacked the problem of layer-ing by giving soldiers the option of removing and replacing layers
The seven ECWCS layers consist of silk-weight top and bottomundergarments made of a thin moisture-wicking fabric followed bya light fleece layer The fleece top is equipped with a half zipper sothat the wearer can adjust the garment has he warms up
The third layer is a fleece jacket that provides protection againstcold but not wind The next layer up is a wind shirt that provideswind protection These two layers can be worn individually ortogether depending upon conditions
The fifth layer is a soft shell top and bottom including a jacketwith hood designed to provide cold weather protection but onlylimited protection from inclement weather Next up is a is a seam-sealed wetcold weather jacket and trousers constructed with two-layer Gore- Tex fabric that is completely waterproof windproof andbreathable
Technically it is not a rain suit Its design and constructionproperties far exceed that of a simple rain suit Finally the seventhlayer is a large puffy parka and trousers for use in extreme cold whenperforming stationary tasks such as guard duty
The system is tailorable to any mission said Castro As sol-diers move and produce sweat they can take some layers off and putothers on
The Army doesnt produce policies as to when each layer shouldbe worn We have a mandate to operate from 120 degrees to minus60 said Castro It is up to the soldiers and their leadership Thedesign of the system is user dependent The feedback we havereceived from soldiers has been great
8 I ItIItIT 158
wL Gore does not manufacture garments itself but supplies itsGore- Tex fabrics to others who product the components for ECWCSand other cold weather gear for the US military These pieces includeouterwear footwear and gloves We describe Gore-Tex fabrics asdurably waterproof windproof and breathable said McDearmon
To produce a finished fabric a Gore membrane is laminated tovarious textiles including nylon polyester or Nomex Gore-Tex fab-rics have been incorporated into every generation of Army ECWCSas well as into outerwear for all other branches of the US military
TenCate Protective Fabrics likewise produces materials that areincorporated into garments manufactured by others The companysDefender M fabric was designed primarily to be flame resistant buthas been incorporated in gear designed to protect warfighters fromthe elements
The fabric was adopted by theUnited States Marine Corps for itsinclement weather combat shirtsaid Mike Stanhope the companysglobal RampD manager The shirt is notdesigned for extreme conditions butfor intermediate conditions requiringwater repellent properties and protec-tion from cold and wind If you arewet and it is 55 degrees out you maysuffer from hypothermia which couldlead to death
The shirt is worn as part of a layered system usually against theskin and under the body armor according to Stanhope The Norwe-gian Italian and Australian militaries have also adopted the TenCateDefender M protective materials for some of their forces gear
For more information contactMMTEditorBrian OShea at brianokmimediagroupcom
or search our online archives for related stories at ~vwMMT-kmicolll
wwwltIltIT-kmlcom
