Corps has advanced gear on order

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Flame-Resistant Organizational Gear
Corps trying to see how many sets Marines need


Corps has advanced gear on order
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Dec 22, 2009 6:02:30 EST

As the Corps ramps up for the Afghanistan surge, officials are still deciding how to equip Marines with the most advanced personal gear available.

The following plans are in the works, though some of these items may not arrive in time for the brutal Afghan winter:

The Rugged All Terrain boot
Everyone deploying will be issued a pair of RAT boots. Built for temperate weather, they can keep your feet warm in freezing conditions provided Marines also wear their cold-weather-level socks. Chemically impregnated leather on the boots’ toes and heels, partnered with the stitch-down design, increases their life span from one year to two, said Lt. Col. A.J. Pasagian, head of the Corps’ infantry combat equipment systems.

Flame-Resistant Organizational Gear
Officials also may issue better FROG sets — and more of them — to ward off burns from roadside bombs. Marines cannot wash their clothes regularly in Afghanistan due to a lack of infrastructure, so simply giving them more gear may be a solution. Right now, everyone is issued two sets of both the inner and outer flame-resistant layers, but the Corps is trying to determine how many sets Marines really need. Pasagian said he expects a decision on that by the end of December. The fourth-generation FROG set will include an improved blend of the flame-resistant synthetic fibers, making the gear more breathable for Marines toting heavy loads in rugged terrain. Even in the dead of winter, Marines tend to get too hot while wearing the multiple layers, he said. The Corps is looking to purchase enough of the next-generation gear to last for the next two years.

Combat shirts
The Corps also is seeking new inclement-weather combat shirts, a flame-resistant garment eyed for use under the Scalable Plate Carrier body armor vest commonly used in Afghanistan. Tennessee-based Short Bark Industries was awarded a $31 million contract for the sought-after shirts in September. Pasagian said production will increase in 2010, although it is too early to say when Marines can expect to see them in theater.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/12/marine_gear_122209w/