The Army's and Marine Corps' latest uniform changes hint at preparations for a looming 'big-ass war'

pulse

February 7, 2018 12:26 AM

The Army and the Marine Corps are preparing themselves, and their gear, for operations in the extreme cold.

The US military's focus has started to shift away from asymmetric conflicts to a fight with near-peer rivals.
That new prospect has created the need for new and updated gear — particularly for extreme climates.
US soldiers and Marines are already overseas trying to acclimate themselves and their gear to new environments.

US military officials and policymakers are devoting increased attention to the potential for conflict with a near-peer competitor, and they've pursued a number of operational and equipment changes to prepare for it.

Among the latest moves is the roll out of more cold-weather gear among the US Army and Marine Corps, underscoring the military's growing concern about its ability to operate in extreme environments outside the Middle East.

For the last several years, the Army has been looking to update its gear for extremes, mainly jungles and the harsh cold. Included in that search was a new cold-weather boot and a cold-weather clothing system that could be adjusted for various temperatures.

In recent weeks, soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York have done winter training operations with new gloves, headgear, socks, gaiters, parkas, and trousers. That new gear was focused on "face, hands, and feet," 1st Sgt. Daniel Bryan, first sergeant of the division's Light Fighters School, told Army Times.

The unit also received new skis. Built shorter and wider, like cross-country skis, they were brought in so inexperienced soldiers could strap into them with their cold-weather boots and be able to maneuver in short order. Those new skis were also being deployed among Army units in Alaska, Vermont, and Italy.

Troops at Fort Drum have done cold-weather exercises for some time, but the base's recent designation as a Zone 7 — the same designation as Fort Wainwright in Alaska and Camp Ethan Allen in Vermont — steered millions of dollars more in funding there so soldiers could undertake more training.

The new equipment has been fielded as part of an effort to prepare troops physically and mentally for cold-weather operations.

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