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Thankyou for keeping me safe long enough to join you in defending this country. Without you holding the line, I wouldn't be here!

Armor Conference was great. I actually saw this vehicle, but with no turret. This is the Cobra, a Turkish designed shell on a HMMWV chassis. More room than our M998s with some armor and better stowage. My scouts really liked it because it was simple and effective. Plus we already have all the engine parts for it!!

The MPs have another vehicle (I misnamed it, sorry). It's made by Textron and is a BRDM looking, 4-wheeled, armored car. A little tall for scouts, but then, the M3 Bradley CFV is taller. The MP vehicle also had an integrated M2/MK-19 stabalized turret with the ability to make it a remote turret. Good design and we suggested improvements.

Two companies had Loader's and TC's gun shields for the M1 series and the HMMWV weapons carrier using transparent armor/ballistic steel. New target aquisition gear for the vehicles, see-through, helmet-mounted displays (already in use on Stryker, the contractor wanted to see if they could work with the M1A2SEP), and many different types of NVGs/light-weight thermal viewers.

There was also the XM-8 5.56mm weapon. Easy to use and very modular. Also very ergonomic and good for either hand. It comes in Compact (slightly bigger than the 5.56mm Pistol or an standard MP-5), a Carbine, or a Sharpshooter/SAW configuration. It takes about 3-5 minutes to change betweeen modes (as long as you have the moduals you need) and doesn't require the armorer to get involved! Sights are easy to use and include a CCO (Close Combat Optic), scopes of varying power, laser pointer, and flashlight. Several butt-stocks and 3 different barrell types are available. Everything is modular and hooks to the reciever. No tools for takedown, can run it over with a vehicle or drop it. It uses high strength poly magazines (NATO 5.56mm Mags don't fit). The new magazines are semi-transparent, more rugged than the steel ones, and hook together side-by-side with a snap (no more taping magazines). Attachments like the M203 are simply slid and locked into place using retaining pins and rails. The Heavy Barrel Sharpshooter/SAW comes with a built in bipod and a 100 round magazine. There is also the Modular Shotgun which fits on the XM-8/M-16/M-4 like the old M-203. We still have the M-9 9mm pistol, but will probably up the caliber soon due to reality not fitting well with the PC 9mm NATO ball round's performance.

The bottom line is this new weapon will allow the Soldier to be more versitile without the military having to buy 50 different weapons only to find out things like the Tankers don't have enough rifles to do dismounted patrols. All the Tanker does with the XM-8 is take off the barrell, handguard, and stock and put the carbine or SAW's components onto the reciever. And even the SAW version is lighter than a fully loaded M-16, plus it's recoil is straight back, not "up and right". I'm a "gun nut" and I was impressed.

There were the new helmets with integration for radios and the various attachments for sights/NVGs. Better protection than the old Kevlar, lighter, and more comfortable! Also, that annoying lip in the back that forced the helment forward when you went prone is gone.

New body armor, including a Class III-A Combat Vehicle Crewmans (CVC) vest and the shoulder guards for the IBA vests.

Lastly, there was the new uniform equipment. The Army/USMC finally got smart and started shopping where sportsmen shop. UnderArmor, Polarmax (I have one of their shirts on now..much better than cotton!!), Matterhorn Boots, Camelback, and many other vendors/suppliers were there to show us their stuff and show the soldier what the Army/USMC bought for them. The biggest problem is there is so much new stuff, the soldiers don't know what it all is.

There was soo much more including the Stryker MGS (I hate it still and I've been all through it), the FCS, robotics, C4ISR, etc, etc, etc.