Excitement heating up over new extended-cold-weather gear (U.S. Army/National Guard)

Army News Service ^ | Dec 15, 2006 | Donna Miles

[Stoat]

 

 

Excitement heating up over new extended-cold-weather gear

Dec 15, 2006
BY Donna Miles

Sgt. Seth Paul and his wife, Sgt. Katja Paul, both military police officers with the Alaska Army Guard's 49th Missile Defense Battalion at Fort Greely, call the Army's new Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System the perfect answer to extreme conditions they face in Alaska. Photo by William D. Moss

FORT GREELEY, Alaska (Army News Service, Dec. 15, 2006) - Members of the Alaska Army National Guard here are sizzling with excitement about their new cold weather gear that keeps them toasty warm even when temperatures dip to double digits below zero.

The new Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System takes the latest insulating and wicking materials that have become hot tickets among skiers, snowmobile riders and other extreme-sports enthusiasts and adapting them for Soldiers operating in demanding arctic conditions, explained Maj. Joe Miley, operations officer for the Alaska Guard's 49th Missile Defense Battalion. "It's designed to work in extremely cold weather," he said.

Unit members got the new, layered system about two weeks ago, just in time for the coldest part of the season here, when the "Delta winds" bring in sustained 60-mph winds, with higher gusts, and temperatures can hit minus-60.

Those conditions make soldiering pretty demanding, explained Sgt. Seth Paul, a military policeman for the unit who patrols the Missile Defense Complex on some of those bone-chilling days. They gel up diesel fuel in vehicles and fray or split belts, freeze up weapons systems, and render radios unusable.

Such conditions can take an even bigger toll on troops, particularly those serving outside for extended periods.

The new ECWCS gear, with 12 components that can be mixed and matched depending on the conditions and how active a Soldier is, offers the critical protection Soldiers here need to do their jobs, Miley said.

The system begins with silky long underwear that's made of lightweight, moisture-wicking polyester designed to keep the wearer dry. The mid-weight shirt and pants provide light insulation during warmer days or an extra layer in colder conditions.

The hands-down favorite piece of gear among the Guardsmen here, the green fleece jacket, offers a snuggly replacement for the Army's heavy black fleece jacket. "It's lighter and warmer, and it's modeled after animal fur," Paul said.

On colder days, Soldiers can top the fleece with a lightweight, waterproof windbreaker or a breathable, soft shell set designed for cold, rainy ways. A waterproof layer offers even more protection in prolonged, hard rain. During the coldest days, troops can add a puffy, extreme-cold-weather parka with high-tech insulation quilted into it and matching pants that zip over other layers in the system.

After two weeks wearing the new gear, the Alaska Guardsmen here give it a unanimous thumbs-up. "I love it. It's comfortable as pajamas, but still looks really professional," said Sgt. Katja Paul, an MP who makes up half of one of the husband-wife teams within the 49th Missile Defense Battalion here.

"It's easy to take care of. You wash it and dry it, and you're ready to go," she said. "And the real beauty of it is that the whole system can be easily folded up and put in your rucksack."

Spc. Anthony Montoya, a battalion communications operator, touted the new gear's breathability, even during heavy activity. "It works well on the range. It's comfortable and lets you move around, but it's still light and compressible," he said.

Seth Paul admitted to putting the new gear to the test "on Army time and off Army time," including snowboarding in his off-duty hours. "It's great stuff," he said. "You can get it soaking wet on the outside and it still keeps you warm and dry."

The new ECWCS gear is slated for initial fielding to the Army in about a year, but the 49th Missile Defense Battalion and a few other units received it ahead of schedule, based on their mission. The Fort Drum, N.Y.-based 10th Mountain Division received it in 2005, in time for its deployment to Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Christopher Cavoli, commander of the division's 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, offered the new system his highest praises after seeing its effectiveness in Operation Mountain Lion in the spring.

"During Operation Mountain Lion, I found myself praying for bad weather -- the first time in my military career I was actually begging for a cold front to come through," he said. "I knew my Soldiers could handle it and the enemy couldn't.

"The ECWCS allowed my men to outlast the enemy on their own terrain," Cavoli said. "When the enemy was forced out of the mountains due to the bitter cold to take shelter, that's when we got them."

(Donna Miles writes for the Armed Forces Press Service.)

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[Stoat]

Bump for later read. Sounds interesting!

Thank you; I thought it was and I hope that you will also  :-)

Unfortunately, the gear is only available to the military at the present time, so the rest of us will just have to make do with whatever we can find on eBay and a hot rum toddy to keep us warm   :-)

[Lurker]

Thanks for the link.

I use these silks. There's nothing like it if you spend time in the outdoors.

Silk is the warmest fiber per weight known to man. The way it feels next to your skin makes one certain that there is indeed a loving God.

It also has excellent wicking abilities so you stay nice and dry.

And for the price you just can't beat it IMO.

L

[tiger-one]

There are those on this forum who have the answer to everything, and in reality post comments which lack creditability.

If you look at some of the replies to the cold weather "expert" you have hit the nail on the head.

[riverrunner]

If they were able to snow cave up with their supplys. They should be able to ride the storm out.

[finnsheep]

Fredom calls wrote: "Unfortunately, the gear is only available to the military at the present time..."

But you can order Polartec fabrics direct from Malden Mills and make your own gear. The stuff is super easy to sew. It can't unravel so there are few seams to worry about finishing and it comes in super wide widths at very low cost.

[Valin]

I was a Security Policeman many many many many years ago. I recall I recall going to work (this is no Korea), you got you thermal underwear, fatigues, field jacket liner, flack vest, parka, furlined flightpants on. You get on post and then..ya gotta take a whiz...this is where you find out just how good a "shot" you are.

This was something they never covered in Security Police school.

[struwwelpeter]

This stuff better be TA-50 issue, I'm sick of buying clothes I only wear two days a month.

While we're on the subject - whose idea was it to put a zipper on the ACU top, but only buttons on the pants? And how tactical is all that noisy velcro?

[Maceman]

The only thing not listed is is a white overjacket or pants.

White pants? After Labor Day?

[ASOC]

I can sew a button back on in the field, a broken zipper is a trip to the tailor. The TA 50 wool shirts and field pants were rugged as wore like iron.

FWIW Zipper = fastner, interlocking, slide (plus size in inches)
they *do* have a NSN. Who knew?

[patton]

NWTC bump. My wife made me stop waring nylons. ;)

[ASOC]

Never quite went that far
Did the silk, polypro, chinesse drawers, field pant, USAF Fat Boy pants, same on top except got Eddie Baur down parkas to wear as we had to string com systems and such.


Trying to describe to someone (who has never had to *work* outdoors at -40 ) what "cold" means is tough. I can still remember how happy we were when a Chinook would blow in and the temps would rocket up to 0.
Or of people setting their tents on fire from running the Yukon stove full blast, trying to thaw out fuel so it would run, etc, etc.

Glad I live in the banana belt now - Anchorage.

[leda]

lol! ya goof!

[patton]

I hear anchorage is only 2 hours from Alaska. ;)

Buddy of mine at NWTC caught his fart sack on fire - we beat it out with our e-tools. Never laughed so hard in my life.

[goldstategop]

You can find American made polar fleece for a good price. Here is one store that has them ready made:

Walkabout Polar Fleece Wear

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[facedown]

I use these silks.

Those look great! I find regular thermals rather sweaty.

[RightWhale]

when temperatures dip to double digits below zero.

60 below for six weeks doesn't quite fit the description of a double digit dip.

[RightWhale]

The Arctic icepack will be back every winter, maybe not as thick as it used to be: three feet thick instead of six feet.

[ASOC]

LOL

Los Anchorage - everyone is jealous because we have street lights and a real sewer system.

[Freedom4US]

I hate waffle-butt..

[stormer]

Correct. Cotton=death in a cold, wet environment. I've got some silk long johns; essential if you're spending any significant amount of time in the elements.