Snipers and lone wolves, beware. Soldiers in Afghanistan will receive the first of more than 13,000 individual gunshot detection systems later this month. The Individual Gunshot Detector, or IGD, shows the distance and direction of incoming fire by way of four small acoustic sensors and a small display screen attached to body armor. The IGD display is about the size of a deck of cards and the system weighs less than two pounds, officials said in a press release. The remaining IGDs will be fielded at approximately 1,500 systems per month.
Author Lance Bacon
Lance Bacon
A Navy brat who spent eight years in the Marines (two years aboard the carrier Independence). Worked in journalism in Eastern North Carolina through the latter part of the 90s, then became editor of Air Force Times in 2000. Stayed there five years, then took a break to finish some school. Now back in the game with Navy Times.
Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sarver, an Iraq veteran who claims he is the basis for “The Hurt Locker,” says the movie has placed his life at risk and subjected him to ridicule about his bomb disposal prowess. “Defendants have essentially placed a bulls-eye on the back of my Army uniform/bomb suit for my current and future deployments,” Sarver wrote in a sworn declaration wrote in a court filing signed in Afghanistan and filed Tuesday in Los Angeles. Sarver said the film relies heavily on his experiences and background – a claim the filmmakers and screenwriter deny. But Sarver points to a…
The National Museum of Health and Medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is soon to close as it prepares for its move to Silver Spring, Md. Perhaps you missed this museum as you toured Washington, D.C.’s famed Smithsonians. And granted, the “Evolution of the Microscope” exhibit doesn’t rate high on our excite-o-meter. But this museum has some pretty cool national and military history that’s worth checking out. Among them: Abraham Lincoln: The Final Casualty of the War. This exhibition includes items associated with Lincoln’s last hours and the physicians who cared for him – and is anchored by .44…
A bronze medal at the Chile World Cup on March 3 gave Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond the points needed to compete in Men’s Double Trap at the 2012 Olympics in London. I had the pleasure of spending a morning with Richmond last month at Fort Benning, and this honor couldn’t have happened to a better soldier. Kudos, indeed, on this great achievement. But I don’t want to jinx the go-getter, either. Though Richmond is ranked No. 1 in the world by a considerable margin, he’s not in London yet. International competition has not ended, and only the top shooters are…
Word at the rumor mill has been that the Army is putting suppressors on all M4. Some were excited with the news. Some were upset at the extra cleaning these require. Others questioned whether such an investment suggested the service isn’t serious about buying a new carbine. As it turns out, the mill was churning in vain. Col. Doug Tamilio, project manager for soldier weapons, tells Army Times the service is not buying suppressors for all M4s. Such talk was likely drawn from a Navy Crane Center solicitation or from 10,000 flash hiders purchased by Rapid Equipping Force for use…
Engineers are working on a color-changing paint that indicates whether ammunition has been stored at extreme temperatures. Such temperatures can compromise performance and pose a safety risk for the soldier. Thermal indicating paint works like a mood ring – the longer the ammo has been in an extreme environment, the greater the color changes. Thermochromic polymers, which change the wavelength of light when exposed to different temperatures, are the key. “We have formulas that change color within the designated temperature ranges, but our biggest challenge is maintaining long-term stability of a coating,” James Zunino, project officer/materials engineer of the…
Photo by Lance Cpl. Clifton D. Sams The Military Leadership Diversity Commission, a commission established to study diversity among military leaders, today recommended the Pentagon remove the combat exclusion policy and allow women to serve in ground combat units. This is one of 20 recommendations contained in its report, “From Representation to Inclusion: Diversity Leadership for the 21st Century Military.” (PDF) Thoughts?
Pentagon officials will roll out a plan today that will give the services about three months to train troops on the new law allowing gays to serve openly. Three levels of training will usher in changes to everything from personnel regs and recruiting, officials said. One level will be for administrators and leadership. The second will be for senior commanders who will have to enforce the policies. The third will be the general training for the troops. Once the training is complete, the president must certify that lifting the ban won’t hurt troops’ ability to fight. Sixty days after certification,…
Artillery’s cool factor just shot higher than a 155mm Excalibur on steroids. The Army is fielding three illumination rounds that let soldiers see at night while the enemy remains in the dark. This is because the rounds produce infrared light that is invisible to the eye but visible through NVGs. These rounds also illuminate twice as much area as traditional illumination, according to a press release issued this morning. The cost of these artillery rounds is at or slightly higher than existing illumination rounds. Better still, the infrared technology has been honed down for use in 40mm weapons such as…
Some funding for the Ground Combat Vehicle remains on hold after the Army failed to provide a detailed report on the costly program by Jan. 15, a deadline required by the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act. The Army on Jan. 13 submitted an interim report to Congress, stating the report was not complete and would be submitted in late March, said Army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Alayne Conway. The report will include an analysis of alternatives with technical data and an explanation of any plans to adjust the program requirements during the technology development phase. The authorization act puts a hold…
