As one who was forced most of the time to wear the old school 'piss pot' as well as the mid-80's kevlar 'coal skuttle' type, during many types of training over a career in active service, I can attest to the fact that whenever we could dump our helmets, we did, keeping them off and in the 'B4 bag' as long as we could possibly get away with it, and for good reason: You couldn't hear very well when wearing them, especially at night; the 'added value' they provided for protection from shrapnel didn't outweigh the severe headaches (even from properly fitted helmets), 'soldier's neck' (chiropractic term I learned when getting constant lifelong adjustments later, to which my doc blames on the helmet), and the loss of full peripheral vision, coupled with the risk of having the top front of the helmet pushed down when getting into a prone with a ruck (the top of the ruck pushed up on the back of the helmet, removing your ability to see) or having someone hit the top front (even in jest) rendering you blind for a few seconds. Not a good piece of equipment when speed, agility, and silence was our basic 'force protection' stratagem.
Sure, there are going to be the cases where the helmet saves the life, but more times than not, a simple patrol cap or boonie hat will serve the person better. You'll hear more, see more, and be in a position to react much faster than when wearing a helmet. These days, boonie hats only, as they break up the outline and are conducive to camouflage. Of course, opinions vary, and this one is mine, based on years of helmet wear when we couldn't get away with dumping them. We felt the same way about flak jackets and the later Woodland patterned vests. More crap to weigh us down and slow us up.
If it had been a straight on shot, the wearer would be dead. I wore a helmet for many years in the Army, and only three times was I subjected to enemy artillery fire. They got their uses, but I still ain't convinced. Notice how our enemies for the last thirty years don't wear them, and they keep winning anyway? Cost effective wise, they ain't worth it.
5 comments:
Please wear a helmet on your motorcycle or ATV, too.
You only get one brain. It makes a really ugly road smear.
As one who was forced most of the time to wear the old school 'piss pot' as well as the mid-80's kevlar 'coal skuttle' type, during many types of training over a career in active service, I can attest to the fact that whenever we could dump our helmets, we did, keeping them off and in the 'B4 bag' as long as we could possibly get away with it, and for good reason: You couldn't hear very well when wearing them, especially at night; the 'added value' they provided for protection from shrapnel didn't outweigh the severe headaches (even from properly fitted helmets), 'soldier's neck' (chiropractic term I learned when getting constant lifelong adjustments later, to which my doc blames on the helmet), and the loss of full peripheral vision, coupled with the risk of having the top front of the helmet pushed down when getting into a prone with a ruck (the top of the ruck pushed up on the back of the helmet, removing your ability to see) or having someone hit the top front (even in jest) rendering you blind for a few seconds. Not a good piece of equipment when speed, agility, and silence was our basic 'force protection' stratagem.
Sure, there are going to be the cases where the helmet saves the life, but more times than not, a simple patrol cap or boonie hat will serve the person better. You'll hear more, see more, and be in a position to react much faster than when wearing a helmet. These days, boonie hats only, as they break up the outline and are conducive to camouflage. Of course, opinions vary, and this one is mine, based on years of helmet wear when we couldn't get away with dumping them. We felt the same way about flak jackets and the later Woodland patterned vests. More crap to weigh us down and slow us up.
Best to you and Rosie; rest comfortably.
If it had been a straight on shot, the wearer would be dead. I wore a helmet for many years in the Army, and only three times was I subjected to enemy artillery fire. They got their uses, but I still ain't convinced. Notice how our enemies for the last thirty years don't wear them, and they keep winning anyway? Cost effective wise, they ain't worth it.
I couldn't help but notice the helmet with the barely-stopped pistol round hole in it is U.N.-blue underneath the OD green paint.
It is again proved that, how helmets protect us.
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