Noteboom The Law Firm

Military Gear Designed To Protect May Be Doing Damage

February 23, 2011 - In combat situations, it is generally better to have and not need. This philosophy, unfortunately, may have been taken too far by today's military commanders as far as some ground troops are concerned. In the end, this philosophy may be doing more damage to ground troops than good. Average loads humped by today's ground troops average between 87 and 127 pounds will full rucksacks. When in combat, soldiers drop their rucksacks, and when they do, they still carry approximately 60 pounds in fighting load. On top of their body armor, soldiers typically carry a vest holding:

• Radio batteries;
• Water;
• Food;
• Flashlight;
• Ammunition; and
• Miscellaneous gear.

Soldiers rotating back to the U.S. have been diagnosed with degenerative arthritic conditions at unacceptable rates. This is a direct result of being overloaded with weight and forced to move. Musculoskeletal injuries dominate the types of injuries from which soldiers suffer because of the overbearing weight and accounted for almost 1/3 of medical evacuations between 2004 and 2007 from Afghanistan and Iraq.

An unforeseen complication is the amount of veterans becoming dependent on pain killers to manage their physical trauma from medical conditions caused by the weight they carry. For the soldiers, these injuries will likely stay with them for life. For the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), they mean huge increases in disability compensation for these soldiers.

A 2001 Army study found increased carried weight decreases mobility while at the same time increases both fatigue and injury. The study further recommended combat loads not carry more than 50 pounds for an extended period of time. The Army's goal to implement this change was 2010, which obviously has not happened.