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New protection against an old enemy

Marine Corps News

November 18, 2002

Story by Sgt. Leo A. Salinas

I Marine Expeditionary Force, Calif.(November 18, 2002) -- Marines don't necessarily have to pick up a weapon to fight one of the oldest and deadliest weapons on the battlefield.

The war against terrorism has elevated the threat of chemical attacks and the NBC community is gearing up with recent changes to their arsenal.

Marines from the NBC Defense Section, I Marine Headquarter Group outfit Marines with protective gear to enable them to accomplish the mission.

There have been many changes in the protective gear, from the mask Marines wear, to the boots they walk in. "We received in new green vinyl overboots and black vinyl overboots that are replacing the chemical protective overboot or 'fishtail' style boot," said Gunnery Sgt. Robert J. Andrews, NBC chief, I MHG.

The new boots are capable of protecting the wearer against NBC agents, rain, mud, or snow. "It protects (against) heavy liquid contamination, which is our greatest concern," said Andrews.

The old boot was cumbersome, time consuming to put on, and many of them had reached the end of their shelf life. "When there is a potential of a chemical attack, the faster you can get into the level of protection, the sooner you can get into mission essential tasks," said Andrews.

The old fishtail boots may not be as advance as the new ones, but they are still respected among some Marines in the NBC field.

Fishtail boots took up less space, were more durable, and got better traction, even though they were outdated, said Cpl. Arthur B. Castillo, NBC specialist.

"Silicon rubber is softer and may feel more comfortable in the beginning, but in actuality it's not about comfort, it's about protection," said Castillo.

The new boots are easier to remove during decontamination, needing only a single cut down the heel. The fishtail laces had to be cut first and then the boot itself.

Although the new boots have been around the Marine Corps for two years, NBC here has just received enough to support its own troops.

"Recently we received them in mass, enough to out fit the (major subordinate commands). It was the right time to replace our aging gear and come up with something better," said Andrews.

The Marine Corps continuously looks for better ways to protect its members against a nuclear, biological, chemical attack.

One way is by upgrading the current protective suit.

The Saratoga chemical protective overgarment is going to be replaced with the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology, which has modifications that will enhance its performance. Within the next few years, the Marine Corps will also be receiving a new NBC mask that is lightweight and has more advance technology, said Andrews.

As new gear arrives the NBC community plans to take advantage of an updated tracking system.

"We got a recording system that tracks the serviceability of every piece of gear we have called the Defense Equipment Management Program," said Andrews.

The system helps the unit on the serviceability and current status of all its NBC equipment and redistributes gear in a timelier manner.

"NBC has always been neglected by most commands," said Andrews. "What we done for the communities as whole is really push the integration, as NBC affects basically everything that the mission does and has an overall impact on mission readiness." "It's extremely important that new NBC equipment is brought online as quickly as possible, simply because we can't fire the weapons, we can't fly the aircraft, and we can't drive the new trucks if we are dead," said Andrews.