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Andrews issues new chemical suits for deployments

Air Mobility Command News

1/13/2003

Senior Airman Aaron Skrivanek 89th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AMCNS) -- Andrews people deploying with future Air Expeditionary Forces will be issued the latest in chemical warfare protection suits.

The new Joint Service Light Weight Integrated Suit Technology, which looks like and wears more like the traditional Battle Dress Uniform than the old suit, is quicker and easier to put on, said Staff Sgt. Kevin Fowlkes, 89 Civil Engineer Squadron readiness training NCOIC.

Members with current chemical warfare training attended familiarization-training sessions for the new suit from Monday until today. Members without current training will have to undergo a full chemical warfare training class that will include the training to use the new suits.

About 5,500 of the new suits were sent from AMC in preparation for the worldwide AEF deployments this spring, said Fowlkes.

The new suits provide many advantages over the old suits.

"These suits can be washed up to six times," said Fowlkes. "They can be put through the laundries that will be set up in the field for that purpose (having isolated water supplies for the chemicals to naturally disperse)."

The suits are made from a two-layer fabric system with liquid-repellant nylon/cotton fabric and a carbon-sphere liner. The charcoal from the old suits is nowhere to be found in the new suits, resulting in less noxious smells and the suit not staining the clothes worn underneath.

Also, the hood of the suit is attached to the coat to provide full-coverage protection for the head.gone are the rubber hoods.

Each suit will provide protection for up to 45 days once removed from the packaging, compared to the 22 days the old suits were good for. The new suits still need to be taken off within 24 hours of exposure to chemicals, said Fowlkes.

Another advantage for personnel using the suits is sizing, said Fowlkes. Each suit comes in the same sizes as BDUs, though Fowlkes recommends getting a coat one size larger than usually worn for BDUs.

"These new suits are now in use by the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Army," said Fowlkes. "Because they are used by all the services and because they can be used for 45 days instead of 22, a lot of money is saved."

Other chemical warfare gear items will be coming in the next couple of years, said Airman 1st Class Janice Agans, 89 CES readiness apprentice. New masks will be coming by 2006 and new boots by 2007, Agans said.

According to Fowlkes, all Andrews personnel scheduled on AEF 9 and 10 will be trained on the new equipment by the end of January.

"The new gear was really easy to put on," said Tech. Sgt. Chris Schmeltz, 89th Logistics Readiness Squadron parts/procurement NCOIC. "It was easy to use, especially with the buddy system."