The U.S. Army is in the process of creating a new parachute for its soldiers, one that is easier to maneuver, allows for higher drops and may make missions safer.
The new long-range infiltration parachute will allow members of the Special Forces to jump from up to 35,000 feet, according to Major Ernesto Perez, the Army's assistant product manager for Airdrop Systems. From this height, soldiers will be able to drop on their target with greater stealth.
"This parachute allows you to land everybody within a 25 to 30 meter circle, instead of having all your guys spread out wherever the wind carried them along the drop zone," Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Ford explained in a recently released Army video. In addition to giving troops the ability to jump from a higher altitude, they will also be able to steer and direct their parachute, allowing them greater control over their landing zone.
The chute is known as the RA-1 and has the ability to carry up to 450 pounds, allowing troops to carry more gear during a drop and therefore be more prepared at the landing site. With the current model, troops are sometimes unable to wear their armor when dropping into unknown situations.
In May, the parachutes were tested by 30 paratroopers and 50 military free fall paratroopers at drop zones at Laurinburg, Clinton, and Raeford, North Carolina. In a recent Army news release, test plan analyst Rodrick Manke explained that they were testing the chutes for safety and effectiveness.
"The RA-1 is an individual soldier's parachute system consisting of a main parachute, reserve parachute, harness and container," said Manke. "It is designed to allow insertion by both Military Free Fall and Double Bag Static Line techniques depending on mission deployment requirements."
The new parachute design was created with both the soldiers' safety and comfort in mind. Perez explained to the Army Times that, with the current parachute model, the harness will make a soldier's legs go numb during a fall and make it hard for them to land smoothly. The new harness will put pressure on the soldier's back, protecting their legs from falling asleep and allowing a safer landing.
This new design will soon replace the current MC-4. The Army benefits greatly from new innovations such as the RA-1 and will continue improving on its current designs. The RA-1 is reportedly going to be fielded to special ops forces during the third quarter of this year, according to the Fort Hood Sentinel.
For military families, video chat technology such as FaceTime and Skype have helped them through months or even years of a loved one's tour abroad. It can be difficult for families to adjust to a family member's deployment, especially when they may have young children at home. Being able to communicate "in person" on camera and more often has improved the quality of life for servicemembers and their families back home until they retire during life after service.
Keeping in touch
For the Danneker family, FaceTime is a daily ritual that helps keep JBER Technical Sgt. Shawn in touch with the home front. A member of the Air Force, Shawn is currently serving in Qatar as a station chief and lead firefighter at Al Udeid Air Base. With two young children at home, a toddler and newborn, Shawn's wife Britney believes that her husband isn't the only one serving his country.
"Because he's in the military, I'm almost in the military too," she told KTUU news, "I know he's serving and everything but we do our part at home. We may not be in a combat zone but we are holding down the fort here."
She looks forward to the day that he returns and can once again be a part of their children's lives. Until then, the family maintains a morning routine of video chatting Shawn to keep connected and involved in each other's lives, even when apart. These modern technologies have helped keep other military families sane until they can be reunited once again after a long tour.
Frequent communication is key
According to Foster's Daily Democrat, the physical separation that is frequent with military members has to be offset by a deep emotional connection with children while a parent is abroad. When families communicate frequently, it boosts the morale of the children and also the deployed family member. With this research in mind, Foster's recommends creating a communication plan before deployment to make sure that families stay involved in each other's lives.
When Ginger Munson and her children planned to contact her husband, Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Q. Munson, this past Father's Day, she began to recall the communication methods of the past, when she had to mail audiocassette tapes just so her husband could hear her voice during Desert Storm.
Nowadays, video chatting has made the distance between family members seem a lot shorter. Though emerging video chat technologies have helped families seem closer than ever, there are certain downsides of being so connected to the war zone. Munson reflects on a time that she overheard an exploding mortar during one phone call with her husband, followed by an abrupt goodbye, leaving her uncertain and worried.
However, the Democrat believes that frequent communication can strengthen families during deployment and keep them thriving when apart. Like anything, deployment is an adjustment before, during and after, but keeping communication open and constant will help to ease families back into the routine of having their loved ones around physically instead of just on the computer.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Draper Laboratories and DARPA have been working together to develop paddles for military use inspired by gecko's sticky digits. On DARPA's website, they explain that the Z-Man program aims to synthesize the biological capabilities of spiders and small animals in wearable gloves for humans. These gloves would allow military members to better respond to urban environments, eliminating the use for ropes, ladders or other climbing tools to escape potentially dangerous situations.
Geckskin™ development
The first product developed for the Z-Man program was Geckskin™, an adhesive surface designed and created by professors at UMass Amherst. For years, researchers have been fascinated by geckos' abilities to climb up vertical surfaces, even smooth surfaces such as glass. They discovered that these animals have stiff tendons in their toepads and tiny hairs covering their feet called setae that conform and grip different types of surfaces. Geckos are also able to disengage their foot from any surface without leaving a residue behind.
According to UMass Amherst's website, professors Al Crosby and Duncan J. Irschick successfully mimicked the properties of geckos' feet and developed a synthetic "skin" using inexpensive materials. An index sized piece of their synthetic foot pad can hold up to 700 pounds on a smooth surface once the van der Waals force is strong, which is responsible for the molecule-to-molecule attraction that allows geckos to hang from smooth surfaces by only one toe.
Current research
UMass Amherst developed Gecksin in 2012, but the technology is now being applied specifically with military benefits in mind by DARPA. They have enlisted Draper Laboratories in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to research the "Gecko Nanoadhesive" further.
In early June, DARPA showcased the latest Z-Man research that led to the development of hand-held paddles with polymer microstructure technology. A 218-pound man was able to ascend and descend 25 feet of vertical glass with 50 additional pounds attached to his body in one trial. This successful technology will hopefully make it easier for military members to overcome limitations of tight urban environments. The paddles would allow military members with full gear and additional loads to climb vertical surfaces, reducing the potential hazard that comes with using ropes and other materials that were previously used to scale the side of buildings.
"The gecko is one of the champion climbers in the Animal Kingdom, so it was natural for DARPA to look to it for inspiration in overcoming some of the maneuver challenges that U.S. forces face in urban environments," said Dr. Matt Goodman, the DARPA program manager for Z-Man, in a press release. "Like many of the capabilities that the Department of Defense pursues, we saw with vertical climbing that nature had long since evolved the means to efficiently achieve it."
Additional tests of the technology are ongoing, but the research shows that this technology could be revolutionary for urban combat environments when military members need to quickly escape dangerous situations.
Team USA took on team Nigeria last week in a pre-World Cup match in Jacksonville, Florida. The U.S. Department of Defense press service reported that during halftime, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia honored veteran Samuel Muldrew, Purple Heart recipient and former Army Pvt. 1st Class from 1943 to '45. As the crowd cheered, Muldrew, 91, was awarded a large coin with the inscription "Proud member, United States Armed Forces" by Battaglia and Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. The current and former servicemen then saluted, kicking off the second half of the match.
The award was fittingly presented the day after D-Day, and the reminder of Muldrew's courageous service during the second world war drew a standing ovation from the 50,000 spectators in attendance. The display of American pride was followed by the players securing a win in the second half of the match, finishing 2-1 against Nigeria. This victory secures team USA's place in the FIFA World Cup competition in Brazil later this month.
The World Cup has historically been the most watched sport event across the globe with 715.1 million views of the 2006 final game, held in Germany. The U.S. has not yet won the cup, but so far this year they have a three-game winning streak. Team USA's first official game in the cup will be held June 16, 2014, against team Ghana, according to the official FIFA schedule.
On June 14th, the United States will celebrate the Army's 239th birthday. The Army announced that the theme of this year's celebrations will be "America's Army: Our Profession." With the anniversary come many celebrations to honor the Army's troops and veterans.
Events started Friday, June 8th with ceremonies across the United States.
In Washington D.C. at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Under Secretary of the Army, Brad Carson, gave a keynote speech honoring today's troops and comparing them with the "greatest generation," those who served during WWII. In his speech, Carson reflected on the past 239 years of the Army and its effect on the globe.
"Our beginnings in 1775 may have been humble, but even then and certainly ever since, our Army has influenced the nation and the world," he said.
The extent of the Army celebrations stretch across the U.S. and it's territories. According to Kuam news, Governor Eddie Calvo of Guam gave a special speech honoring the island's servicemen and servicewomen, acknowledging the Army's history on the island and in the Pacific. In a time-honored tradition, the island will host its own Army Birthday Ball on June 14th, along with Army bases across the country.
Even in the nation's capital, celebrations will cumulate on June 21st with the Army Birthday Ball in National Harbor, Maryland.
Elite U.S. naval operatives see the Northwest region of the U.S. as providing an essential role for the military's expansion. According to Stars and Stripes, Adm. Harry Harris Jr. views the Northwest as a key site in future U.S. Naval endeavors.
Admiral thinks region absolutely essential
"The strategic value of the Northwest can't be overstated," said Harris, according to the source. "This is a huge center of gravity for the U.S. military. I think it's critical. That's why I'm taking time out of my schedule to come up and visit this area."
The U.S. government has sought a shift to the Pacific for numerous reasons. The most principal of these, according to Defense.gov, is that the Obama administration believes the U.S. is expending too much time and energy in other regions of the world. The source cites the Middle East as a region that the U.S. wants to incrementally withdraw from, establishing prerogatives and military benefits in other areas.
Buttress presence to placate animosity in region
The U.S. seeks to bolster its naval presence in the Pacific – Stars and Stripes reported that 52 percent of the Navy's surface ships are situated in the Pacific, a number slated to increase to 60 percent by 2020. The imbroglio's near the Pacific are what many see as the rationale for the planned increase in Naval resources.
China and Japan are currently in an bitter dispute over a set of islands, a clashing of dual rights that has raised tempers in the region. The U.S. recognizes the Japan's right to the islands, reflecting the alliance between the two countries who have reached a high-level of amity since WWII. Another reason for the shift to the Pacific is the fear that North Korea will continue to perform nuclear tests, menacing its democratic neighbor, South Korea.
"By now it is clear that the provocations, escalations and poor choices of North Korea's leaders are not only making their country less secure, they are condemning their people to a level of poverty that stands in stark contrast not only to South Korea, but every other country in East Asia," said former National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon, according to Defense.gov.
Stars and Stripes noted that other events have recently sparked the U.S' interest in the region, such as Vietnamese protesting directed at China and Thailand's declaration of martial law.
Battelle, the world's largest nonprofit research and development organization, is partnering with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory of Massachusetts, and Aegis Technologies of Virginia to develop an "Iron Man" military suit, a Battelle spokesperson recently confirmed. The concept for this Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, has been in the works for a few months. In September 2013, the U.S. Special Operations Command issued a special notice inviting related professionals to submit low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) demonstrations of their research. Those encouraged to participate may be involved with industry labs, academia, a part of a government lab or individuals pursuing related sciences in their life after service.
The USSOC had a few suggestions in mind for technological developers, including full-body ballistic armor protection, Situational Awareness (SA) technology, and a powered exoskeleton that would improve agility. The USSOC invited select respondents to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, in October.
The 2014 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference and exhibition held May 20-22 in Tampa showcased the new technologies Battelle has been developing for TALOS. Live Science news met with the vice president for the special operations market group at Battelle, John Folkerts.
"How do you protect against direct action engagement?" he asked. "To protect troops in combat, soldiers must have access to better armor, better protection and better communication."
Though the exact specifics of the suit are set to be released between 2016 and 2018 according to the source, there are some hints of brewing technological advances. NPR spoke with professors Norman Wagner from the University of Delaware and Gareth McKinley from MIT when the technology was in its first stages.
"We're starting with the material that's almost a liquid ceramic that transitions when you hit it hard," said Wagner. "These particles organize themselves quickly, locally in a way that they can't flow anymore and they become like a solid."
This means that the suit would provide better protection after being hit by a bullet, but McKinley wants to go further. NPR noted that he believes the suit could include attachable arm and leg frames that use hydraulics to improve soldiers' speed and agility. The USSOC also envisions that the suit would include a computer similar to Google Glass to enhance battlefield vision, updating soldiers on enemy whereabouts or even chemical presence. A comparable system for Google Glass called Tactical Augmented Reality software is already in the works by Battelle.
The U.S. is seeking to reduce terrorism in Africa by training military units in four African countries – Mali, Libya, Niger and Mauritania. According to The New York Times, the program is being financed by the Pentagon, and involves training that will occur under the tutelage of the Greet Berets and Delta Force – elite U.S. military units reputed to be among the best in the world. The army benefits to this program, according to the source, include diminishing the risk of terrorism in the region. An event such as Boko Haram's recent raid, which saw about 300 school girls being abducted, is an example of the type of event that African governments want to be able to prevent by developing military prowess.
Multifaceted task in training African militaries
"The host country has to have the political will to fight terrorism, not just the desire to build up an elite force that could be used for regime protection," said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, according to the source. "And the military has to be viewed well or at least neutrally by a country's population."
Many African countries have faced the menace of terrorism in recent years, with political circumstances unleashing potent forces that had previously been kept in check. For example, the overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi fomented anarchy in areas in Libya, causing problems for the region. Related instances have caused difficulties for the training mission in Libya. The International Business Times reported that military equipment was recently stolen in Libya, creating a temporary impediments to training in the country.
The training is being undertaken to make Africa a safer place. Organizations contributing to violence include Islamist groups like Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Shabaab, a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda. The latter has been responsible for terrorism throughout Africa, including Somalia and Kenya.
"Training remains a critical part of our needs to further increase our men's readiness to face the many challenges of our regional environment," said Maman S. Sidikou Niger's ambassador to the U.S., according to The New York Times.
The instability reigning in many of these countries has precipitated America's training mission. Business Insider reported that Niger houses uranium reserves – the target of an Al-Qaeda attack in 2013. Meanwhile, Mauritania has allowed Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to reside within its borders, helping to foment unrest and terror.
Training reflects goals of the Obama administration
The International Business Times noted that the U.S. mission in African corresponds to the goals of the Obama administration. One of these is to help U.S. allies create formidable armies – forces that can work autonomously of the U.S. in the future. This allows the U.S. to shift its prerogatives, moving away from troop deployment to foreign countries in the hopes that indigenous forces can appropriately deal with terrorism and other problems.
"Training indigenous forces to go after threats in their own country is what we need to be doing," said Michael A. Sheehan, chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, according to The International Business Times.
Life after service for many U.S. troops who have served in Africa will display a different approach to issues in the region – allowing the Obama administration the liberty to devise innovative ways to reduce terrorism. For example, Stars and Stripes reported that the U.S. has been using technology to diminish terrorism. This includes a surveillance aircraft based out of Niger, designed to help French troops combat militants in the region, according to the source.
President Barack Obama recently declared his support for a continued troop presence in Afghanistan after 2014. According to USA Today, the principal goals of the U.S. military will be to ensure training and help the fledgling Afghan army buttress its counter-terrorism skills. The source reported that the troops, totaling 9,800, will give the U.S. enough power to establish six bases with the help of the Afghan army, which may lead to army benefits for the force. According to The New York Times, Obama will elaborate on his strategy regarding Afghanistan – which involves combating terrorist threats in other parts of the world – in his commencement address at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. The address is being given today.
"After all the sacrifices we've made, we want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win and we're going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used again to launch an attack against our country," said Obama, according to NBC News.
Obama's comments reflect the desire of the U.S. to remain committed to the Afghan people and government, given America's enormous involvement in helping the country transition to democracy. NBC News noted that the number of remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan is based on the tacit assumption that Afghan leaders will agree to accept the troops. The source suggests that the current Afghan presidential candidates have said that they will allow the U.S. troops into Afghanistan – though the U.S. has quarreled with former President Hamid Karzai about troops within Afghanistan.
According to The New York Times, the president seeks to have all U.S combat troops out of Afghanistan by 2016. This lends credence to the stated reasons for sending U.S. troops to Afghanistan – training and developing an army that will eventually function as an autonomous entity.
Military Spouse Appreciation Day provides a way to show solidarity and support to veterans returning from life after service. The Huffington Post listed various organizations devoted to assisting the spouses of soldiers and veterans – in the process helping soldiers with life in the military and veterans adjusting to civilian life.
Ways to help build solidarity within military families
With a warm and loving family, it's possible for people to have a long and happy life. These bonds are severely tested due to the nature of military life – frequent moves around the country, soldiers being sent to war overseas and spouses spending significant time alone while soldiers are training. Thankfully, there are many organizations that seek to alleviate the burden placed on military families.
The Huffington Post offers a comprehensive list of civic organizations that seek to assist military families. For example, the National Military Family Association is an organization that helps military families obtain military benefits.
The Veterans Administration is working tirelessly to ensure that service members who served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are given equitable army benefits. However, this does not lessen the commitments of civil society to help impart the great resources veterans' families often need.
Ways citizens can help
Citizens can help philanthropic and civic organizations devoted to assisting veterans by donating money and volunteering. Organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House Foundation are merely a few organizations among many that are dedicated to helping soldiers, veterans and their spouses.
Appreciation Day is on Friday, May 9. The day of veneration has the firm approval of the President of the U.S., issuing a Department of Defense letter officially denoting May 9 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. The letter suggested that the Obama administration will try to help veterans obtain education and career opportunities – making the chances that a veteran will have a successful time in life after military.
The president also conveyed the sentiments of many who fear that the opportunities for veterans after they leave the military are insufficient to provide a flourishing life. The letter spoke about the Joined Forces initiative pioneered by first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, which seeks to bolster services for veterans and their families. Hopefully the many public and private institutions that are pushing for a greater focus on the families of veterans and soldiers produces tangible results that significantly help veterans.