staff. They also felt the PDA variant was too slow and consumed batteries too quickly.
In comparison, the mounted platforms received Blue Force Tracking for the operation. BFT was extremely successful and receives a good deal of credit for the success of the operation. Commanders indicated they needed something as easy to use and as reliable as BFT for the dismounted soldier.
COL Bray, Commander, 2d BCT, 82d Airborne division initiated staffing of two Operational Needs Statements for devices that would improve situational awareness. The first was for an acoustic through-wall sensor that would allow soldiers to detect noises within a building from up to 300 meters away. The second was for an I2 device integrated with the helmet. The intent was to have the device distributed across the helmet such that the center of gravity of the combination is coincident with the center of gravity of the helmet thereby improving the comfort of the wearer. His exact words were optics in front, circuitry on top and batteries in back.
Mobility
Boots: Soldiers were generally dissatisfied with the performance of the Desert Combat Boot. The soles were too soft and were easily damaged by the terrain. This seemed to be more of a problem for the boots manufactured by Altima. Many spent their own money to have the boots resoled with Vibran soles with mixed success.
Damaged sole of Desert Combat Boot
Soldiers felt the boots held moisture too readily and would have benefited from ventilation holes such as the jungle boot possesses. There were several complaints that the boot cut into the top of the foot and many soldiers did not use the bottom set of lace holes to reduce the pressure
on the top of their feet. Soldiers felt the sizing of the boots was inconsistent.
Soldiers found the Belleville boots to be very comfortable but too hot for this environment. The Marine Corps Desert Boot has a very good reputation.
Knee/Elbow Pads: For the most part, soldiers thought the "turtle shell" pads provided were great. However, many felt they were too stiff and cut off circulation. They claimed there were better designs available on the market such as the HellStorm variant that were flexible such that they were more comfortable but still provided the requisite protection. We received several suggestions to build the joint protection into the uniform.
Assault Ladder/Battering Ram/Quicky Saw: These items did not get much use because they were too heavy and bulky for the hasty attack/movement to contact type operations the units conducted. Soldiers stated they would have used the quicky saw if they had received the mission to conduct a deliberate attack such as an airfield seizure. They gained confidence in the saw during training but did not have a need for it during the operation.
On the other hand, they damaged two assault ladders during training and did not feel this equipment was very useful or well-designed.
Again, the battering ram was deemed too heavy for the missions conducted. As one soldier stated "a battering ram may be suitable for a SWAT team that has to clear one or two rooms but we clear multiple rooms in multiple buildings."
Battle Ax/Bolt Cutters/C4/Explosive Tape: These were the preferred breaching tools. Soldiers had many positive comments about the battle ax. Bolt cutters were also very useful because many gates and doors were padlocked.
M-Gator: Soldiers are very appreciative of this asset. They believe the vehicle could benefit from greater power and the ability to tow a trailer. They would like to be able to mount a crew-served weapon for personal protection. The 82d has 5 per battalion and they are maintained at the company level by the mortar section. The 101st maintains the vehicles at battalion level.