As you?ve seen in the news, head injury and brain damage from explosives are still the leading causes of death and disability in Operation Iraqi Freedom. While the current Marine LWH and Navy and Air Force "PASGT" helmets offer good protection from ballistic impacts (bullets), they were not designed to deal with the level of explosives being hurled their way. The unmodified suspension systems allow the helmet to slam into the skull under extreme forces, causing brain injury from the blast wave itself as well as fragments carried on it, and the damage done when a trooper is thrown against an object or tumbled in their vehicle. A lining of shock-absorbing pads and a new chin/nape strap when needed makes a tremendous difference in survivability of blasts.
The kits we purchase and provide free to the troops with the help of great folks like you helps decrease the level of injury from blast forces, and in some cases stops it completely. The helmets you help us upgrade are also much more comfortable, stable on the head, and cooler in summer.
Your contribution is in the highest tradition of Americans taking care of their fighting men and women, recognizing their sacrifice and providing extra-governmental support regardless of how we feel individually about the war.
We are pleased to hear from the Marines that they have mounted a program to provide helmet upgrades to all hands, but we are told they are several months backlogged for individual units in Iraq. Accordingly, we continue to send the protective inserts to requesting units, having gotten permission from the Marine Corps Systems Command for them to use them in their dangerous jobs until such time as the Marine-issued upgrades are available.
The Air Force is in the process of purchasing a quantity of helmet upgrades and switching to the Army helmet that comes from the factory with shock-absorbing pads already installed. Their target date to bring their program to fruition is the end of December, 2006
We anticipate that by the end of November, we can declare 'Mission Accomplished' as far as protective helmet upgrades and utilize any residual funds for other charities active in the rehabilitation and support of our wounded warriors. We are not soliciting any additional donations after Veteran's Day (11/11/06).
Sincerely and Semper Fi, shipmates. Thanks for helping support and protect our guys and gals in uniform. "The life you save may save another!"
Doc Bob
