Soldiers to Test PT-Jacket Prototypes

Soldiers to Test PT-Jacket Prototypes
Army News Service | NATICK Public Affairs Office | November 06, 2007


NATICK, Mass. - Soldiers this month will begin testing two new PT-jacket prototypes made from fabrics designed to provide more reflection in dark early-morning or evening hours.

About 600 troops at Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Lewis, Wash., will participate in the user evaluations. The participating Soldiers will be surveyed on their opinions of the sample jackets, said officials from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center.

The U.S. Army Product Manager Clothing and Individual Equipment is working with NATICK's Operational Forces Interface Group to conduct the user evaluation of new reflective technologies which enhance the current Improved Physical Fitness Uniform jacket.

"The more visible the Soldiers are when doing PT in low light conditions, the safer they will be," said Beverly Kimball, product engineer.

Two prototype fabrics have been developed with the new technology and sample jackets have been fabricated; one has a subtle digital-reflective pattern, while the other has a slight texturized-reflective pattern.

"The prototype jackets are very similar in appearance to the current jacket during daylight," said Dave Geringer, assistant product manager, PM-CIE. "However, despite their subtle daylight appearance, both patterns are highly reflective and provide a significant improvement in visibility."


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They cost about $5.00 and the first one is issued at CIF as part of your TA-50. Anytime you run or roadmarch, you have to wear the strap, eitherdiagonally across your chest or diagonally across the ack of your rucksack.