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Letter Re: Nomex Flight Suits for Ground Troops in Iraq
Dear Mr Rawles,
Just wanted to thank you for SurvivalBlog, and I especially like the useful
tidbits from the troops overseas. I was a Navy Corpsman / combat advisor
with a Marine
[Corps] Police Transition Team (PTT) in Hadithah six months after the alleged
massacre, interesting times for sure.We got in-country in August 2006, and
the Nomex
suits were just catching on [with Marines]. We managed to snag a set for
each of our 10- man team.
The only real reg[ulation]s were that at Al Asad or any large Garrison type
Base they wanted you wearing camouflage [utilities], otherwise they fine
with
the
Nomex, the big deal [with IED flash
burns] was the synthetic Under Armor type shirts
that
are
great for staying dry and cool(er) but [in a flash fire] will melt to your
skin. the Uniforms weren't really the problem. I prefer the uniform especially
on patrol, it goes back to training, with my uniform I know where all the
pockets are, and most importantly I can wear a belt and not feel like I'm
wearing a dress.
I hit one IED in Hadithah, which means I was a lucky b****rd.,
I was in the
back [of the vehicle]. Two other [Marine]s got med-flighted out. We had been
totally engulfed in the blast and flames but no one got burned. Thanks again,
- Matt B.
