Military should rethink how it buys equipment for troops: commentary.

• Author: Oberholtzer, William I.

The challenge facing military equipment buyers today is which technologies to pursue. This is particularly true in the individual protective equipment arena.

Separating "snake oil" from viable technology has been a burdensome task for program managers.

It is safe to say that the American soldier is the best equipped in the world. But best equipped is not the same as having the best equipment.

A case in point is the current camouflage ensembles. After spending more than $4 billion, each service has its own camouflage uniform, none of which meets operational requirements without at least one or more waivers. The same can be said of helmets and body armor.

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Instead of the piecemeal approach to designing individual protective equipment, the Defense Department needs to begin with a clean slate by looking at requirements across all services and then evaluating emerging technologies on the basis of demonstrated, as opposed to theoretical, potential. Additionally, a synergistic approach to individual protective equipment should be pursued, one that increases performance by adopting materials that complement each other and yet can be modularized to address various threat levels and climate challenges.

Undergarments are a service member's first barrier of protection against the environment. They also, frequently, receive but passing interest by battle dress designers. Properly designed undergarments can greatly enhance the service member's comfort and enhance the protection afforded by other components of a battle dress ensemble.

Advances in textiles and weaving and needle technology can yield fabrics that with moisture away from the body, afford protection against common bacteria and provide physical support by compressing the torso and extremities in the same manner as anti-embolism stockings.

Undergarments can be designed so that, in addition to other attributes, they can resist soil contamination and provide a final bather against fine particulates generated by explosive devices.

Perhaps the most controversial component of a service member's ensemble, next to body armor, is the battle dress. In spite of the billions of dollars spent on this most important piece of a soldier's attire, we still haven't gotten it right. It seems that every service has to have its own camouflage pattern, style and length of jacket or shirt. And let's not forget about the...