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Lance Cpl. Jeffery Gillit tries out a new assault weapon at the FNH display, one of hundreds of exhibits - |
By PAMELA GOULD
If staring down the barrel of a high-powered rifle is disconcerting, the Modern Day Marine Military Expo isn't the place for you.
At Quantico Marine Corps Base this week, roughly 400 companies have set up booths to display the latest warfare equipment for Marines.
Some companies already have their products in the field and are looking for input from their users. Others are hoping to attract the attention of decision-makers.
Thus, expo visitors could come face-to-face with a rifle barrel as a gunnery sergeant looks through a high-powered scope, or hear the rat-a-tat of one being fired in a simulated drill.
BAE Systems brought several items of protective gear developed with input from Marines at Quantico.
Among them was a "head-borne integrated system" that combined goggles, a face-and-jaw protector, and rail systems that can hold night-vision goggles, cameras or tracking devices.
Another looked like the leg protectors worn by baseball catchers--but was built to withstand far more force than a fastball.
Companies came from near and far for the 27th annual expo, which started Tuesday and ends today. BAE has an office as close as North Stafford, whereas firearms specialist FN Herstal is based in Belgium.
The military is so serious about one enemy--the improvised explosive device--that entry was restricted for the area where companies displayed their latest ideas for defeating this terrorist tool.
Fitness and functionNot every expo booth dealt with life-and-death issues.
Marines enjoyed the novelty of slipping into a "storm chamber" to check out a lightweight waterproof jacket and flexible gloves designed by the makers of Gore-Tex.
They were also intrigued by toe socks designed by San Diego-based Injinji that were pitched as a way to prevent blisters, eliminate odor and wick away wetness from sweaty feet.
Currently, 250 Marines out of Camp Pendleton are testing the footwear, said CEO Joaquin Romay.
"It makes sense. It makes a lot of sense," said Sgt. A.J. Shanks, who has done his own sock research, trying to find a pair that doesn't lose its elasticity.
Gunnery Sgt. David Adamson saw the wisdom of focusing on the part of his body that always takes a beating.
"Wherever you go, you gotta walk and you always have your load on you. This ought to work," he said.
And then there was the Fitness Anywhere station.
There, a fit former Navy SEAL demonstrated a suspension trainer that can be used anywhere.
Essentially, it's a heavy-duty nylon strap with two handles that can be attached to anything strong enough to support a Marine's weight--such as an armored vehicle.
In the desert, Marines can do a variety of exercises that give their core muscles a workout and keep them in fighting condition.
Sales rep Joe Martin said the Marines have bought 1,500 of the training devices and more are onboard ships, subs and Coast Guard cutters.
Sgt. Phillip Stephenson said he used one attached to a truck while in Iraq in 2005-06, and said it works.
"The name itself, Fitness Anywhere, fits," he said.
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972
