Creative ideas harvested to outfit Marines under fire in Iraq

Marine Corps News ^ | June 16, 2004 | Lance Corporal Samuel Bard Valliere

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Sgt. Phillip G. Zacher stands June 14, 2004, beside a humvee equipped with a turret shield he designed and welded at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. Zacher, a vehicle maintenance chief for 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, drew from his personal welding experience to create something that would help protect turret gunners from explosives and enemy fire. The barrier is one of several inventions Marines are coming up with to respond to enemy attacks in Iraq. The Marine Corps is currently fielding officially tested versions of the turret shield to outfit Marine vehicles in Iraq. Zacher, 31, is a resident of Fenton, Mo. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Samuel Bard Valliere

[Cannoneer No. 4]

ping

[ICX]

Yet another cool story that nobody will see in major media print...

I think we should just use hippies to sweep for land mines. It's cheap (hippies don't shower and subsist on oats and grass), it's easy (just tell them Jefferson Airplane is playing at the opposite end of the dunes), and it solves multiple problems (minimizing attacks on GIs and curtailing the rampant hippie population.)

[wbill]

Nice to see a long-standing tradition of soldiers modifying their equipment to make it do what they need. So often, armament is designed by a committee that has never even been in the field.

[mtbopfuyn]

It's a shame America can't/won't provide such protection on all vehicles.

[JeeperFreeper]

Thanks for post. The Marines have a long, long tradition of adapting. Indeed, as a recruit enters the receiving barracks at boot camp, there is a large sign stating in big bold letters: "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome". That tradition along with a the Marines' flexible sense of private property have enabled Marines to "do more with less" on the battlefield since God was a Lance Corporal.

[Squantos]

I would love to see an episode of Monster Garage dedicated to military vehicles modified in such a manner by the actual troops that did the mods when they return home. A competition between 6 man teams from the Army, Marines and USAF fabricators that is judged in a demolition derby of sorts and the range at the end of the show. Run a gauntlet of commercial vehicles, then blast away with 7.62, 50 caliber and RPG's to determine the "winner" of design ideas.

I understand the winner in combat is the one who lives but I'd still like to see such a episode to test , highlight and publicize the troops individual efforts. Just an idea.........:o)

Stay safe !

[Blood of Tyrants]

Adapt and overcome.

[Mister Baredog]

"So much stuff changes. It has to be adapted to on a daily basis," he said.

Meanwhile the A**holes in congress continue to micromanage every little thing.

I heard Rumsfeld testify in April that the "emergency funds" for Iraq passed last fall still were not available in the field due to the bureaucractic mumbo jumbo required to do so.

What is really needed is a congressional investigation of THEMSELVES.

[Mister Baredog]

I understand the winner in combat is the one who lives but I'd still like to see such a episode to test , highlight and publicize the troops individual efforts. Just an idea.........:o)

Great idea. Is it possible to contact their suggestion box. I think they might like your idea. I do.

[bondjamesbond]

The Army can improvise as well

The Culin Blade - Mounted on the front of Sherman tanks during the days after the Normandy Invasion allowed the Shermans to plow through hedgerows...

[Squantos]

Dunno....I'd think recruiters and the producers would like the idea. Maybe even run the range hot test on 29 stumps range .

Stay safe !

[Cannoneer No. 4]

It's a shame the laws of physics can't be repealed. All vehicles cannot perform their primary mission with thousands of pounds of added on armor. Every pound of armor is one less pound of payload.

[wingnutx]

competition between 6 man teams from the Army, Marines and USAF fabricators

Ah, stacking the deck by leaving out the Seabees, eh? Smart move, actually :)

[antivenom]

Continual improvement is an "art" it isn't something that "just is".

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Master sergeant works at adding heft to Humvees in Iraq

[SJSAMPLE]

Who do you think they're learning all of these modifications from?

[snopercod]

Uh-oh. I though linking to corbis photos was forbidden.

[Professional Engineer]

American ingenuity bump.

[in the Arena]

That's an excellent idea...