I’ve energized the grid, so to speak, on this small arms at Wanat issue, but another interesting finding in the draft report is this forceful demand for water purification solutions for troops from the individual to the small unit:
The absence of effective crew (squad or platoon) water purification and individual soldier water purification equipment adversely constrained operations at COP Kahler. After 235 years of U.S. Army combat and field operations, it is inexcusable that the U.S. Army still lacks the ability for deployed soldiers to sterilize their own drinking water in sufficient quantities in hot weather climates utilizing a man-portable, hand-carried, lightweight, reliable and effective water purification system.
The author suggested the individual SteriPen system, which purifies water using UV light, and other easily portable solutions that can purify water in high volumes that are readily available on the commercial market. Never once in the field have I seen a camping type water purifier unless it was a piece of personal equipment.
The only program I’ve been able to find on the subject from PEO Soldier is the Individual Soldier Hydration program which is purchasing canteens and CamelBaks…no purification other than the old school tabs is mentioned.
All soldiers going on detached, isolated service in a semi-arid environment must be habitually equipped with adequate individual water-purification equipment; and a squad/platoon capable water purification system that can be carried in a HMMWV (but that doesn’t require an entire HMMWV to transport the system!) must be fielded by the U.S. Army. Had such a capability been present at Wanat, the Platoon could have utilized the large quantity of water available at Wanat (as the ANA did). This glaring deficiency needs to be immediately addressed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Officer-Soldier, at both a crew (squad or platoon) and individual soldier level.
– Christian
This is rediculess this is what happens when you become dependent on everything happening in large amounts. Its almost as if nothing in the army happens anymore unless it involves an entire company.
Seriously people the world is laughing at us.
civi backpacker checking in again,
MSR says this is already used by the military, guess not, at least where it matters. A single battery life (small camera batteries) filters ~200 liters, that’s a lot for something the size of a marker.
http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/water-treatment-and-hydration/expedition-water-treatment-and-hydration/miox-purifier/product
I’m sorry, but what the HECK is PEO Soldier and the Rapid Equipping Force Office doing? Why don’t they have their officers and program managers send someone out to Afghanistan, live amongst the troops, get in some firefights. Then after interviewing soldiers compile their thoughts together with the Program manager’s experience to make sure our troops have what they need!
We’re eight years into this war and the REF has been doing this for how long that we still don’t have this equipment for our troops?
Oh I know, it’s because this isn’t as glamourous as the FCS.
Yup, the Lifesave Bottle system (which is available in large capacity drums), was the first thing that came to mind. It seems pretty amazing and it’s ridiculous the army doesn’t have anything like it.
Oops, typo. That would be LifesaveR Bottle
http://www.lifesaversystems.com/index.html
Or the DoD could just whip out the credit card and go shopping
http://www.surviva-pure.co.uk/products.html
http://www.bwtechnologies.com/iqs/sid.06129940053612128705654/military_water_filtration.html
Um…how about iodine tablets. Never went thirsty in 26 years in the Army, as long as I could find something that resembled water to put in a canteen.
“no purification other than the old school tabs is mentioned.“
I suppose they want something other than iodine tabs.
Also:
”…the Platoon could have utilized the large quantity of water available at Wanat (as the ANA did).“
Is it safe to assume that the ANA simply didn’t bother purifying the water and just drank it up?
I’m also curious about the MIOX pen. Apparently there IS a military version (and I believe DARPA was involved in the development). It wouldn’t have any real effectiveness against particulate matter, but I gather that it is very effective at killing anything that might cause harm (and is even effective against some chemical agents).
Quick question: Are Camelbaks bulletproof? I can imagine a Camelbak might get torn in a firefight, either from shrapnel, a grazing shot, rocks, etc., and this would have long-term consequences.
First to Charles, no the Camelback is not bulletproof but it probably can take a small level of punishment. The inner bladder is pretty thick and seems very resilient to me and I have used them during exercises and also when on camping or outdoors trips. As for it being hit, you wear it on your back so if it gets hit, you are most likely leaving the fight or pulling back, in which case water is the least of your concerns at that point.
As far as the filtering system that was supposed to be HMMWV mounted, it still needs to be at the river to work, were our troops positioned to be able to utilize that resource or did the commander forget to plan for its usage and simply relied on the supply chain to bring him what he needed? I am not faulting the commander just so everyone knows. I just don’t know the terrain and where our forces were arrayed.
As was also said, the ANA had plentiful drinking water, but of what quality, or did they know something we didn’t? It was also stated that the ANA pulled out of the place during the fight. They left either because they were tipped off or simply were unwilling to fight.
I think one of the underlying issues here is the fact that the military made a conscious decision years ago to scale back on such things as field water purification.
In
Well, that’s a consequence of when peacetime things like “palate” take precedence over pragmatism.
Remember the ‘90s when the biggest controversy was about how to make the MREs flavorful?
And now it’s back to meat and potatoes. How to kill the enemy.
Of course, some things don’t change… (like our small arms?)
Also:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=7aa8166b-7186-4d68-8b14-f94d2a0d0354
An ominous warning on the failures of KBR and water supply contracts:
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou090511_tnt_water-shortages-iraq-soldiers.16ebba1d.html
A yahoo answers claims that the water is donated. Even so, it’s still a transport burden (and I’m skeptical about donation of water).
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061005124238AAPSHsB
I’m surprised although I probably shouldn’t be. I remember being issued purification inserts that fit our canteens and replaced the cap. Pour water, as clear as possible, in and suck/squeeze purified water out. Supply also had purification straws. I know that DARPA has worked on this. In most cases the trick is to get water as clear as possible. This wouldn’t have helped much in Wanat, but putting clear water into clear bottles and then letting them sit in the sun for a few hours does the same thing the UV lights do. We always had water purification devices when heading out; either issue or commercial.
What about
http://www.seldontechnologies.com/
?
In their “markets” section, they claim to be working with the Air Force and the Special Ops to include both their “WaterStick” (on the Camelback) and their “WaterBox” (at the platoon level) into their equipment. Is the Army this isolated for the other forces?
Jean
Restrooms in some Sierra range parks such as at Devil’s Postpile in from Bishop have signs posted alerting users to check ones’ urine color. Clear or slightly yellow indicates sufficient water intake. Darker urine can be a signal of dyhydration although some vitamins can darken urine. The military is very aware of this in Iraq and Afghanistan. I carry a liter bottle everywhere now but I recall when I was a kid that most gas stations had a drinking fountain besides a working clock to be seen from the street.
I guess boiling water for 30 minutes is no longer an approved solution? There was a bladder of fuel and five (six?) vehicles there, a river nearby, troops working 10 minutes on and fifty minutes off, and no one could boil water? Homeland Security and FEMA recommend boiling drinking water in emergencies, doesn’t the Army have the same faith in that method?
From a previous post, the Water Filtration unit was available, but not used as it would creat an accountability problem… That would be funny if it weren’t so sick…
In addition to my earlier comment on the LWPS (Light Water Purification System),that the sister unit had, but never implaced, being scare for the accountability of components, and who would had signed for, TF Rock deployed with 5ea M149 Water Buffalo, that can hold 400Galons of potable water. But just like the LWPS, they stayed must of the deployment parked in Jalalabad collecting dust. Even 1 galon of water per day, per soldier, a full Water Buffalo, could had lasted 1 week for the entire PLT, plenty of time to rotate a second one in.
I had no idea that there was no unit sized water systems in the US military. Something small that could be clean water from any river, pond, lake or tap would be good to have for small OPs and FOBs. Anything you can do to reduce your dependence on supply chains is good.
In Afghanistan on FOB Wilson they have been on 2 meals a day 6 days a week for a while now, giving rise to the term starvation Tuesday for the one day a week they get no food. These poor guys go outside the wire and fight it out day after day without the food they need. It makes me wonder if the military had done a better job with water supply if the supply of food would be a little better.