Before we get too far into the new year, I’d like to take a look back at the accomplishments of PEO Soldier in 2009.
First and foremost this years was for PEO Soldier to ramp up its online presence with a remodeled website and a slew of new ways to communicate. In the space of a few short weeks, the terms “Twitter,” “Facebook,” and “blogs” entered the office lexicon and have quickly become a key part of our outreach efforts. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without our readers, so a special thank you for sticking with us!
Soldier Protection
The year 2009 also saw major changes in the ways we protect our Soldiers. In order to best serve Soldiers operating in Afghanistan and to give their commanders more choices in how to carry out their missions, we purchased a new plate carrier.The plate carrier provides Soldiers with vital protection at a reduced weight. The Soldier Plate Carrier System has been issued to deploying Soldiers in the 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne Divisions is now being fielded to Soldiers in theater. We are confident it will be a force multiplier, giving Soldiers greater flexibility to operate in tough terrain.
PEO Soldier also focused intently on the processes behind its body armor, standing up Task Force Soldier Protection to conduct a comprehensive review of body armor testing and quality control to deal with issues surrounding the body armor given to Soldiers. The task force worked tirelessly through the spring and helped pave the way for the new Project Manager Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment (PM SPIE) to institutionalize improvements in the acquisition and testing of all Soldier protective equipment.
PM SPIE also marked a major new development with the initial fielding of the T-11 parachute, the first major improvement to Soldiers’ personnel parachute system in a half-century, and the Army Combat Uniform, launching a scientific exploration of camouflage alternatives in Afghanistan.
Soldier Sensors and Lasers
Another major accomplishment of 2009 was standing up Soldier Sensors and Lasers (SSL) as a Project Manager (PM) organization. Before that, PM SSL had been a subordinate organization. However, there became a distinct need for this organization to become its own entity after recognizing the importance of providing these advanced sensor capabilities to Soldiers. This office is headed by COL Stephanie Foster, a new face to PEO Soldier who has helped define the agenda of PM SSL to include a broader appreciation of what the PM provides for the Soldiers: “Beyond Own the Night: See and Win the Fight!”
First and foremost among the developments coming out of PM SSL this year was the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG), a new piece of Soldier technology to improve vision during day, night, or any environmental situation where vision is obscured. The ENVG combines the night-vision capabilities of an image-intensification system, which magnifies low levels of ambient light, and of infrared, which shows heat in bold contrast to the background. With this system, Soldiers are given better situational awareness to target more accurately and to see clearly in more environments.
Soldier Warrior
Two years ago, PEO Soldier oversaw the first ever equipping of Land Warrior, a revolutionary system that connects Soldiers to the digital network and gives them new tools for communication and navigation in hostile environments. In 2009, a new variant of the system called “Land Warrior Strike” was sent to Afghanistan with the 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team. This was a major milestone in the history of Land Warrior, since it has now seen use in both Operation Iraqi and Operation Enduring Freedom, providing vital lessons for the development of the Ground Soldier System (GSS), the future digital situational awareness system.
PM Soldier Warrior (PM SWAR), the organization that directly oversees the development of Land Warrior, also welcomed a new face this year with COL Stephen M. Rogers , who has taken responsibility for the development of Mounted Soldier Systems (MSS). MSS is a Soldier-worn system that provides communication and situational awareness capabilities to combat vehicle commanders. The addition of COL Rogers to the MSS team demonstrates how far this program has come, as well as the importance the Army places on providing all Soldiers with the best equipment available.
Weapons
2009 was certainly a memorable year for the PM Weapons, which saw major advancements in improving reliability and lightening Soldier load. However, no weapon has attracted as much interest as the XM25 Counter Defildade Engagement System. The XM25 received its safety release in 2009, enabling it to be shoulder fired by a Soldier for the first time. This exciting milestone lead to the system’s appearances in venues such as Time, Popular Science, Wired.com, and CNN. The coverage is well deserved, as this weapon will soon provide Soldiers a decisive advantage on the battlefield by enabling them to defeat enemies hiding behind cover – a truly revolutionary capability.
Like every year, 2009 was a very busy one for PEO Soldier. We faced many obstacles, but never lost sight of our promise to provide today’s Soldiers with the best gear available. In the coming year, we’re sure that there will be even greater challenges, but also equally worthwhile rewards.
That’s our take on 2009. How do you think we did? Leave a comment!
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Before we get too far into the new year, I’d like to take a look back at the accomplishments of PEO Soldier in 2009.
First and foremost this years was for PEO Soldier to ramp up its online presence with a remodeled website and a slew of new ways to communicate. In the space of a few short weeks, the terms “Twitter,” “Facebook,” and “blogs” entered the office lexicon and have quickly become a key part of our outreach efforts. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without our readers, so a special thank you for sticking with us!
Soldier Protection
The year 2009 also saw major changes in the ways we protect our Soldiers. In order to best serve Soldiers operating in Afghanistan and to give their commanders more choices in how to carry out their missions, we purchased a new plate carrier.The plate carrier provides Soldiers with vital protection at a reduced weight. The Soldier Plate Carrier System has been issued to deploying Soldiers in the 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne Divisions is now being fielded to Soldiers in theater. We are confident it will be a force multiplier, giving Soldiers greater flexibility to operate in tough terrain.
PEO Soldier also focused intently on the processes behind its body armor, standing up Task Force Soldier Protection to conduct a comprehensive review of body armor testing and quality control to deal with issues surrounding the body armor given to Soldiers. The task force worked tirelessly through the spring and helped pave the way for the new Project Manager Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment (PM SPIE) to institutionalize improvements in the acquisition and testing of all Soldier protective equipment.
PM SPIE also took the first jump with the T-11 parachute, the first major improvement to Soldiers’ personnel parachute system in a half-century, and the Army Combat Uniform, launching a scientific exploration of camouflage alternatives in Afghanistan.
Soldier Sensors and Lasers
Another major accomplishment of 2009 was standing up Soldier Sensors and Lasers (SSL) as a Project Manager (PM) organization. Before that, PM SSL had been a subordinate organization. However, there became a distinct need for this organization to become its own entity after recognizing the importance of providing these advanced sensor capabilities to Soldiers. This office is headed by COL Stephanie Foster, a new face to PEO Soldier who has helped define the agenda of PM SSL to include a broader appreciation of what the PM provides for the Soldiers: “Beyond Own the Night: See and Win the Fight!”
First and foremost among the developments coming out of PM SSL this year was the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (ENVG), a new piece of Soldier technology to improve vision during day, night, or any environmental situation where vision is obscured. The ENVG combines the night-vision capabilities of an image-intensification system, which magnifies low levels of ambient light, and of infrared, which shows heat in bold contrast to the background. With this system, Soldiers are given better situational awareness to target more accurately and to see clearly in more environments.
Soldier Warrior
Two years ago, PEO Soldier oversaw the first ever equipping of Land Warrior, a revolutionary system that connects Soldiers to the digital network and gives them new tools for communication and navigation in hostile environments. In 2009, a new variant of the system called “Land Warrior Strike” was sent to Afghanistan with the 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team. This was a major milestone in the history of Land Warrior, since it has now seen use in both Operation Iraqi and Operation Enduring Freedom, providing vital lessons for the development of the Ground Soldier System (GSS), the future digital situational awareness system.
PM Soldier Warrior (PM SWAR), the organization that directly oversees the development of Land Warrior, also welcomed a new face this year with COL Stephen M. Rogers, who has taken responsibility for the development of Mounted Soldier Systems (MSS). MSS is a Soldier-worn system that provides communication and situational awareness capabilities to combat vehicle commanders. The addition of COL Rogers to the MSS team demonstrates how far this program has come, as well as the importance the Army places on providing all Soldiers with the best equipment available.
Weapons
2009 was certainly a memorable year for the PM Weapons, which saw major advancements in improving reliability and lightening Soldier load. However, no weapon has attracted as much interest as the XM25 Counter Defildade Engagement System. The XM25 received its safety release in 2009, enabling it to be shoulder fired by a Soldier for the first time. This exciting milestone lead to the system’s appearances in venues such as Time, Popular Science, Wired.com, and CNN. The coverage is well deserved, as this weapon will soon provide Soldiers a decisive advantage on the battlefield by enabling them to defeat enemies hiding behind cover – a truly revolutionary capability.
Like every year, 2009 was a very busy one for PEO Soldier. We faced many obstacles, but never lost sight of our promise to provide today’s Soldiers with the best gear available. In the coming year, we’re sure that there will be even greater challenges, but also equally worthwhile rewards.
That’s our take on 2009. How do you think we did? Leave a comment!
