QuikClot Combat Gauze

Submitted by Eric Daniel

I just saw that the Army named this product one of the “Top Ten Greatest Inventions of 2008.”Now, I know that there were a number of these rapid clotting products fielded, but I thought most, if not all, of them were recalled because they were a bit exothermic in their operation, or that they caused blood clots to form internally.  Apparently, though, this one is still out there.

Well my question to you all is, have any of you seen this or used it?  As a Guardsman in a non-enhanced readiness unit, I’ll see these things right about the time the regular army transitions to robot warriors, but I’m curious if any of you active duty types have encountered either this (which appears to be a kaolin impregnated gauze bandage) or the other product offered, QuikClot, which appears to be a powder (like the sulfa powder of old) that you apply directly to the wound.

In the blurb I read, the combat gauze is described as being inexpensive and easy to use (civilian prices for this range from $30- $50 so clearly the Army has a somewhat corporate concept of what constitutes “inexpensive”) and I was just curious if anyone had ever actually used it (the SF folks we worked with had something similar I believe, though I don’t think it was QC) and whether it was worth trying to trick my supply SGT into getting some.

In an interesting aside, it seems there’s some discrepancy as to who invented this stuff.  According to the Army, it was invented by  the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, while Z-Medica Corporation insists it invented it.  I wonder if these are two different products with the same name or if they’re debating about what the definition of “invented” is.

Check out QuikClot Combat Gauze here.

Petzl Tactikka XP Adept

Submitted by Leo

I think that for military use the Petzl Tactikka XP Adapt is more useful because you have 4 color-filters/diffusers of witch you can always carry two, one in the light and one in a special holder on the elastic band.  In addition, you can also click it to your molle vest or helmet.  Last but not least you have a boost button to give you instant maximum lighting ideal for looking at something far away.

ED - Leo, I’d considered the Tactikka XP (REI didn’t have the XP Adapt) before selecting the Plus.  While the XP and the Adapt do have some nifty features, I thought both were more light than I was looking for.

For me, what I wanted was some thing small, light, durable, and capable of both red light and white light.  While the XP has a spotlight capability as well as a “maximum output” mode, I’ve already got the spotlight function covered with the GI-issue Surefire Millennium flashlight mounted on my M4.  Moreover, while the 4 color capability of the XP and Adept are nice, but nine times out of ten all I ever use is red light, and if I need to use a different color for something, then I’ll brake out a box of chemlights (not to mention that, while you can change colors on the XP light, there’s no place to store the additional filters, other than in your pocket or someplace similar, which for me, is just more parts to lose in the dark.)

Bottom line, I can’t fault the XP Adept, it is a good light, and like I said, I did consider it, but at the time it was more money than I wanted to spend on more light that I didn’t need.

Check out the Petzl Tactikka XP Adept here.

Lights Out

Submitted by Eric Daniel

Well, I have finally joined the 21st century when it comes to flashlights. Gone are all my bent neck D-cell dinosaur GI issue flashlights, AA-minimag lights, and my 4 cell “gold miner” style USFS headlamp. I have replaced all these lights with a single Petzl Tactikka Plus LED headlamp.

There are a number of things I really like about the T-P; it’s an LED light, so it doesn’t weigh a lot and the lights last forever, as do the batteries (the T-P has 4 LED lights with a battery life (3 x AAA batteries) which will provide power for between 100-150 hours of use, depending on power settings.) Furthermore, light comes with an integrated red/white light filter (in this case the filter is a hinged cover on the front of the light) which enables you to flip it between red and white light on the fly (there is no lens cap to unscrew like there was with the old bent neck flashlights or the minimags, though in the case of the T-P you are limited to just red or white light.) In addition, while the Tactikka-Plus does come with an additional LED light for greater illumination (the T-P has 4 LED lights as opposed to the 3 in the regular Tactikka) what I really liked about the T-P over the regular one was the fact that the mode button (which you use to cycle through the three power settings and the flash mode) is a push button on the top of the light, rather than a sliding switch. This allows for easier one handed operation, and makes it easier to change power settings (you don’t have to fight the slide to find the power setting you want, you just push the button on top.)

As with most headlamps today, the Petzl Tactikka Plus is water resistant, and comes with a black elastic headband (actually, I prefer wearing the light around my neck, rather than on my helmet or PC since I’m less likely to lose it if I’m going through brush. Besides, if I’m moving tactically, I’ll be using NODs most of the time, so the light will just be needed for a quick bit of light.)

One thing to bear in mind with this light, however. Petzl specifically recommends against using lithium based batteries in the headlamp, as the increased power output from the batteries may burn out the LED lights.

Check out the Petzl Tactikka-Plus here.

Up in the Morning, Full Day...

ED - Kayaker had this to say...

Blousing the boots ??? It shows discipline of the soldier and uniformity. Why is it a problem now with this generation of soldiers ?? It was NEVER an issue with those of us who served from the 80's onwards...
If you people are too hot, go back to wearing Jungle Boots then or DRINK MORE WATER and stop whining.

Let the soldier decide if he wants to blouse or not ??? Are you mad !!! You start letting Joe make up his own mind about certain things like this and he won't even get out of the rack in the morning. Get over it ! NCO's lead troops, not some rear echelon pogue or TRADOC weenies who never deploy anywhere.

Kayaker, thank you for articulating my point.  The above photograph is a picture of an Airforce Pararescue Jumper (PJ) serving in a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) unit in Afghanistan.  By your measure, this individual is the epitome of undisciplined - no gloves, sleeves rolled up, trousers un-bloused, and there he is, discharging his weapon from a moving helicopter (I bet he didn't call range control first...) To think that he went through at least two continuous years of some of the most intensive training the military has to offer, yet he doesn't have the self discipline to dress himself properly in the morning (I bet you he is very good at what he does though.)

The uniform for the USFS wildland firefighter consists of nomex pants, nomex long sleeved shirt, hard hat, leather boots, leather gloves, and a fire shelter.  In addition to that, as a Crew Boss, I required everyone  on my crew to pack a headlamp, spare batteries, an MRE, 1 gallon of water, 4 fusees (road flares), a mill bastard file, a personal first aid kit, a roll of fiber tape, and a change of socks in their line bag.  I didn't expect your pants and shirt to be starched and ironed, or even washed daily; it just had to be serviceable, meaning if you tore it up on the line, you replaced it at the end of shift and reported the following day ready to work.  If you used a fusee, you replaced it.  Your tools were always sharpened before next shift, and the edge was covered with a double strip of fiber tape.  On the line, you had to wear your kit; off the line you can wear what you want.  My measure of discipline was being able to come from the shift briefing, hand out briefing material to the Squad Bosses, hop in the trucks and drive to the line, not how straight the line was that they parked the trucks on the night before, whether or not the hem of a firefighter's trousers rested between the 3rd and 4th eyelettes of their boots, or if their pockets presented a bulged appearance.  It was in getting down to business, day in and day out, and getting the job done.

I think we've lost sight of that and placed form over function.  Again, when it came to wearing body armor in the cantonment area, I was told we wore it in case we got attacked or shelled.  Now that is all good and well, but then why aren't we wearing it when we're running PT?  Of all the various classifications of folk on our FOB (American Contractor, American Soldier, Special Forces, Local National, Iraqi Army, Foreign National, etc...) the only ones who wore armor on the FOB were the regular joes (everyone on the FOB, except for the non-American civilians had it, and were required to wear it if they ever left the wire).  If it's for safety, shouldn't we all wear it?  What sort of immunity do all those other folk have to artillery attacks that I don't have, and why isn't the Army buying me some of that immunity?

Now a days, when I hear leaders talk about discipline, I more often than not insert the word "stupid."  Standing out in the rain getting soaked because one person forgot their gortex isn't disciplined, it's stupid.  Putting on your armor, helmet, and ammunition to walk the 30 feet from your bunk to the porta-john, just so you can take a leak isn't disciplined, it's stupid ( it isn't smart either - just change into PTs next time.)  What we really need to focus on is getting the job done.  Unfortunately, I just see us getting more disciplined...