Operation Helmet

Let's do whatever we can to make their New Year (and entire tours) safer and more comfortable

See the emails below for our warriors heartfelt requests for our help, more important than ever with the 'surge' now taking place in Afghanistan

Press reports show that IED's have DOUBLED in frequency in Afghanistan. Please help us get the best addition to head armor available sent out to the troops while we continue to press Congress and the military to follow our lead. (12/31/08).

"Just received the pads about two days ago. Have them in my ACH now and took them out on about an eleven hour patrol yesterday. I can quite possibly say that it was one of the best patrols I've had out here due to the pads. I usually take a Tylenol about halfway through our missions due to the headache I would get from the standard issue pads, not anymore though. These pads are hands down the best quality and most comfortable I have ever worn. I wouldn't even begin to compare these to the standard issue pads we get. Hands down the Oregon Aero surpass GI pads in comfort, sweat absorption, and heat ventilation. They not only felt more comfortable on my head, but noticeably cooler. Everyone here is very grateful to have generous civilians like yourself get them out too us. Thank you again"

12/31/08: Doc,these pads are the best......this was the best gift the guys have received so far! We still need some more pads if you can send them.....we have someone with a large head and the size 6 pads didn't fit but if you could get size 4 that would be awesome. total number of pads still needed are about 45. 1st and 2nd Platoon guys are really whining about not getting any....thanks for all you are doing!!!!

We're getting emails from Army troops in addition to Marines, asking for replacement pads for the poorly-designed government-issued shock-absorbing pads. All branches of Service now use these inferior pads. Uncomfortable helmets simply aren't worn as much as those you can 'forget about'. Hard to concentrate on a dangerous job when you are distracted by pain. And IED's, RPG's and ambushes pop up anytime, anywhere. (see below or Doc Bob's BLOG). If you're tired of giving money to politicians so they can can watch their own faces on TV, our troops STILL NEED HELP.

If you aren't in a position to donate, listen to what a young middle-school student told us: "I don't have any money to give, but I can hold the door open for someone who does!" What a great young American. You can help spread the word and encourage others to chip in to help provide the best protection America has to offer for our troops. Believe it: The life you save may save another!

I hear that DOD is convinced we're some sort of agent for Oregon Aero because we don't point out that their pads are more expensive than the competition. I have NO idea what OA charges the military nor do I care. That's not my business. All we want is for our troops to have the best, not the cheapest, equipment that makes their jobs safer and more effectively performed. If an item costs, for example, 3/4 as much as another but lasts only 1/2 as long, where is the savings? I also don't know how much a UAV costs, or even the M4 carbine. Attention DOD: Don't shoot the messenger, fix the problem!

Please remember our troops EVERY DAY

WON'T YOU JOIN ALL OF US WHO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE and send a few bucks? WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

AND NOW FOR THE EMAILS FROM THE FRONT LINES

Not from 'desk warriors' in the puzzle palace!

Note: the summary of our meeting with PEO Soldier and House Armed Services Committee Staff is on the Army page, Click Here

21 Dec: I can tell you from first hand experience, the pads you guys send us are so much better than the regular pads. Even though they are now giving pads out with the helmets, the pads are literally like rocks. I know our contracts for equipment are given out to the lowest bidder the majority of the time, and this is where money should not be skimped.

15 Dec: I'm in a security element for a XXXX unit deploying to southern Afghanistan in January, we were issued the old LWH kevlars without pads or any type of head support. I am trying to get them for my squad in order to give us that extra comfort and protection that our older model kevlars do not offer... I appreciate what you are doing for us, and my hats off to you...

13 Dec: Sir, Our ten hour patrol today helped refresh my memory on why my team is asking for replacement pads. The hard pads press relentlessly on your head, particular the forehead area, creating pain ranging from annoying discomfort, to more severe headaches in different individuals. The major complaint we have with the pads is how fragile the fabric is holding the stiff foam blocks. When you attempt to pull the pads out to clean or reposition them, they tear very easily requiring you to get new replacement pads that are need to be broken in again. Having worn the old Kevlar for many years prior to the ACH, I readily admit that the new ACH system is light years beyond what we had in the 90s. I couldn't imagine wearing a Kevlar all day, everyday here in Iraq.

15 Nov: I am a Cavalry Scout, conducting Reconnaissance and Dismounted Urban Operations. I am currently in Iraq, and am scheduled to return back to the states in late 2009. My platoon was issued the older pads that collapse after wearing them for about a month.

6 Nov: Doc, Have been out of the loop for the past "couple" days on mission, a very long mission. Got back and received the helmet pads. Passed them all out and had to save one for myself. They have all been used and there is only one word to describe them: AWESOME! I have asked everyone about the pads and they are all in love with them. I am a .50 cal gunner in the turret and spend ALOT of time standing there all geared up watching and waiting. Normally I have to duck into the vehicle every once in a while to wipe sweat and take the ACH off just to let me head get a break. That is NOT necessary any more. I can keep my ACH on without a problem. I can also tell you that the pads also keep you warm as well as cool. Here in Mosul it gets cold and I wear nothing under my ACH now. Again thank you so much for your support!!! Be safe and take care!!!

18 Oct:We are an infantry fire team, currently serving in IRAQ, and after a month our pads have fallen apart. Anything you can send us has to be better than the stuff we were issued. Thank You so Much. We heard about you from the AIR FORCE fire team that we are replacing in IRAQ.This is such a great thing that you are doing for our troops, most people send us food, books, CDs, but this is something that we will use everyday. These are a very important part of our gear because 12 hours in a HMMWV can be a long time if you don't have the right stuff. I look forward to coming back to fill out that survey.

11 Oct 08 The pads have been a help to the other guys in numerous ways. The biggest one for the majority of everyone is comfort, these guys aren't getting headaches after wearing their Kevlars for 10-12 hours at a time. That's hard to beat. We've only had one hit with the platoon that is using them, but there were no concussions. That's almost unheard of! I was impressed to say the least. I appreciate the speed with which you've handled this and also the fact that you are trying to help us soldiers in whatever way you can. Thanks again.

12 Sept 08: Just received the pads about two days ago. Have them in my ACH now and took them out on about an eleven hour patrol yesterday. I can quite possibly say that it was one of the best patrols i've had out here due to the pads. I usually take a tylenol about halfway through our missions due to the headache I would get from the standard issue pads, not anymore though. These pads are hands down the best quality and most comfortable I have ever worn. I wouldn't even begin to compare these to the standard issue pads we get. Hands down the Oregon Aero surpass GI pads in comfort, sweat absorption, and heat ventilation. They not only felt more comfortable on my head, but noticeably cooler. Oregon Aero produces a great product, and everyone here is very grateful to have generous civilians like yourself get them out too us. Thank you again

10 Sept: Doc Bob, I have to thank you for discovering your product. I purchased one for my son just before he deployed to Afghanistan. He always has his helmet on and it has saved him many times. But the big test came August 9, 2008. They were out on patrol following behind the MRAP. He had just been promoted to group leader and taken out of the MRAP and made the driver of a HumVee. To a Mom that is not a good promotion. To make a long story short (his HumVee) hit an IED the MRAP missed and (he) was hospitalized for 2 weeks. He only took shrapnel to the arm. Thank God. But interestingly the other three marines in the truck with him all suffered concussions but not him. He was the only one with the helmet replacement liner. The other 3 were fine other than that. They did not get wounded. Their 5 buddies lost in June are doing a Great Job looking over them. They were very lucky.

7 Sept:Just wanted to start out saying how much I and everyone else out here appreciate what you do for us. Its really great to feel appreciated by people like yourself. As for the standard issue pads its mainly the general wear and tear that they endure after a couple field rotations, and the day in day out use we get out of our ACH's out here. A fellow soldier in my platoon has a set of the Oregon Aeros and cannot say enough good things about them. As far as the route clearance/reconissance patrols that we run out here, you spend a fair amount of time wearing your gear. As I wrote in a previous message our patrols last on average between ten and fifteen hours at a time, so aside from a comforatable pair of boots, ACH pads are definatley high on our list. Thanks again Bob.

3 Sept: The problems we are having (with the GI pads) is that the pads are starting to fall apart. We wash them regularly (hand wash, air dry) to help them stay as comfortable as possible. I gave out the 5 sets you sent and it is unanimous that these pads are great. The Soldiers that wore them said that they were very comfortable and that they experienced no headaches. One Soldier told me that it made his helmet feel like it wasn't even on his head. Great product!!! Thank You and the people that make theses sets available.

25 August: The pads we are issued fall apart. i have the oregon aero pads but everyone else has issued pads and im ordering new ones for them all because the issued ones fall apart after being washed, last year before i deployed i ordered a pair (oregon aero) and they were great.

22 August: To me the pad feels like the pads that are in the CVCs with the little bumps on them that were hard as a rock too that someone sewed a small piece of material over it. Although better than the old leather sweat band, those pads will wear you down if you have the hard-as-a-brick ones. The Military as a whole needs to look at those pads though. These pads are expensive and for that type of money, the Army should be doing better.

22 August: I am here in Afghanistan and will be redeploying in Feb 2009. We get padding in our helmets, but our helmets do not fit right with the current padding system. A lady sent me a care package and told me about you guys.

5 August 2008: I and many of my other soldiers have been getting the same problems with the pads that are being issued to us as we speak. One of the biggest problems right now is the headaches that we are getting while only having our helmets on for less then a hour then having to deal with it all day long. The other problem is that they are not lasting and tearing apart with in a month of using them. (asked for 125 by September...anybody got ideas on how to raise the money quickly?)

4 August 2008: Issued a kit at Ft. Riley, KS, but it has turned hard as a rock over the last 7 months. It becomes very painful to my forehead and temples after only 20 or 30 minutes in the turret. (Sent him two BLU-6 kits): The helmet kit is working very well, and is a great improvement. The second one went to a young infantry soldier who's out where the all the stuff you hear about on CNN is taking place (about 2-3 kilometers to out west). I keep an eye out for him, but we haven't run into each other in a while.

4 August : From jalabad: request for 30 kits for convoy/infantry...and the system we have is very uncomfortable. (Feel like hell: had to say 'sorry, we're broke')

18 Jul 2008: Here at [xxx] EOD company we will be sending a couple teams to Afghanistan to support [xxx]. We all have the crappy pads now. We have approx [xxx - a lot of] Techs here but I would say probably half of us could use them. if you cant get us that many, then any will suffice. Sgt , USMC

July 3, '08: The helmet pads you have sent replaced worn out pads that have torn and left soldiers vulnerable to injury. Thanks to you our soldiers are properly and more comfortably geared for combat. It is humbling to receive such rapid and dedicated support; our country needs more citizens like you during this time of war and sacrifice by our armed services. Attention America: this one is actually addressed to you who've supported the troops either through Operation Helmet or other means.

June 25, '08 Doc, I apologize for not contacting you sooner, we've been pretty busy. The helmet pads were a hit and I've had my platoon sergeant ask if I could find ten more. If you could spare them we'd gladly take them. The dry heat of the summers here is affecting the cheap adhesive on the pads causing hem to pull apart even quicker. We'll be here for another ten months or so, but soon enough the heat will be replaced by snow and sub zero temps. It should make for an interesting time of year. Thank you again for all you do.

June 24 '08Thank you very much sir, got them today will pass out the warriors who can use them. Again don't know the words to express our gratitude to you for what you do, but we will dedicate our missions to good men and women like yourself from the United States in this struggle to build a nation for the people of Afghanistan, thanks for standing shoulder to shoulder with us. You are out here with us and it means a lot to all the Military personnel out here.

19 Jun 08: We received the pads a couple days ago. You wouldn't believe the difference in comfort and breathability! It is amazing how much better these are and everyone appreciates them so very much. I did screw up on the order though, i must have punched 10, which did cover half my platoon, is there a way to get an extra 10 or is it too late? I have given the ones that we got to the Joes and the other lower enlisted and said more was on the way cause I know that we do a lot of the harder work...lol

11 Jun 2008: Most soldiers in my company are running around with helmets sitting way up high on their heads because the pads are too stiff and big (they are the wrong size AND the knock off oregon areo pad sets). This is so incredibly uncomfortable! I'm sick of it!

31 May 08 My name is 1stLt xxxxxx. In early April your organization sent 8 helmet kits to my Marines from xxxxx going to Iraq. Well, I wanted to thank you for the incredibly fast response. My (troops) received the kits the day they were leaving and were very surprised. They, and I, owe you a deep debt of gratitude. Thank you for helping to look after the well being of my (troops) in harms way. As you know we do our jobs and complete the mission no matter what the situation, but it makes a world of difference knowing someone behind you cares and supports you.

29 May 08: I will be part of a military training team advising the Iraqi army. Leaving sometime in July. The current pads on my helmet are just too hard and hurt my head to the point of giving me a constant headache. Heard about you from a fellow Marine that got the upgrade from you guys about a year ago, during last deployment to Iraq. Sgt.

29 May 08: Doc, Thank you so much! The current kit we have is horrible. I re-adjusted the pads one time and the backing of the pads tore off completely. I've been on several convoys already where the pads provide little support and end up leaving us with headaches and what feels like bruises on our heads. I can't say thank you enough. This is a great program!

26 May 08 (Memorial day): Thank you so much for the new helmet kit. It makes a WORLD of difference! Before, I was getting headaches from wearing my helmet, but not anymore, so THANKS AGAIN!!

19 May 08: Issued a kit at Ft. Riley, KS, but it has turned hard as a rock over the last few months. It becomes very painful to my forehead and temples after only 20 or 30 minutes in the turret. Our convoys are typically 30 minutes to 5 hours (each way). On the longer convoys it becomes truly hard to ignore the discomfort, especially on the forehead. --- The kits have arrived- thank you very much for your help and generosity. The kit installed in my helmet appears to be a vast improvement already. This is a huge relief, and I can't tell you how much it's appreciated. Officer, US Navy, Afghanistan.

14 May 08: The pads arrived about a month ago, I had sent an email notifying you of their arrival, probably didn't go through. The pads worked perfect, all of my troops told me that they a lot more comfortable and more stable. One told me that he doesn't get any headaches anymore. I really thank you so much for the efforts you have made to our troops. As far as sending more well Mr Meaders, I do have more troops that would need the improvement of their helmets. Many of my troops wear the helmet for an average of 12-15 hours a day. My troops and I would really appreciate if more kits could be sent to them. Sgt, US Army Iraq.

12 May 08: Thank You for this great service you to provide to the troops. I have been in the Military for 15 years, before the helmet upgrades there were times I would have rather taken a bullet in the head than wear the Helmet for another day. I tried several pads that didn't work, this upgrade is truly an appreciated blessing... (received 30 upgrades)

9 April 08: My xxxxxxxxx will be sent to xxxxxxxxx and some to xxxxx as augments providing communications support on Convoys, FOB security, Patrols, and other billets that I am not permitted to divulge. I heard about this program from another Lt in my battalion. Your organization sent enough kits to outfit an entire squad. He has been most appreciative of you generosity and support for his troops...(we need 8 upgrades).

I thank you and all those have donated to your program for all the support that you have shown to my fellow warriors. I have no doubt that your actions through this program have directly impacted the lives and most importantly the safety of the troops on the ground through the helmet kits you have provided. Thank you for everything you have done. (Details altered for OpSec)

2 April 08: The issue we are having with our ACH helmets are the pads are actually coming unstitched and breaking open to where the will no longer actually hold the pad in place. I will be able to get the info HOPEFULLY on who makes them tomorrow. I have a long mission tomorrow and I will reply as soon as I get back in. Thank you for all you do.

26 March 08: I have a nephew in Iraq who received a BLU kit from my neighbor and he absolutely loves it!!!!! Now, his buddies would like a set as well. They are stuffing their helmets with socks and masking tape or just taking their helmets off when they get too uncomfortable !!!! …Their mothers wouldn’t appreciate knowing that…..So I’m wondering if you can ship to my nephew and then he can distribute them.

20 March 08: I am currently deployed to Iraq and have been looking or ways to improve the quality of life for some of our younger (troops) here. One of the major complaints is that when we wear our helmets for long periods some of the )troops) complain of headaches. I saw your website and thought I would give it a try. Thank you for all you have done for us over here, Marine and Army. (Spoken like a true leader!)

9 Mar 08: LEAVING THE WIRE EACH AND EVERY DAY ATTEMPTING TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM HUMAN SOURCES. THE MARINE CORPS ISSUES PAD BUT THEY FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A CEMENT BRICK AGAINST YOUR HEAD. NEED 15 FOR MY TEAM.

25 Feb 08: 'the current kit I have (GI) although new feels cheap and tears apart way too easy' .

22 Feb 08: Bob, I received my upgrade kit today and immediately installed it. Tonight when we returned to the COP I realized that for the first time in months I didn't end the day with a headache. If there is ANYTHING I can do to help your cause please feel free to tell me. 1st Sgt.

1 Jan 08: "The current pads have worn out within a month of my first having them I have had to resort to how the helmet was first configured putting in the former system it had in it."

In the meantime: PEO Soldier tells us they have not had a single complaint about the helmet/pad 'system' either from Soldiers in the field or during post-deployment debriefing. Therefore, they will continue to field the 'bricks' you are asking us to upgrade with the top-of-the-line pads we provide, courtesy of the American public. Our feeling is that either someone is not passing the Word or else we had a front-loader of BS heaped on us at the meeting.

See Doc Bob's Blog for more information and reports on how we're trying to get the military to 'do the right thing' and provide the best, not the cheapest helmet pads to our troops in harm's way. Hard to do your dangerous job when distracted by a blinding headache. We have met with the Marines at Marine Corps Systems Command and with PEO Soldier at the House Armed Services Committee's Hearing Room in Washington, DC. I'll put info on Doc Bob's BLOG after each meeting.

One more point: The US Army Aeromedical Research Lab (USAARL) is not the only problem.

No one should take our findings of pad deficiencies as criticism of USAARL's testing. They can only do what they're charged with doing. They pointed out the lack of testing requested by the military concerning wearability and water logging, recommending further testing be done concerning those issues. It was the military's responsibility to read their report and request the tests be done either at USAARL or by independent civilian labs. Let's not shoot this messenger (USAARL) either!

Amanda Gracie - song about a young woman/soldier who suffered a TBI in Iraq - can't remember her two-year child, Amanda Gracie

We have heard from troops in the field that some pad systems are really hard, hot, and/or uncomfortable (but not the ones we send). Fill out an anonymous survey here. Version three survey results,

Operation Helmet, Inc. is a 501-c-3 charity; our EIN is 20-1756585. Donations are tax-deductible. Your cancelled check is sufficient unless you gave $250 or more, then we send a letter/email for proof of donation.

Once all troops are provided appropriate blast/impact protecting helmet upgrades, we will utilize residual funds to help other charities providing for rehabilitation and support of our wounded troops and their families. We are researching several charities and will support those we find to be well managed, little or AT LEAST MINIMAL administrative fees and have a proven track record of helping our wounded warriors cope with their injuries and return to either civilian or military life.

See the emails below for our warriors heartfelt requests for our help, more important than ever with the 'surge' now taking place in Afghanistan

Send mail to ophelm@operation-helmet.org with questions or comments about Operation Helmet. Copyright © 2007 Operation Helmet Last modified: 12/28/08

Send mail to ophelm@operation-helmet.org with questions or comments about Operation Helmet.
Copyright © 2007 Operation Helmet
Last modified: 12/28/08