Army Increases Combat Effectiveness With More Reflective Belts, Extremely Safe Combat Patrols
82nd Airborne soldiers leave their forward operating base with safety on their side.
PANJWAI DISTRICT, AFGHANISTAN - Army Sergeant First Class James Hargrove knows the dangers of war. The platoon sergeant -- currently on a year-long deployment with the 82nd Airborne -- says he's been worried about maintaining combat effectiveness since casualties have been so high.
His soldiers have seen increasing attacks from small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and countless improvised explosive devices (IED).
"I was really concerned about whether or not we could keep this up for another five months," says Hargrove. "I mean, how the fuck can you take the fight to the enemy when you're losing guys like we are?"
"So I brought up the issue to my chain of command, and believe it or not, they did something about it."
The grizzled platoon sergeant smiles and holds up the latest addition to a soldier's protective gear when going outside the wire. A bright yellow reflective belt.
"When the CO called us all tog…
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