Widgets Magazine
MIGHTY TACTICAL
Gary Sheftick

Soldiers train with new virtual-reality goggles

The Army is now testing virtual-reality goggles that will allow soldiers to rehearse combat missions that they are about to undertake.

The Integrated Visual Augmentation System, known as IVAS, will be tested by 82nd Airborne Division troops next month at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The IVAS goggles will allow soldiers to see simulated images superimposed over the actual terrain.

The soldiers will wear the goggles and miniature computer equipment as they negotiate obstacle courses, run land navigation and conduct other missions, said officials from Program Executive Office Soldier.

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MIGHTY CULTURE
Sean Kimmons

US Army uses lessons from pilot to build task forces

As the Multi-Domain Task Force pilot program nears its end, the Army is now using lessons from it to establish three similar task forces.

Assigned under U.S. Army Pacific Command in 2017, the pilot has participated in several exercises, including nine major joint training events across the region, to focus on penetrating an enemy environment.

With the 17th Field Artillery Brigade as its core, the task force also has an I2CEWS detachment testing intelligence, information operations, cyber, electronic warfare and space assets that can counter enemy anti-access/area denial capabilities.

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MIGHTY TACTICAL
Ana Henderson

These high-speed cameras 'basically stop time'

When people ask Chris Insco what he does, his answer is, "I basically stop time."

Insco, Yuma Proving Ground's High-speed Section Chief, goes on to explain, "Our cameras and the high-speed process we use range from 1,000 frames per second (fps) up to 10,000 fps but these cameras have the ability to take up to one-million fps which is basically a camera taking a million frames in one second."

Watching the video captured by the high-speed section is like a scene of the Matrix movie, you can see each and every twist and turn the projectile makes. These cameras are so rapid you can see sound moving through the air, they can capture a sound wave in a photograph.

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MIGHTY CULTURE
Sgt. Ashley Morris

US Army soldier learns it takes two to earn coveted badge

"I walked over to the NCO of my starting lane for land navigation and I asked him, 'Hey sergeant, do you want me to line up behind you?'" said DeMarsico as he recalled the first time he participated in Expert Field Medical Badge qualification testing. "He said, 'I need your name and roster number.' I did not think anything of it at the time so I went out and found all four of my points. When I came back he told me I was going to be an administrative 'no-go' for the lane because I spoke to him."

Recently promoted U.S. Army Spc. Thomas DeMarsico, a combat medic assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk, first attempted to earn the Expert Field Medical Badge at Fort Bliss, Texas. The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division hosted the special qualification testing in September 2019.

"I attempted to rebut the decision with the board because AR 350-10 says you cannot talk to other candidates during land nav, not the cadre," DeMarsico said. "The board denied my rebuttal. That was it; they just dropped me. I was super crushed after that. I decided at that moment I was done with EFMB and the Army."

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MIGHTY CULTURE
Devon L. Suits

Heroic weapons sergeant to receive Medal of Honor

A weapons sergeant with the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) who heroically fought up a mountain through a barrage of enemy fire to help rescue his detachment members will receive the Medal of Honor.

The White House announced today that Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams went above and beyond the call of duty during an operation on April 6, 2008. Williams — a sergeant at the time of the operation — was assigned to Special Operations Task Force-33 in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Williams will receive the highest military award for valor at a White House ceremony, Oct. 30, 2019. A "Hall of Heroes" induction ceremony at the Pentagon is slated for Oct. 31, 2019.

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MIGHTY CULTURE

How engineered viruses could protect soldiers

Antibiotic resistance is a one of the world's most pressing public health problems. Scientists working on an Army project have developed a new weapon to combat super-bugs, which could protect soldiers and fight resistance.

Bacteriophage, a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, kill bacteria through different mechanisms than antibiotics, and they can target specific strains, making them an appealing option for potentially overcoming multidrug resistance. However, quickly finding and optimizing well-defined bacteriophages to use against a bacterial target is challenging.

Researchers at the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, identified a way to do just that. The U.S. Army established the institute in 2002 as an interdisiciplinary research center to dramatically improve protection, survivability and mission capabilities of the soldier and of soldier-supporting platforms and systems.

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MIGHTY SPORTS
Thomas Brading

Master fitness trainers help soldiers prepare for combat

Master Fitness Training instructors work tirelessly to coach soldiers from across the Army in developing new ways to prepare them for combat, while in the process, helping increase readiness and lowering profiles up to 40%, says the fitness school NCOIC.

Wanting to better understand the effectiveness of the fitness program, Master Sgt. Joseph Komes, U.S. Army Physical Fitness School noncommissioned officer in charge, used a roster based on thousands of soldiers, all previously certified at the school, and sent a questionnaire to understand the school's effectiveness.

Shortly after, the responses started pouring in.

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MIGHTY TACTICAL
GVSC Public Affairs

Soldiers use video games to help develop new combat vehicle

Thirty soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division recently tested new technologies in a video-game environment to provide feedback for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team.

"This latest experiment will provide us with an understanding of which technologies are most critical for the robotic combat vehicle to be successful in an operational environment," said Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, NGCV CFT director.

Coffman will be one of the speakers Oct. 14, 2019, at a NGCV Warriors Corner presentation at the Washington Convention Center where more about the experiments will be explained.

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MIGHTY SPORTS
Gary Sheftick

Korean War vet honored at Steelers football game

Korean War veteran Ed Portka, 90, was honored along with his stepson as the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals on national television.

Former Maj. David Reeser, who commanded an Army diving company in Europe 28 years ago, accompanied his stepfather, a former first lieutenant, onto the field for the Steelers' "Salute Our Heroes" recognition during a short break following the third quarter of the game.

"I'm excited about it," Portka said about his upcoming recognition, just before the game, offering that he was "looking forward to it," but a little hesitant.

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