Enhanced Protection from Burn Injury Provided by the MCCUU

1. MARCORSYSCOM RECENTLY DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TO
ADDRESS THE NEED FOR PROTECTION AGAINST BURN INJURIES CAUSED BY 
IEDS OR SIMILAR TYPES OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES. THIS PROGRAM, CALLED 
FLAME RESISTANT ORGANIZATIONAL GEAR (FROG), IS CURRENTLY IN THE 
R&D PHASE. THIS PROGRAM WILL IDENTIFY ITEMS THAT CAN BE WORN WITH
THE MARINE CORPS COMBAT UTILITY UNIFORM (MCCUU) TO ELIMINATE OR 
REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF BLAST INDUCED BURN INJURIES. CURRENT ITEMS 
BEING CONSIDERED ARE; FLAME RESISTANT BALACLAVAS, NECK GAITERS, 
GLOVES, UTILITIES AND BASELAYERS.
2. RECENT LAB TESTING CONFIRMED THAT THE CURRENT MCCUU PROVIDES A
DEGREE OF PROTECTION FROM SHORT DURATION BURN EVENTS. TESTING ALSO
INDICATED THAT ADDITIONAL PROTECTION CAN BE GAINED BY KEEPING
SLEEVES ROLLED DOWN, TUCKING THE UTILITY BLOUSE INTO THE WAIST OF
THE TROUSERS, KEEPING TROUSERS BLOUSED OR TUCKED INTO BOOTS, AND
BUTTONING THE TOP BUTTON OF THE UTILITY BLOUSE WITH THE COLLAR
TURNED UP. THE MCCUU FABRIC IS LESS LIKELY TO CATCH FIRE WHEN
EXPOSED FABRIC EDGES ARE REDUCED. MINIMIZING EXPOSED SKIN AREAS ALSO
REDUCED BURN INJURIES.
3. TESTING ALSO INDICATED THAT THE WEARING OF BODY ARMOR (OUTER
TACTICAL VEST WITH SAPI PLATES) SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE SEVERITY
OF BURNS TO THE TORSO AREA. THIS PRELIMINARY TESTING ALSO INDICATED
THAT BURN AND MELT HAZZARD FROM HIGH PERFORMANCE MOISTURE WICKING
THERMOPLASTIC UNDERGARMENTS IS LOW IN THE AREAS COVERED BY THE
BALLISTIC VEST. AREAS NOT COVERED BY THE VEST (E.G. SHOULDERS, ARMS,
AND LOWER TORSO) ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE INJURED BY THE BURNING AND
MELTING OF HIGH PERFORMANCE UNDERGARMENTS WHEN EXPOSED TO A THREE TO
FOUR SECOND FLAME. WHILE SAFE FOR MOST FIELD APPLICATIONS, THE USE
OF HIGH PERFORMANCE MOISTURE WICKING THERMOPLASTIC UNDERGARMENTS AND
MATERIALS MUST BE BALANCED WITH THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO FLASH/FLAME
EVENTS PRODUCED BY EXPLOSIVES AND FUEL FIRES.
4. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE CAN IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE AN
ENHANCED LEVEL OF PROTECTION FROM BURN INJURIES AND SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY COMMANDERS OPERATING IN HIGH THREAT
ENVIRONMENTS. FUTURE TESTING WILL DETERMINE OPTIMAL COMBINATIONS OF
ITEMS AND MATERIALS TO FURTHER MITIGATE OR PREVENT BLAST INDUCED
BURN INJURIES.