Lightweight Helmet Suspension System Policy and Implementation Guidance

1. COMMANDS ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED THE USE OF EITHER
A SLING SUSPENSION SYSTEM OR A PAD SUSPENSION SYSTEM IN THE
LIGHTWEIGHT HELMET (LWH).
2. CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE PAD SUSPENSION SYSTEM DOES
NOT REDUCE THE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE LWH BY INTERFERING WITH
ITS DESIGN AND WEAR. BASED ON THE REFERENCE AND OTHER LESSONS
LEARNED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, COMMANDERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE
FOLLOWING WHEN PADS ARE INSTALLED IN THE LWH:
A. HELMET FIT. THE LWH SHOULD NOT MOVE WHEN IT IS PUSHED DOWN ON
TOP OF THE HEAD. WHEN THE LWH IS PROPERLY FITTED, THE CHINSTRAP
SHOULD BE CENTERED ON THE CHIN. IN HOT CLIMATES COMMANDERS SHOULD
INSPECT TO ENSURE PROPER PAD PLACEMENT THAT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH
AIR CIRCULATION. 
B. HELMET COVERAGE. THE BOTTOM OF THE LWH SHOULD FALL BETWEEN THE
BOTTOM OF THE EAR CANAL AND THE BOTTOM OF THE EAR LOBE. FOR MOST
MARINES A SIZE 6 (3/4 INCH PAD) WILL PREVENT THE HELMET FROM RIDING
TOO HIGH ON THE HEAD.
C. HELMET SIZE. HELMET PADS MAY RESULT IN THE WEARER REQUIRING A
LARGER SIZED HELMET. THE LWH WITH PADS SHOULD BE SIZED SO IT DOES
NOT BLOCK THE WEARER'S VISION. THE LWH SHOULD NOT BE SO SMALL THAT
VENTILATION, COMFORT, AND SAFETY ARE COMPROMISED. 
D. WEAR OF ADDITIONAL HEADGEAR. WHEN OTHER HEADGEAR IS WORN SUCH
AS A COMMUNICATION HEADSET, WATCHCAP, OR NBC MASK, THE PADS MUST BE
ADJUSTED TO ALLOW FOR THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND MAY NECESSITATE
THE INSTALLATION OF SMALLER SIZED PADS.
E. PAD COMPRESSION. OVER TIME, THE PADS MAY PERMANENTLY COMPRESS
AFFECTING THE PROPER FIT AND SAFETY OF THE HELMET SUSPENSION SYSTEM.
 THEREFORE, PADS SHOULD BE INSPECTED ON A RECURRING BASIS AND
REPLACED, AS NECESSARY.
F. PAD DETERIORATION AND ADHESION. PADS WILL DETERIORATE OVER TIME
AND LOSE THEIR ADHESION DUE TO SAND AND OTHER SUBSTANCES INTERFERING
WITH THE VELCRO TABS. VELCRO WILL DETERIORATE AND FAIL AFTER
EXPOSURE TO SALT WATER IMMERSION OR PROLONGED USAGE IN HIGHER
TEMPERATURES WHERE MOISTURE (SWEAT) IS PRESENT. ORGANIZATIONS
SHOULD MAINTAIN A SUPPLY OF ADDITIONAL PADS ON-HAND.
3. THE LWH WILL CONTINUE TO BE FIELDED WITH THE CURRENT SLING
SUSPENSION SYSTEM. UNIT COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO REPLACE THE
SLING SYSTEM WITH A PAD SYSTEM. UNITS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
REQUISITIONING THE PAD SUSPENSION SYSTEM USING THE BELOW NATIONAL
STOCK NUMBERS (NSN). NOTE THAT A SIZE 6 EQUATES TO 3/4 INCH PAD
THICKNESS WHILE A SIZE 8 IS APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH IN THICKNESS. NO
PAD LESS THAN A SIZE 6 (3/4 INCH) OR GREATER THAN A SIZE 8 (1 INCH)
SHOULD BE WORN IN THE LWH.
NSN SIZE COMPONENTS
8470-01-476-5643 6 (1) CIRCULAR CROWN 
 (2) TRAPEZOIDAL 
 (4) OBLONG/OVAL
8470-01-476-5648 8 (1) CIRCULAR CROWN 
 (2) TRAPEZOIDAL 
 (4) OBLONG/OVAL
CURRENT SHORTFALLS FOR THESE ITEMS AT DLA HAVE CREATED A BACKLOG FOR
ORDERS. PROGRAM MANAGER, INFANTRY COMBAT EQUIPMENT (PM ICE), MARINE
CORPS SYSTEMS COMMAND (MCSC) IS DEVELOPING ALTERNATE SOURCES OF
SUPPLY AND WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS VIA THE POC, AND THE PM ICE
WEBSITE, LISTED BELOW IN PARAGRAPH 6.
4. IN COORDINATION WITH THE MANUFACTURER OF THE LWH, MCSC IS
CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A DETAILED PLAN IOT PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE
CORRECT AND SAFE REPLACEMENT OF THE SLING SUSPENSION SYSTEM. MCSC
IS ALSO DEVELOPING THE MOST EFFICIENT METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING THIS
POLICY. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE WILL BE DISSEMINATED AS REQUIRED TO
FURTHER EXPEDITE THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS. 
5. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS THE CURRENT FOUR POINT RETENTION
SYSTEM (CHIN STRAP) OF THE LWH TO BE REPLACED EXCEPT BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPLACEMENT ITEM FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. IF A
PAD SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS INSTALLED, THE EXISTING SLING SUSPENSION
SYSTEM WILL BE RETAINED BY THE ORGANIZATION OR CONSOLIDATED ISSUE
FACILITY (CIF).
6. ALL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE ORDERING OF PADS SHOULD BE DIRECTED
TO PM ICE MAJ RENEE HOLMES AT 703.432.3312/3316 (DSN 378) OR BY
E-MAIL AT RENEE.HOLMES@USMC.MIL. ADDITIONAL HELMET INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE AT THE PM ICE WEBSITE, AT
WWW.MARCORSYSCOM.USMC.MIL/SITES/PMICE/. INCLUDED ARE AN INFORMATION
PAPER ON SLING VERSUS PAD SYSTEMS, A USAARL STUDY ON BLUNT IMPACT
PERFORMANCE FOR SLING AND PAD HELMET SYSTEMS, AND THE US ARMY SAFETY
OF USE MESSAGE CONCERNING THE WEAR OF GROUND COMBAT HELMETS. MORE
INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED AT THIS SITE AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.