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thedrifter
02-05-09, 07:36 AM
MILITARY: From here to the battlefield

By MARK WALKER - Staff Writer

CAMP PENDLETON ---- Everyone from privates to corporals to generals were on the same mission Wednesday ---- find the best in new warfighting gear on display at the annual weapons and equipment show.

Thousands of Marines turned out for the defense industry's 14th annual Marine West Exhibition at this military base.

Though far from the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, the show's purpose was clear: keep the troops alive, a message one commander reminded the 200 vendors displaying everything from the newest gloves and goggles to robotics, batons and boots.

"Vendors need to ask them what works and what doesn't and what they need because they're the ones who have been there and they're the ones whose opinions matter the most," Maj. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said during the show's opening ceremony. He commands the 24,000-strong 1st Marine Division based here.

It was a new rifle scope that caught the eye of Cpl. Rafael Gallegos.

"That is sweet," the veteran of one Iraq tour of duty said of the scope that featured a larger display than a typical rifle scope. "It's like a video game ---- a lot easier to target the enemy."

Waldhauser was focused on the latest technology to find and destroy the ubiquitous roadside bombs that are responsible for a majority of troop deaths and injuries.

"The bottom line for me is we need to continue to develop IED (improvised explosive device) detection and detonation devices, and we need a lighter weight steel for our troops to have the best mobility possible," Waldhauser said.

Almost all the attendees walked away with bags of freebies.

"The swag is good," said Cpl. Daniel McCarthy, a veteran of two Iraq deployments. A motor transport specialist, McCarthy said he was impressed with the quality of the products on display.

"I really liked the new seatbelts I saw," he said. "They're important for the protecting of the guys in the Humvees and other vehicles we're using in Iraq."

Many of the Marines were jazzed by a special guest, actor and former Marine drill sergeant R. Lee Ermey. He is best known for his roles as an Air Calvary officer in "Apocalypse Now" and as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in "Full Metal Jacket," two movies based on the Vietnam War. Ermey signed dozens of autographs.

An explosion in robotics and simulators in recent years was evident at many of the exhibits, including the Tactical Robots booth, where the Oklahoma firm's John Patrick was showing off three small surveillance devices ranging from 15 to 50 pounds.

Operated via remote control, the devices carry cameras that beam images back to the operator. The machines can climb stairs, operate in wet or dry weather and stay operational for up to four hours.

Patrick wasn't expecting any immediate sales to the Marines, but wanted his firm to get on the radar of the people who influence Defense Department purchasing.

"It's a process ---- we know it takes time," said Patrick, whose firm also manufactures a motorcycle simulator to train riders.

They've sold more than 600 of the trainers to the Army and four to Camp Pendleton as military leaders strive to reduce recent increases in deaths among troops riding motorcycles.

The biggest piece of hardware on display was a prototype of the troubled Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, a 63,000-pound behemoth that can carry 17 Marines from a ship 25 miles offshore onto land and into battle.

The vehicle has had numerous development problems. The primary contractor, General Dynamics, passed a new round of testing in December and is building a new set of prototypes with one scheduled for delivery to Camp Pendleton late this year.

The older prototype on display ran into trouble on Tuesday that had nothing to do with the issues that have clouded its development: When it was being driven from its home on the beach near the base's main gate, it snapped an electrical wire causing a six-hour power outage for a residential neighborhood near the exhibition site.

The weapons and gear show continues from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Thursday with the general public allowed to attend. Visitors must provide a valid driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance coverage.

Contact staff writer Mark Walker at (760) 740-3529 or mlwalker@nctimes.com.

Video

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/02/05/military/z240c8b0608e0ac8a8825755300730479.txt

Ellie