Using binoculars to see, not be SEEN

Military Binoculars: we see them, not the enemy...

British tanks storm through Iraqi defensive positions at the battle of Al Haniyah, February 26, 1991 in the Gulf war

What will happen to you if your vehicle is hit by enemy fire if its reflection gives the enemy an aim point

Wednesday, November 20, 1996 [UPDATED FOR 2002]
THE FORT BRAGG POST

Most military men when they use binocolars hold them wrong exposing the shiny external coating to sun reflections (glint) that is visible for miles away. This shine gave away the Confederates at Gettysburg, caused Israeli General Moshe Dayan to lose an eye to a sniper and was the chief thing the Russians looked for to give away the sign of American positions. American Soldiers use a lot of electro-optics and we HAVE to do something about their glint reflections. We can no longer assume we "own" either the night or the daytime--the enemy has optics and night vision devices...to include lasers that can blind you. The enemy has $$$ and doesn't have to fight a hostile bureaucracy to get he gear he needs to win.
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California
When fighting force-on-force with the OPFOR of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, you quickly see how binoculars, vehicle headlights and sun, wind, dust goggle (SWDG) reflections can give away the presence of a BLUEFOR unit approaching you, and giving you aimpoints to call for/adjust supporting arms and your own direct-fire weapons. Our M113 force with a few M551 Sheridans visually modified to look/act like Russian main battle tanks, clobbered a much more sophisticated M1A1 Abrams and M2A2 Bradley force. Despite knowing about this problem for YEARS, in Afghanistan, Soldiers desperately made covers for their SWDGs when they are commercially available had the Army bureaucracy listened and bought these items:
Better camouflage NOW! What you can do about it, TODAY?
*When using binoculars, CUP YOUR FINGERS AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE LENS TO CREATE A HOOD EFFECT. This will reduce the chance of glint reflecting off them. This is very important for the Steiner M22 7X50 binoculars with their gold anti-laser protective coating. A good example is the commander pictured at the top of the U.S. Army Armor Magazine, Tactical Vignettes decision-making game series.
*Obtain KillFlash!© Glint Anti-Reflection Devices (ARDs) or covers for all your optics, binos, scopes etc...and Sun, Wind Dust Goggles. The KillFlash! ARD/cover is scheduled to be purchased soon as a Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) item.

*Cover SWDGs with a piece of brown nylon hosiery or sock or t-shirt as an expedient glint cover; for details on the Eagle SWDG cover: Better Camouflage
*Be aware of optical camouflage and look at your Paratroopers and vehicles from the enemy's perspective and fix all shiny areas with camou paint, covers and burlap materials.

IF YOU CAN BE SEEN, YOU CAN BE HIT.
IF YOU CAN BE HIT, YOU CAN BE KILLED!
DON'T BE SEEN!
A USAF F-4 Phantom combat fighter-bomber pilot offers the following technique for stabilized viewing after you have ARDs fitted to the end of your binos:
"I see Army guys scoping the country using binoculars on TV - and not one holds them in a very steady fashion. I learned how to do that from the Navy. You hold the binos by cupping the heels of your palms and last three fingers about them. Your thumbs press against your cheekbones and your index fingers press against your temples above the 'soft spot'. I have a pair of large 20x80 binos and I can hold them steady enough that way to scope out wildlife at half a mile."
WHY ARE BINOCULAR MILS SCALES NOT SELF-EXPLANATORY?

When you look through military binos, you will see a reticle scale for adjusting supporting arms fire using the WORM rule. That not being complicated enough, each number is not what it says it is! "1" actually means 10 mils!. This is ridiculous. Put a damn "10", "20", "30", "40", "50" etc. on the mils scale and stop setting our Soldiers up for mistakes that can kill. This is what the Field Artillery's Ground laser devices have on their reticles.

The M24 Sniper Weapon System scope has 1 mil graduations. The new AN/PVS-6 Mini Eyesafe Infared Observation Set (MELIOS) has a reticle inside that is number 10, 20, 30, 40 etc. for the actual MILS represented. How hard is this to do in a binocular MILS scale?
CARRYING BINOCULARS?
The Soldier is very much already cluttered with strapped gear over his back. What we need is a pouch that clips to the LBE/TLBV belt that holds military binoculars. Another idea would be a chest pouch so the binos are easily grabbed and put to use. This pouch would also double as a place to carry Night Vision Goggles when not connected to the helmet mount or the head harness.
HANDS-FREE BINOCULARS USE?

Why not attach binoculars to the helmet NVG mount so they can be used as hands-free long-term observation devices during the daytime?

All we need to do is develop a attachment that clamps the binocular with the standard AN/PVS-7B NVG probe to fit into the helmet flip-down mountaing bracket.
We can do this!
CONCLUSION: WE NO LONGER "OWN" THE DAY OR NIGHT
The world moves by the speed of the AIR and U.S. Army forces can be at any spot on earth via air-delivery. However, we can no longer assume we "own" either the day or night--he who sees the enemy first wins. We must improve our use of optics like binoculars!
FEEDBACK!
E-Mail 1st TSG (A)

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