REVERSIBLE CAMOUFLAGE HELMET COVERS

SAVE TIME WHILE NOT LOSING YOUR HEAD

The U.S. Army presently issues two helmet covers for the PASGT helmet as well as a helmet camouflaging band. The helmet cover is a single-purpose item designed to be used solely in one environment. Additionally, the helmet cover incorporates numerous button holes which are prone to tear. The camouflaging band is a separate item, which is easily lost causing Soldiers to replace it at their own expense. Expedient fix: two pieces of gutted "550" Type III parachute cord can be girth-hitched to the band and slipped through the first two camouflage cover slots and tied to the inside helmet suspension points. Detailed description at the bottom. "Tell this to the marines!" so the jarhead below doesn't have to use baby pins on his helmet!
An improved helmet cover would be reversible, woodland camouflage on one side, three-color desert on the other using the newly developed two-sided fabric technology developed by the U.S. Army Natick RD and E Center in Natick, MA. Such a reversible cover was standard issue for the steel helmet, ground troops, M-1.

This change will combine two items into one, thus eliminating: Cover, Class 1 Woodland NSN 8415-01-092-7515 and Cover, Class III Three-color Desert NSN 8415-01-103-1350. The button holes found on the present cover would be eliminated as they snag easily, causing tears, which render the cover useless.

MARINE USES DESPERATE MEASURES TO KEEP HELMET BAND(S???) ON!..EVER HEAR OF 550 CORD? WHY DOES HE NEED TWO?

The cover would have elastic bands stitched directly onto it allowing foliage to be added to the cover for camouflage. This would eliminate the need for the band, Helmet Camouflage NSN 8415-00-5762873, which is easily lost. Reversible (Woodland/Three-color desert) IR treated fabric has been produced for Natick which will facilitate this change. All seams will be overlapped as the old helmet cover for the M-1 steel helmet was.

The British army's cover, helmet NSN 8415-99-132-6007, has elastic stitched directly to the cover for camouflage The German issue cover is reversible in addition to having the camouflage. The German-issue cover is reversible in addition to having the camouflaging band attached tot he helmet cover. The new Swedish helmet depicted above follow in the same path-1 item, not 3. The integration of all three items into a single cover streamlines an already overburdened supply system and helps reduce procurement costs.
Here is the cost breakdown of the three items purchased separately:
Cover, Class 1 8415-01-092-7515 $5.10 each
Cover Class III 8415-01-103-1350 $5.90 each
Band, camouflage 8415-00-576-2873 $0.20 each
Totaling $11.20 for every Soldier/Paratrooper.
Multiple this by 15,000 82d Airborne Division Paratroopers and you can see how much money could be saved.
By procuring these items as a single unit, at least the price of one helmet cover (approximately $5.50) is saved for each unit of issue procured. This doesn't even take into account the amount saved by reducing the number off contracts let.
WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?
Ranger Joe's International Surplus stores sell "Turtle Straps" that for about $4 secure the helmet band through the helmet cover slots in a less expedient fashion than the 550 cord technique below.

Ranger Joe's International
325 Farr Road
Columbus, GA 31907
1-800-247-4541 FAX: (706) 682-8840
Until we get an improved helmet cover, you can take a 9" piece of gutted "550" parachute cord and girth-hitch it around your helmet band and run the ends down the left/right side camouflage slots of your helmet cover. Take these ends and tie them tight around your helmet's inner suspension band connection bolt with a square knot and two half-hitches to secure the running ends. This will prevent the helmet's camouflage band from sliding off it if it snags on vegetation.

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