Mission-oriented protective posture gear

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WEARING MISSION-ORIENTED PROTECTIVE POSTURE GEAR... 

In 1966 the Molded NBC cap for the 1 and 2-quait canteen (Mil-C-51278,8465-01-118-8171) was introduced in the Army inventory to allow soldiers to connect a tube from the canteen to the gas mask for hydration while wearing a mask and various protection levels of MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) gear. The MOPP gear was the protective equipment developed for use in a nuelear/ biological/chemical contaminated environment. 

MOPP Mission-Oriented Protective Posture, the protective clothing used by members of the U.S. military who engage in nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. MOPP gear provides a flexible system requiring personnel to wear only that protective clothing and equipment appropriate to the threat level, work rate imposed by the mission, temperature, and humidity. 

Vesicants are considered to be of low technology and are relatively simple to manufacture. Barrier protection gear, otherwise known as Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP), provides significant protection if donned before exposure. During battlefield conditions, errors would be expected in the use of the MOPP gear because of stressful situations, tears in the suit, false positive or negative alarms, etc. 

After World War I ended, work at the Edgewood medical research laboratories continued. New gas masks were developed, such as those with high-eyepoint lenses for use with binoculars, and masks with speaker diaphragms. As those who have worn mission-oriented protective posture (MOPP) gear know, one cannot really be heard through a mask. Initially, scientists at Edgewood worked on oilcloth-... 

Wearing mission oriented protective posture (MOPP) gear or body armor adds 10°F to the wet bulb globe thermometer (WBGT) index. 

All casualties entering a medical unit after experiencing a chemical attack are to be considered contaminated unless there is certification of noncontamination. The initial management of a casualty contaminated by chemical agents will require removal of mission-oriented protective posture (MOPP) gear and decontamination with 0.5% hypochlorite before treatment within the field MTF. 

Fig. 16-12. From left to right, the soldiers gear is for mission-oriented protective posture (MOPP) levels 2, 3, and 4. Photograph Courtesy of Visual Information Division, US Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

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