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Re: [Gulf War] Protective helmet covers for Combat

Posted By: Craig Swain (173.71.197.20)
Date: Saturday, 11 September 2010 1013 hrs. EDT

In Response To: [Gulf War] Protective helmet covers for Combat Veh. Helmet (John Morris)

Mannie Gentile, NPS ranger, helmet collector, and all around good guy, did a blog entry on the CVC helmet some time back, and I've linked below. The shell indeed fit directly upon the mesh part of the CVC. In my experience the "cover" was always in short supply. And when it was on hand, it was the wrong pattern for the specified uniform. Soldiers often would make due with existing standard Kevlar helmet covers.

I recall these kevlar shells in service through 1998. Keep in mind that during the 1990s, unlike today, the US Army did not issue body armor on a routine basis. It was reserved for "go to war mobilization" processing. Even in Korea, body armor was kept in storage to be issued only when the shooting was real. When units rotated through Kuwait, the armor was issued (and crews received the CVC shells), out of the AWR stocks in theater. All were returned prior to departing theater.

This differs from the issue process today. Soldiers receive IBA from a pre-deployment central issue facility (for all trips I've made to the Iraq and Afghan zones that was either Fort Bragg or Fort Jackson). And the soldier retains that equipment on home station.

CVC Helmet

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