The Army is in the midst of awarding contracts for upgraded jungle boots, according to a spokeswoman with PEO Soldier.
Debi Dawson, director of strategic communications at PEO Soldier, told Army Times that an update will be provided once the contract awards are given out.
In October, a program manager at PEO Soldier said the Army wants to get upgraded jungle boots to soldiers by March.
Soldiers have been enduring missions in the wet, humid Pacific with boots geared toward the hotter, drier environments of Iraq and Afghanistan. The result: soggy, heavy boots.
The Army has been testing new uniform designs over the past year and a half to help soldiers perform in tropical regions, and now officials say they want to take those designs to the field.
Col. Dean Hoffman IV, project manager for Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment at PEO Soldier, said the Army can use the Soldier Enhancement program to find off-the-shelf solutions for equipment problems.
"We focused on the Middle East a long time," Hoffman said, but now the focus is turning to tropical environments.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley recently visited the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, where he saw limited user evaluations on jungle uniforms and boots, Hoffman said at the Association of the United States Army conference in October.
Milley wants to get the new boots out in the field as fast as possible, Hoffman said.
"We saw the characteristics and capabilities that soldiers desire in a boot," he said.
The boots undergoing testing aim to be puncture resistant, yet also comfortable, supportive and quick drying.
The Army sent out a directed requirement so "we can get two [brigade combat teams] in Hawaii equipped with jungle combat boots by the end of calendar year [2017]," Hoffman said.
"One of the things we're trying in an effort to expedite contracting is we're going to use this request for information to see what industry can do hopefully faster," he said.
It's challenging to find a company that can meet the price and schedule requirements, Hoffman said, but the goal is to equip the first BCT with the jungle boots by March.
Charlsy Panzino covers the Guard and Reserve, training, technology, operations and features for Army Times and Air Force Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.
Charlsy is a Reporter and Engagement Manager for Military Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.
