Accession Number:

AD0258296

Title:

THE EFFECT OF SIMULATED TROPICAL CLIMATE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL WEARING AN INTEGRATED BODY ARMOR-LOAD CARRYING SYSTEM (BALCS)

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

NAVAL MEDICAL FIELD RESEARCH LAB CAMP LEJEUNE NC

Personal Author(s):

• Martorano, J. J.
• Cook, E. B.
• Blyth, C. S.

Report Date:

1961-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

51.0

Abstract:

An attempt was made to determine to what extent the wearing of a body armor-load carrying system BALCS and the carrying f a total load of 54 pounds would affect the ability of a group of U. S. Marines to do a fixed amount of work under simulated tropical climatic conditions. Although the addition of the integrated body armor-load carrying system BALCS produced significant increases in the several physiological parameters measured, increases were within normal physiological limits for the 45-min period in which the subjects were exposed to the experimental conditions. Assessment of the adrenal cortical activity, as indicated by the measurements utilized in this study, suggested that neither the heat and humidity in which the subjects exercised nor the wearing of the BALCS was of a sufficient magnitude to cause measurable stress.

Descriptors:

• *NAVAL PERSONNEL
• *HEAT STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• *BODY ARMOR
• CLIMATE
• PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
• TROPICAL TESTS
• LOADING(ORDNANCE PROJECTORS)

Subject Categories:

• Stress Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE