What would you choose?

This morning I went to another FOB, where Purple Heart medals were presented to several soldiers. The trip was uneventful, although on the way out we drove past a spot where an IED had exploded not long before we got there. We left in the early morning and returned before noon, so we missed traveling in the heat of the day. Still, it is dang warm in the Hummvs.

The new versions have A/C, which is nice, (what’s next, CD players?) but even so it is still hot. As one soldier put it to me, A/C just means it’s 110 degrees inside instead of 130 degrees. We’re wearing body armor, helmets, gloves, and eye and hearing protection, so not much opportunity for perspiration cooling. The Army requires that shirt sleeves be rolled down. The hatch is always open up top with the gunner looking out, so warm air blows in and displaces the cooled air. The heat from the engine flows under the vehicle and heats up the floor boards and console. Although the vehicles look large, the seating area is tiny, with the wide console taking up most of the inside space. Soldiers essentially sit in a metal box heated by engine airflow.

And, the heater system seems to always be on. The heater is activated by pulling a knob attached to a cable, and deactivated by pushing on the knob/cable. Ever try to push a piece of string? Kind of the same concept with the cable. It just never seems to push in all the way and shut off the heat. You push on the knob trying to get the last heat to shut off and the knob just springs back out. I talked to one poor soldier whose Hummv tended to overheat, so the only way they could keep moving was to turn the heater on full. No day at the beach, I’ll tell you.

Nevertheless, I’d rather be riding around in a hot Hummv than qualifying for a Purple Heart.