JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (May 21, 2010) -- One part "Star Wars" and one part "Call of Duty," tables and booths were filled with top-of-the-line tactical gear such as socks and gloves that remain dry even when immersed in water, a robot helicopter capable of using ground-penetrating radar, and a chemical test that can tell if a captured enemy carried a specific weapon and how long ago it was fired.
It might sound like science fiction, but the very real products were on display during the 2010 SpecOps Warfighter Expo, hosted by Lodestar Group, at the American Lake Community Center on Lewis May 10 through May 12.
More than 60 vendors and organizations displayed the newest innovations in personal protection, firearms and equipment.
Soldiers and Airmen visiting the expo got a chance to get hands-on with the new gear.
At the Northrop Grumman booth, Spc. James Wissman used a touch-screen computer to take control of an ODF EyeDrive advanced surveillance tactical robot.
"It's very easy to operate," Wissman said.
Using the specialized touch-screen laptop, Wissman steered the 11-inch-long, eight-pound unmanned ground vehicle under chairs and around obstacles with ease.
Mounted with an array of cameras, the EyeDrive UGV can scan a 360-degree view and is durable enough to be thrown up into a second-story window.
With combat deployments under his belt, Wissman said there is significant value in reducing the physical threat to human Soldiers.
"This would certainly come in handy checking vehicles," he said.
Lodestar Group Marketing Executive Vice President Jeanne Eury said that the expo is a way to foster a positive connection between military personnel and the companies developing equipment for them.
"It's good for the Soldiers to see that there are people out there working to make their job safer," Eury said.
The feedback Soldiers and Airmen provide is invaluable to exhibitors, she said.
"They get a chance to see the new equipment and try it out," Eury said. "They can tell them, 'this works' or 'this is too heavy.'"
Plenty of handouts, brochures and samples were given to attendees.
Air Force Tech Sergeant John Lafferty said he attended to get information on the available products and then bring it back to his unit.
"I've come out here to see what the vendors have," Lafferty said.
Size, weight and overall adaptability are crucial concerns for considering new equipment, he said.
"It all adds extra weight," Lafferty said. "Guys have to balance that out."
For unit commanders, the expo was also a way to decide what innovations will have the greatest advantage to their troops.
Captain Scott Martin said he thought the expo was a helpful way for commanders to "test drive" the goods before committing to them.
"You get to know what's available - what current technologies exist," Martin said. "You have to know what options there are."
(Rick Wood is a reporter with Joint Base Lewis-McChord's weekly newspaper, the Northwest Guardian.)
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