b. Clothing in a Shaded Area. When an individual in a hot environment is
protected (shaded) from the sun's rays, the person is better off wearing the least
allowable amount of clothing since clothing decreases air movement over the skin.
4-21. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN RECRUIT TRAINING
Basic trainees comprise a special group of unseasoned personnel who require
particular attention because of the unusual physical stresses involved in basic training in
summer heat.
Adjustment to this stress is difficult and must be taken into account in
planning training schedules.
Curtailment of work and scheduling strenuous training activities for the
coolest parts of the day will yield greater efficiency and less disruption of training than
will ignoring the weather in the interest of completing a heavy schedule.
Heat casualties occur most frequently during the first 2 weeks of basic
training and during the bivouac week.
They are associated especially with firing on the rifle range, range marches,
and retreat parades.
Particular attention should be paid to decreasing the heat stress
accompanying these activities.
a. Recruit Heat Casualties. Recruit heat casualties tend to occur in groups
within particular units. Responsible commanders and medical officers should promptly
investigate each case to determine the unsafe practice or condition responsible and
institute measures to prevent additional cases.
b. Protecting Soldiers. Protecting soldiers from the environment also includes
such simple but frequently overlooked things as marching troops over grass rather than
concrete and operating in such shade as is available.
Four basic factors that determine the degree of heat stress exerted by the environment
are:
Air temperature.
Relative humidity.
Air movement.
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