I was watching a DVD of The Hurt Locker, and every U.S. soldier seems to have this black metallic or plastic . . . device . . . at the center-front of his helmet. Kind of a small arm that sticks up. But they never seem to use it for anything. What is it?
It’s a Night-Vision Goggle bracket.
Maybe this?
Article came out in 2008
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army_helmetgizmo_070812w/
Exactly.
I think that’s it.
Not, it’s definitely not a set of goggles, but could be a bracket for goggles.
Modern samurai forehead protector?
Any kind of head protection is useful in preventing a sub-DuranDuran hematoma.
Those are the cheesiest kind of hematomas.
Maybe it’s a bracket for holding the goggles on then.
No, only earplugs prevent that.
I bet they can just leave the tab-bracket-thingie attached to the helmet all the time, but then take the goggles off when they don’t need them, like in the daytime. Then when it’s dark they can put them back on because it’s harder to see, and if they didn’t have the goggles on already they wouldn’t be able to re-attach the bracket-tab-thingie. Or something.
That’s what I do with my ears and eyeglasses.
If I designed helmets, that area would be for a bottle opener. No, I’ve never served in the military, why do you ask?
/hijack
What are those little plastic bottle/containers on helmets for? I remember seeing them on pictures of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam.
(I can’t find a picture to link to.)
/end hijack
I think the most common thing you’d see in a bottle would be insect repellent. Gun oil was also carried in a bottle. Other things could include ear plugs, salt tablets, camouflage makeup stick, snake bite kit, film canister filled with pot, etc.
It’s called a “Rhino Mount”. It’s a hinged bracket for attaching your NVGs to your baseplate. The baseplate is permanently attached to the helmet. The Rhino can be left on or only attached when using nods. Personally, I never leave mine on unless I have my nods attached. Some people prefer to just leave it there though. It’s less to keep in a pouch on your kit, but I don’t like it catching on things.