# What is that device on soldiers' helmets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662 "2010-03-24T19:32:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/1 "2010-03-24T19:32:55Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/2 "2010-03-24T19:37:31Z")
It’s a Night-Vision Goggle bracket. [http://www.gentexcorp.com/assets/gentex/Ground/ACH.jpg](http://www.gentexcorp.com/assets/gentex/Ground/ACH.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/3 "2010-03-24T19:37:36Z")
Maybe this? Article came out in 2008 [http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army\_helmetgizmo\_070812w/](http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army_helmetgizmo_070812w/) > [@](#): > > Beginning early next year, equipment officials plan to start attaching dosimeters, special devices that measure the forces soldiers are exposed to in an explosion, to the helmets they wear in Iraq and Afghanistan with the hope of better understanding the effects on the brain. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/4 "2010-03-24T19:48:07Z")
> **[AN/PVS-7D Night Vision Goggles | Night Vision Binocular System](http://www.imaging1.com/night-vision-goggles.html)** > > AN/PVS-7D night vision goggles are a Gen 3 night vision binocular system These night vision goggles have a high resolution image intensifier system & head mount ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/5 "2010-03-24T19:49:18Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > [http://www.imaging1.com/nightvision/AN\_PVS.html](http://www.imaging1.com/nightvision/AN_PVS.html) Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/6 "2010-03-24T20:34:21Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > It’s a Night-Vision Goggle bracket. > > [http://www.gentexcorp.com/assets/gentex/Ground/ACH.jpg](http://www.gentexcorp.com/assets/gentex/Ground/ACH.jpg) I think that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/7 "2010-03-24T20:36:34Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > [http://www.imaging1.com/nightvision/AN\_PVS.html](http://www.imaging1.com/nightvision/AN_PVS.html) Not, it’s definitely not a set of goggles, but could be a bracket for goggles. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/8 "2010-03-24T20:42:43Z")
Modern [samurai forehead protector](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=557019)? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/9 "2010-03-24T20:45:03Z")
Any kind of head protection is useful in preventing a sub-DuranDuran hematoma. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/10 "2010-03-24T21:20:13Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Any kind of head protection is useful in preventing a sub-DuranDuran hematoma. Those are the cheesiest kind of hematomas. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/11 "2010-03-24T21:51:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Not, it’s definitely not a set of goggles, but could be a bracket for goggles. Maybe it’s a bracket for holding the goggles on then. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/12 "2010-03-24T22:05:10Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Any kind of head protection is useful in preventing a sub-DuranDuran hematoma. No, only earplugs prevent that. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/13 "2010-03-24T22:06:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/14 "2010-03-24T22:58:24Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/15 "2010-03-25T13:45:19Z")
If I designed helmets, that area would be for a bottle opener. No, I’ve never served in the military, why do you ask?😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/16 "2010-03-25T13:55:12Z")
/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 ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/17 "2010-03-25T14:27:00Z")
> [@Marine\_One](#): > > What are those little plastic bottle/containers on helmets for? I remember seeing them on pictures of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-that-device-on-soldiers-helmets/533662/18 "2010-03-25T15:57:07Z")
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.