KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, assigned to Task Force Mountain Warrior, were among the first Soldiers in the Army to receive new equipment intended to lighten their load and increase their mobility during missions.

The equipment issue included new individual body armor, boots suited to the mountainous terrain and other equipment, like lighter sleeping systems and knee pads.

U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Mark A. Eckstrom, of Frazier Park, Calif., the first sergeant for Company A, 2nd Bn., 12th Inf. Reg., said the difference between the new and old equipment is remarkable.

Eckstrom said the new equipment provides greater freedom of movement in addition to being lighter, allowing Soldiers to maneuver more easily in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Pvt. Mark A. Haas, of Omaha, Neb., a gunner assigned to Co. A, received the new equipment before deploying to Afghanistan. He liked the boots included in the issue because they are better suited for the terrain of Afghanistan.

"They have a better grip, and form to the rocks a lot better," he said. "You don't get as many blisters."

U.S. Army Sgt. Dustin M. Kaminiski, of Chicago, a team leader for Co. A, said the new equipment allows full range of motion and doesn't restrict movement or circulation.

"It's lighter," he said. "It helps you breathe easier."

The team leader went on to say the plate-carrier came with pouches specifically designed for the different types of ammunition that Soldiers use depending on their job in the unit.

"It allows you to be more agile, and also allows you to place your pouches so you're not all bunched up," he said.

Eckstrom felt the new equipment has given his Soldiers a definite advantage.

"Without the equipment, we still would have been doing the same missions," he said. "It lets them get to the fight a little bit easier."

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