Deployed soldiers have it extremely hard. Not only are they constantly put in life threatening situations but also do this while wearing 26 pounds of body armor. Now imagine if their body armor only weighed 9 pounds yet was more effective.
That’s exactly what Air Force 2nd Lieutenant Amy Weir created.
Her idea was to lessen the weight (and improve the protection) of standard body armor (known as anti-ballistic material) by incorporating a thickening fluid compound to the mix.
As you’d expect, she had many doubters in the beginning.
Initially, she approached one of her professors with the idea. He hawed about the size and competition within the body armor and soldier protection industry not to mention that he was skeptical that it’d work.
Weir demonstrated the idea to this professor by asking him to jam his finger into a cornstarch and water goo-like mix. The professor did as instructed and was surprised how effective it was in stopping his finger.
The professor, Air Force Academy Assistant Professor Ryan Burke, was convinced and wanted to help bring the idea to fruition.
So, they, along with the help of a competent chemist, Dr. Jeff Owens, Senior Research Chemist at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, began testing different compounds and combinations to see what would work.
Eventually, they stumbled upon the correct formula and anti-ballistic fabric to make it work. It repeatedly stopped bullets on the firing range in spite of more skepticism and now is in the process of being patented.
It’s clear that 2nd Lt. Weir created a game changer. Not only will her creation potentially lower the average soldier’s body armor weight by two thirds but also could be used to replace (or reduce the weight) for the metal plates that protect tanks, airplanes, and other military vehicles.
The Air Force believes in Weir’s creation so much that they’re paying for her to go to Clemson University to obtain a Master of Materials Science and Engineering degree and allowing her to return to the Air Force to finalize her process.
For those with loved ones serving in the Military Weir’s invention is a game changer. Her creation will allow our soldiers to run faster, jump higher, and serve longer.
Thanks Amy!!!
