soldiers library

Soldiers Library RSS Feed

Ever wondered what it's like to be a soldier? This section defines the people, technology and science used to equip soldiers. Articles here range from the technology of war and military snipers to gas masks and body armor.

How Transparent Aluminum Armor Works

Featured Article: How Transparent Aluminum Armor Works

Bullet-resistant glass seems flimsy once you compare it with transparent aluminum armor. Will this new heavy-duty material soon be shielding soldiers and police officers? See more »

How are terror alert levels determined?

How are terror alert levels determined?

The U.S. national terror alert level is yellow today. Does that mean you can ignore that suspicious ticking package resting by the bus stop or should you report it to the authorities?

See more »
How Body Armor Works

How Body Armor Works

Body armor is essential for many people in high-risk professions. The strange thing is, the most common armor is actually a high-tech, soft netting. Learn how modern armor technologies stop bullets.

See more »
How Game Theory Works

How Game Theory Works

Game theory isn't about people scratching their heads over a never-ending game of Monopoly. Serious theorists, like Henry Kissinger, used it to form war strategies.

See more »
How Gas Masks Work

How Gas Masks Work

Companies are reporting waiting lists for gas masks. Learn how these devices work and what they can actually protect you from.

See more »
How Liquid Body Armor Works

How Liquid Body Armor Works

Body armor is about to undergo the biggest change in centuries -- new liquid formations are making Kevlar much lighter and more flexible to wear. Find out about this new technique for making body armor more wearable.

See more »
How Mercenaries Work

How Mercenaries Work

Professional soldiers have influenced history for centuries, fighting alongside colonists in the Revolutionary War and, more recently, providing private security in Iraq. What's life as a hired gun like?

See more »
How Military Camouflage Works

How Military Camouflage Works

Camouflage is critical in military operations. Learn about different types of camouflage and see how the art of blending in is keeping up with modern detection systems.

See more »
How Military Snipers Work

How Military Snipers Work

There's more to being a sniper than lining up your target in the crosshairs and pulling the trigger -- try lying in the same position for days at a time.

See more »
How MREs Work

How MREs Work

Coalition troops have been surviving mainly on MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) for most of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Learn what these portable, adaptable and absolutely essential pieces of military technology are all about.

See more »
How The Citadel Works

How The Citadel Works

Once you pass through this school's gates, you leave your civilian clothes and ordinary life behind and join the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. It's a far cry from the adventures of a typical, clueless college freshman. So what's knob life like?

See more »
How Transparent Aluminum Armor Works

How Transparent Aluminum Armor Works

Bullet-resistant glass seems flimsy once you compare it with transparent aluminum armor. Will this new heavy-duty material soon be shielding soldiers and police officers?

See more »
Is there a torture manual?

Is there a torture manual?

While it says it doesn't participate in physical torture, the United States government has a manual of techniques to make prisoners talk. But are they torture?

See more »
Technology of War

Technology of War

Modern warfare is a formidable display of technological expertise. These articles examine some of the weapons and defenses that play a prominent role in modern combat, as well as some pieces of technology that could play a role in the future.

See more »
The Top 10 Game-changing Military Technologies

The Top 10 Game-changing Military Technologies

These 10 technologies changed war and the course of history as we know it. Some of these battlefield innovations, like adding grooves to gun barrels, are surprisingly simple. So what else made our list?

See more »
Was there a covert CIA prison system?

Was there a covert CIA prison system?

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, members of al-Qaida began to "disappear" from locations around the world. Were they taken to covert CIA prisons?

See more »
What are the five most prevalent forms of torture and why?

What are the five most prevalent forms of torture and why?

Watchdog groups that monitor prisons where torture is suspected rely on a handbook that describes prevalent forms of it. Which are most common, and who uses them?

See more »
What is water boarding?

What is water boarding?

In 2007, Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey came under fire for refusing to classify water boarding as torture. What does water boarding entail? Does it work?

See more »
What will the additional 21,000 U.S. troops be doing in Iraq?

What will the additional 21,000 U.S. troops be doing in Iraq?

If the dire state of affairs in Iraq can be attributed at least in part to U.S. mistakes, the military will have to use the influx of troops wisely to regain ground.

See more »
When is torture legal?

When is torture legal?

Torture isn't legal under the normal rules of war, but what about in the nontraditional rules of the War on Terror? The answer may surprise you.

See more »
Why do I have to join the French Foreign Legion under an assumed name?

Why do I have to join the French Foreign Legion under an assumed name?

Have you always thought of yourself as more of a Jean-Pierre than a Jon? Good news, you can still be that guy, provided you're willing to fight for France for five years.

See more »