Articles

USARIEM seeking volunteers for nutrition and immune function study (Dec-9)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine scientists are conducting on-site laboratory studies focusing on nutrition and immune function in Natick, Massachusetts. This study is actively seeking healthy males and females, 18 to 39 years old, from the general population to volunteer. Read more...

Marine Corps Body Composition Study leads to Modernization of Policies (Nov-7)
The military is well known for its physical fitness and body composition standards – standards that were set more than 40 years ago when President Jimmy Carter directed a review of physical fitness for military services. These standards were developed intending to promote the physical readiness of military troops and to prevent obesity. Read more...

USARIEM says farewell to Sue McGraw after 32 years of combined service (Oct-13)
Some people bounce around from job to job throughout their careers, but not Sue McGraw – not really. McGraw first stepped foot in the labs of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine as a student researcher, studying nutrition. Read more...

US Army builds a tool to save lives at high altitude (Sep-22)
Mountain climbing is risky business. When unacclimatized individuals rapidly ascend to altitudes greater than 8,000 feet, they put themselves at risk for suffering from high-altitude illnesses. The addition of hard physical exercise, typical of a military mission, increases this level of risk. Detecting these illnesses prior to occurrence has the potential to save lives. Read more...

USARIEM Welcomes New Commander (Aug-5)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine welcomed Col. Michael I. Cohen as USARIEM's twenty-fourth commander during a Change of Command Ceremony August 3, at the Natick Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. Read more...

High Altitude Research Laboratory opens with ribbon cutting ceremony (Jul-8)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its High Altitude Research Laboratory at Pikes Peak, Colorado, on June 28. Read more...

USARIEM welcomes new senior enlisted Leader (Jun-21)
In a Change of Responsibility Ceremony on June 1^st, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine welcomed its new senior enlisted leader at the Natick Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. Sgt. 1^st Class Dominic Marconi assumed the responsibility of Senior Enlisted Leader from Master Sgt. Nicholas Rogers Read more...

After Almost 30 Years, Bukhari's Impact Lives On (Apr-25)
At the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command's U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Lt. Col. Asma Bukhari is best known for her kindness, work ethic and genuine care for everyone she encounters. Read more...

USARIEM Honors New Inductees to Order of Military Medical Merit (Mar-23)
Thirty-two Soldiers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine and Natick Soldier Systems Center ruck marched four miles with 825 pounds of canned food, bagged rice and other items to A Place to Turn, an emergency food pantry based in Natick, Massachusetts, on February 23. Read more...

USARIEM marches with over 800 pounds of canned goods for food drive (Feb-26)
Thirty-two Soldiers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine and Natick Soldier Systems Center ruck marched four miles with 825 pounds of canned food, bagged rice and other items to A Place to Turn, an emergency food pantry based in Natick, Massachusetts, on February 23. Read more...

'Can Do' Attitude Leads to Top Award for USAMRIEM's Reynoso (Jan-13)
Following a number of key contributions to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Marinaliz Reynoso with USAMRDC's U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine was honored as USAMRDC's Employee of the Quarter on December 20. Read more...

Army scientists developing solutions to improve thermal toughness in the Arctic (May-7)
For the Arctic Soldier, thermal toughness is essential for operating and training in the coldest conditions. Scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine are developing solutions to make this ability a reality. Read more...

Natick Soldiers and civilians needed for Army nutrition studies (Jan-21)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine is recruiting military and civilian volunteers for various nutrition studies that will launch at the beginning of 2021. Read more...

Massachusetts GAFB competition boosts service members' morale (Sep-21)
It was a typical, bright Saturday morning for the families, solo hikers and dog walkers strolling through the Minuteman National Park in Concord, Massachusetts. All donned masks and social distanced as they admired the scenery along Paul Revere's famous ride. It was not so typical to see 67 Soldiers and Airmen rucking along the dirt paths. Read more...

USARIEM welcomes new commander in 2020 Change of Command ceremony (Jul-28)
Col. Troy Morton assumed command of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine during a Change of Command ceremony at the Hunter Auditorium on July 28. Read more...

USARIEM offers virtual 2020 GEMS program for students (Jul-22)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine is offering a virtual version of its Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science program, better known as GEMS, to students this summer. Read more...

Sleep, Healthy Diet, and Good Exercise–Your Invisible Body Armor Against Infection (May-22)
Soldiers, according to Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville, are the Army's "most important weapons system." Like with any other weapons system, preventive maintenance is necessary to ensure continuous readiness and maximum performance. Read more...

Army Researchers Developing Mission Planning Tool for Soldiers During Load Carriage (Apr-3)
Army researchers are developing the Load Carriage Decision Aid, a software mission planning tool that estimates how much energy Soldiers are burning when marching with heavy equipment over different terrains. Read more...

A Legacy of Research: USARIEM Researcher Receives Lifetime Achievement Award (Feb-21)
Marilyn Sharp, a recently retired exercise scientist from the Military Performance Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, was recently presented a lifetime achievement award during the final night of the 2020 International Congress on Soldiers' Physical Performance in Quebec City, Canada. Read more...

USARIEM receives Army Star Strong Award (Oct-31)
About 200 military and civilian employees of USARIEM joined for a town hall on Monday at the Carney Hall building where Brig. Gen. Michael Talley, commanding general of the USAMRDC, presented the Army Star Strong Award. Read more...

Army researchers dug into the effects of MREs on gut health, here's what they discovered (Sep-26)
Scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) are exploring the complex relationship between the gut microbiome, health and operational readiness. Read more...

Army researchers developing Augmented Reality software for field care (Jun-24)
X-ray vision might be a thing of fiction, but with the use of Augmented Reality, or AR, technology, it could come closer to reality and even save warfighters' lives. Read more...

USARIEM patching ceremony signifies realignment under Army Futures Command (Jun-4)
At the direction of U.S. Army leadership, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, based in Fort Detrick, Maryland, has been re-designated as the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (MRDC) and has realigned to the Army Futures Command (AFC), as of June 1. Read more...

Soldier scientists talk nutrition and performance at Boston Museum of Science (Apr-13)
Two Soldier-scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) talked to locals today at the Boston Museum of Science about some of the latest research aimed at keeping troops fueled for peak performance. Read more...

Senior Research Scientist for Physiology joins U.S.-Canadian Arctic field exercise (Apr-2)
There are very cold environments and then there is Arctic cold. Read more...

SecArmy visit highlights role of science for Soldier readiness (Mar-19)
The secretary came to Natick to learn about research initiatives and the unique value of NSSC to the Army Futures Command. Esper was especially interested in learning about the Army's research efforts on examining body composition and physical fitness standards, knowledge which would contribute to guidance on recruiting, retention, and Soldier readiness. Read more...

Talk to the Hand: Army researchers developing tool to warm hands without gloves (Dec-21)
Scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, are developing a new device, called the Personal Heating Dexterity Device, or PhD2, for warming the hands and fingers in cold weather without the help of gloves. Read more...

U.S. Army and UK researchers study jet lag remedy in Brunei (Nov-30)
Could breathing reduced oxygen help warfighters recover from jet lag faster? In an effort to find out, U.S. Army and U.K. researchers recently conducted a jet lag study on British warfighters who traveled to the lush rainforests of Brunei. Read more...

S2PRINT takes USARIEM research to the next level (Nov-30)
The Soldier Squad Performance Research Institute (S2PRINT) a partnership between the Natick Soldier, Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) is expected to become operational early in 2023. The researchers at USARIEM are already looking ahead at what the new center will provide to enhance their research. Read more...

Army researchers developing heat illness mitigation app (Oct-30)
Warfighters can lose valuable training days due to unit leaders taking overzealous safety precautions, and as a result, they cannot learn and practice the necessary skills to become a ready and lethal force. However, warfighters training rigorously while forgoing safety can lead to disastrous consequences such as heat illness. These consequences can cost the U.S. military valuable training time, money and operational readiness. Read more...

Army researchers study nutrition and performance at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center (Sep-17)
Approximately ten thousand feet above sea level, in the Toiyabe National Forest in California, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, scientists traveled to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, or MCMWTC, this summer to assess energy expenditure, energy intake and physical performance in warfighters during mountain warfare training. Read more...

Army researchers partner with Fort Benning to study heat illness in 2,000 Soldiers (Aug-16)
Recently, in an effort to study ways to predict heat illness, researchers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, strapped wearable sensors on Soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment as they completed the first and second Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, or RASP, at Fort Benning, Georgia. Read more...

USARIEM gives kids hands-on experience in science through 2018 GEMS program (Aug-9)
The USARIEM is once again sponsoring the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, better known as the GEMS program, an extracurricular summer science education program that enables middle-school-aged students to experience science in a laboratory setting. Read more...

USARIEM welcomes 22nd commander (Jul-11)
Col. Sean S. O'Neil became the 22nd commander of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, in a June 10 change of command ceremony. Read more...

Construction of new USARIEM Pikes Peak laboratory begins this summer (Jun-22)
After standing on the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado for more than 50 years, the walls of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, High Altitude Research Laboratory are finally coming down this summer. Read more...

USARIEM partners to explore using virtual humans to measure cognitive performance (Jun-15)
Facial expressions, body movements and features of speech can communicate volumes about a person's physical, cognitive and emotional states. Read more...

Army Research Lab Studies Four Thousand Army Recruits To Investigate Injury Risk (Apr-27)
With the U.S. Army's dedicated focus on improving readiness and lethality of the present and future force, one of the biggest questions military leaders, training schools, medics and researchers face is this: How can the U.S. Army build more resilient warfighters who are resistant to musculoskeletal injury? Read more...

Army Laboratory Study Examines Impact of Military Physical Exercise on Bone Health (Apr-5)
The exercise physiology laboratory located within the USARIEM has been bustling with activity this month with researchers collecting bone health data from 30 female research volunteers in an effort to better understand how bones, and hormones that affect bone regrowth, respond when new recruits start their first days of initial military training. Read more...

Army Researchers Redefine Altitude Ascent Guidance for High-Altitude Missions (Oct-23)
An Army-led altitude field study conducted last summer on the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has redefined altitude ascent guidance for Soldiers who have to make multiple trips between sea level and high altitude. Read more...

Army Appoints New Senior Research Scientist Performance Physiology (Oct-12)
The Secretary of the Army announced the appointment of Dr. Karl Friedl, a senior scientist and director of the Strategic Science Management Office at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, to the position of Senior Research Scientist Performance Physiology. Read more...

USARIEM Gives Kids Hands-On Experience in Science Through 2017 GEMS Program (Sep-19)
School is back in session, and students are back to hitting the books as they learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, hopefully to develop a passion for it and pursue a job in a STEM field. Read more...

USARIEM Brings Science to the Warfighter During Leapfest 2017 (Aug-10)
At first glance, the 300 paratroopers competing at this year's Leapfest on Aug. 6 weren't quite sure what to think of the interesting-looking chest harnesses, as they noticed the four Natick Soldiers strapping them around their ribcages before donning the rest of their uniforms, static-lines and parachutes. Read more...

USARIEM Partners with Norway for Eating Behavior study (Jul-24)
About two hours north of Oslo, in the bitter cold of Elverum, Norway, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, scientists partnered with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency to conduct an eating behavior field study in an effort to improve nutritional intake and military ration design for Soldiers operating in cold weather. Read more...

USARIEM Team Awarded Second Quarter Wolf Pack Award for OPAT Research (Jun-27)
The Physical Performance Optimization and Assessment Team from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, received the Army Medicine Wolf Pack Award for the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 for their years of physical and physiological research with the Training and Doctrine Command to develop the Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT. Read more...

USARIEM showcases Performance Readiness Bar at 2017 Pentagon Lab Day (May-23)
A broad audience ranging from high school students and military cadets to general officers and government Senior Executive Service had an opportunity during the Department of Defense Lab Day at the Pentagon on May 18 to learn about the science behind the Performance Readiness Bar, a calcium and vitamin D-fortified snack bar developed to optimize bone health in basic trainees. Read more...

Airmen dodge 30 heat stress cases with USARIEM's ECTemp algorithm (Apr-24)
Temperatures are rising, and with warfighters operating in hot and humid conditions while wearing protective clothing or performing intense work, research to prevent heat illness from diminishing warfighter performance and posing significant health risks is on the rise, as well. Read more...

Natick researchers host 2017 Dietetic Intern Day (Apr-14)
Natick Soldier Systems Center, or NSSC, got a little more crowded on April 12, with approximately 50 interns from numerous programs throughout the local Boston area entering the gates to attend this year's Dietetic Intern Day. Read more...

USARIEM develops virtual X-rays of anatomic avatars (Mar-24)
Scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, have been involved since 2010 in developing a computer program to create full-body, complete-anatomy avatars of individual warfighters, which would make an impact on military medicine throughout the U.S. Army. Read more...

USARIEM featured in new television program "Science Works!" (Mar-2)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, whose mission is to optimize warfighter health and performance through military medical research, was featured in the new TV program "Science Works!," which aired at 8 a.m. Feb. 24 on the Science Channel. Read more...

The science behind the Occupational Physical Assessment Test (Feb-22)
Mention the Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT, to Soldiers, and most will know about the battery of four physical performance tests that, starting in 2017, the Army administers to all recruits to assess their physical performance capabilities to determine if they should be allowed to join the Army. Read more...

Army researchers study nutrition requirements for high-altitude missions (Nov-21)
It's old news that warfighters conducting combat operations in mountainous regions like Afghanistan can experience significant loss of weight and muscle mass. Read more...

USARIEM developing algorithm to predict acute mountain sickness in Soldiers (Oct-24)
Every Soldier is different, and this cannot be more evident when troops deployed to the same mountainous terrain experience symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness. Read more...

Pikes Peak laboratory: USARIEM's proud history of Army Medicine (Aug-15)
The winding 14,115-foot ascent to the USARIEM's Maher Memorial Altitude Laboratory at the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado is something USARIEM researchers have described as a "time warp." Read more...

News (Aug-10)
What goes up must come down. There has never been a more perfect expression to describe what altitude missions are like for Soldiers. Read more...

USARIEM Welcomes 21st Commander (Jun-16)
Col. Raymond L. Phua became the 21st commander of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in a June 13 change of command ceremony. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier receives New Horizon Research Award (Jun-1)
Maj. Joseph Kardouni, director of the USARIEM's Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database team, received the Army Medical Specialist Corps New Horizon Research Award on May 6 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Read more...

Eccles says goodbye to USARIEM (May-27)
On his first day as commander of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in June 2014, Col. Thomas Eccles III, M.D., was approached by a longtime Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center employee. Read more...

Natick researchers give dietetic interns a taste of military nutrition (May-19)
During Natick Soldier Systems Center's Annual Dietetic Intern Day on May 18, researchers from both the USARIEM's Military Nutrition Division and the Combat Feeding Directorate from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center hosted nearly 80 dietetic interns. Read more...

Army Research Institute develops app for acute mountain sickness (Apr-20)
When Soldiers are suddenly hit with a wave of Acute Mountain Sickness while operating at high altitude, they might as well be considered casualties. Read more...

Soldier and scientist: making a difference at USARIEM (Apr-15)
Capt. Laurel Smith was 8 years old when her uncle, now retired Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant, a Black Hawk pilot, was shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia, in October 1993. Read more...

USARIEM opens doors to high school students during National Biomechanics Day (Apr-11)
High school students from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, toured the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine on April 7 as part of National Biomechanics Day. Read more...

Research Institute of Environmental Medicine creating 3-D Soldier Avatars (Apr-4)
Since 2010 researchers at the USARIEM have taken on the mission to develop a computer program to create the full-body, complete-anatomy avatar of individual warfighters. Their goal is to create a 3-D full-anatomy avatar for any Soldier regardless of gender, shape or size. Read more...

Army's Research Institute conducts MRE study to improve gut health (Mar-29)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine's Military Nutrition Division is studying ways to improve gut health and prevent gastrointestinal illness among Soldiers operating in austere environments. Read more...

USARIEM hosts 2016 Women's History Month observance (Mar-22)
The Natick Soldier Systems Center celebrated Women's History Month at a ceremony held March 16 in Hunter Auditorium. Read more...

Army researches military retirees in ongoing weight-loss study (Feb-5)
Making healthy New Year's resolutions is easy. Following them is hard. This year for military retirees, however, there's a new option for learning healthier lifestyles. Read more...

What's cooking at USARIEM? (Dec-11)
Imagine unwrapping a Meal, Ready-to-Eat and digging into nostalgic comfort cuisines, like Parachute Pork, Battalion Brownie Pops and Ranger Red Hot Party Mix. Who in the USARIEM is cooking up these creative concoctions, and where can we get some? Read more...

ComRaD wins Col. Rohland A. Isker Award (Nov-30)
Tension was high at Research & Development Associates, an organization whose mission is to provide the safest and highest quality food and food service to the U.S. Armed Forces, when judges of the 2015 Colonel Rohland A. Isker Award debated over the winner. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier honored as an 'Angel of the Battlefield' (Nov-12)
When Sgt. 1st Class Adam Morelli learned he had been nominated as the Army's "Angel of the Battlefield" honoree, he was surprised. Read more...

Ruck marching from Boston to New York to prevent veteran suicides (Sep-2)
Two Soldiers and an Army Reservist who work at the USARIEM at Natick Soldier Systems Center will ruck march Sept. 8-11 from Boston to New York to raise money for a charity seeking to reduce veteran suicides. Read more...

Army researchers continue Physical Demands Study (May-22)
Researchers, from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, traveled to Fort Carson, Colorado, three times this year as they continue to collect data for the Physical Demands Study. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier wins Medical Service Corps Award of Excellence Junior Officer Award (May-19)
Capt. Carrie Quinn, a research physiologist with USARIEM, received the Medical Service Corps Award of Excellence Junior Officer Award during the annual Junior Officer Week gathering in Washington D.C. Read more...

Combat rations database allows Soldiers to learn about meals, ready-to-eat nutrition (Mar-17)
When Soldiers rip open meals, ready-to-eat, also known as MRE, in a combat zone, most people probably are thinking more about flavor and filling their stomachs than about the nutrition. Read more...

Good chemistry: USARIEM and Harvard team up against PTSD, mTBI (Mar-12)
Call it good chemistry. Researchers from the Army and Harvard Medical School are collaborating on a Department of Defense-funded study to identify chemical biomarkers that could differentiate between post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury. Read more...

Army researchers return to Norway for nutrition, cold-stress study in Arctic extremes (Mar-3)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, once again partnered with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment to study nutrition and physiological responses to cold-weather training. Read more...

Army launches weight loss trial program for adult dependents (Feb-9)
The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine launched a collaborative research study with Tufts University to assess the effectiveness of two weight-loss strategies. Read more...

NSSC This Week: Top 10 stories of 2014 highlight NSSC's support for warfighters (Dec-5)
Over the past three years, we have averaged one story on the front page of Army.mil per week. Considering we are one of the smallest installations in the Army, that is pretty amazing. Natick has more time on the front page than the power-projection platforms of Fort Hood or Fort Drum. Natick has more time on the front page than the training bases of Fort Benning or Fort Leavenworth. Read more...

Army develops app to determine body's water needs (Oct-20)
Pictured here is the Soldier Water Estimation Tool app main screen. This Android-based smartphone application is a decision aid that translates a complex sweat prediction model into simple user inputs. The user need only estimate the anticipated intensity of the activity (low, medium, high, including example activities), choose from among three categories of military clothing ensemble and input weather conditions (air temperature, relative humidity and cloud cover) to estimate the fluid intake required to maintain optimal hydration. Read more...

Natick remembers 9/11 (Sep-12)
The Natick Soldier Systems Center observed Patriot Day on Sept. 11, 2014, the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. Read more...

SMA visits Natick on 9/11 anniversary (Sep-11)
Staff Sgt. Shaun Morand demonstrates a task in the Physical Demands Study for Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III. The study partners TRADOC and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine to determine what standards are ... . Read more...

Under secretary sees science behind the Soldier (Sep-10)
The afternoon started with a fireball, and finished with Under Secretary of the Army Brad Carson chatting with senior non-commissioned officers about the science behind the Soldier. Read more...

Natick labs gives kids hands on experience in science through GEMS (Aug-27)
Oil spills, crime scene investigations and DNA sampling. Usually, these words would send an organization into a tailspin, but this is just another day of summer camp for Massachusetts middle school students. Read more...

International Scientists Discuss Soldier Physical Performance (Aug-21)
In an era of downsizing and budget cuts, placing the right Soldiers in the right jobs, keeping them healthy and optimizing their physical performance has never been more important. Read more...

USARIEM Completes Exclusive Space for Nursing Moms (Jul-24)
Recently, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine completed a room exclusively for new mothers. Called "Nursing Mom Room," this space is reserved for any USARIEM employee or guest who needs to lactate for their new baby. Read more...

USARIEM Welcomes New Commander (Jun-10)
Col. Thomas G. Eccles III, M.D., became the 20th commander of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in a June 9 change of command ceremony. Read more...

Natick Researchers Developing New System to Help Aircrews 'Keep their cool' (May-29)
Helicopter pilots have for years kept cool by plugging into aircraft-mounted microclimate cooling systems, but their crews have used them less frequently to avoid becoming entangled in the tethers that connected them to the systems. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier named Army Medicine's Soldier of the Year (May-13)
A Soldier from the U. S. Army Research institute of Environmental Medicine has been named Army Medicine's Soldier of the Year. Read more...

GEMS for Teachers ignites a passion for science in Natick (May-1)
During the April school vacation week, Massachusetts teachers were treated to a preview of the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, or GEMS, program at Natick Soldier Systems Center. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier Finishes Second Boston Marathon (Apr-25)
As he crossed the finish line of this year's Boston Marathon race, Capt. Craig Thompson took a moment to look around at the thousands of spectators cheering him on and enjoy the moment. Read more...

Army Lab Teams Up With Boston Marathon to Prevent Heat Injury (Apr-16)
As runners get ready for the Boston Marathon, many no doubt partake in training programs aimed at helping them to be optimally prepared, whether it be helping them achieve their best time and reduce physical injuries or simply to finish. With all this preparation, many may be surprised to find out about the wild card that April brings - the weather. Read more...

Natick Study Examines Effects of Stress on Soldiers' Immune Systems, Cognitive Ability (Mar-25)
Training and operations can put such tremendous physical and psychological stresses on warfighters that their immune systems may be compromised. Read more...

USARIEM Researchers Study Soldiers' Running Styles (Mar-14)
At a time when running barefoot or with so-called minimalist shoes has gained increasing traction, researchers at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center decided to study how Soldiers run during physical training and if running style contributes to training-related injuries. Read more...

USARIEM Soldier Named MRMC EOL of The Year (Feb-24)
SGT Crystal Meints from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass., was recently selected as the 2013 U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Equal Opportunity Leader of the Year. Read more...

News (Feb-10)
He grew up a Boston Red Sox fan in Warwick, R.I., so Sgt. 1st Class Adam Morelli had long dreamed of touching home plate at Fenway Park. Read more...

Natick researchers developing technology to prevent heat injury in working dogs (Jan-31)
Last summer, Ken Ballinger, a K-9 officer with the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, was conducting a training session with working dogs on a hot and humid New England day. Read more...

'Maj. Clo' feels the heat at Natick (Jan-15)
Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine have teamed up with the Trainee Health Surveillance Flight 559th Medical Group's Basic Military Training Team at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to determine whether increased vitamin D and calcium intake can improve bone health in military personnel. Read more...

Army conducting joint study to improve bone health in military personnel (Jan-6)
Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine have teamed up with the Trainee Health Surveillance Flight 559th Medical Group's Basic Military Training Team at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to determine whether increased vitamin D and calcium intake can improve bone health in military personnel. Read more...

Army researcher retires after 36 years of service (Dec-19)
It's been 36 years since Dr. Andrew Young first stepped foot through the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine's doors as a young captain, and after a lifetime of contributions to the Army science, Young is preparing to say goodbye. Read more...

Army Chief of Staff Visits USARIEM (Nov-22)
At the Center for Military Biomechanics Research, USARIEM researchers told Odierno of their work to develop gender- and age-neutral physical performance standards and predictive performance tests for several combat-related military occupational specialties. Read more...

USARIEM Researchers add Scientific Rigor to MOS Study (Nov-21)
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, has partnered with USARIEM to conduct the Physical Demands Study. The study will be used to determine the physical requirements necessary to perform all combat-type jobs, including infantry, armor, artillery and engineering. Read more...

Army researcher looks for cold facts (Oct-28)
Now the field investigation team leader for the Injury Prevention Program, Army Institute of Public Health, U.S. Army Public Health Command in Aberdeen, Md., DeGroot actually began his quest to discover why the human body cools down faster under certain circumstances when he was a research physiologist in the Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center. Read more...

Natick Soldier exchanges gifts, admiration with patriotic Red Sox player (Oct-24)
Chacon, in uniform, looked down to see a pair of batting gloves, which he assumed that some fan had tossed down to be signed. A moment later, an usher tapped Chacon on the shoulder and told him that it was Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes, known for his unwavering support of the U.S. military, who had thrown them over. Read more...

Natick holds inaugural NCO Induction Ceremony (Oct-8)
Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin B. Stuart of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command served as guest speaker at the ceremony, held at the Lord Community Center. Inductees included Sgt. David A. Gonzalez, Sgt. Matthew C. Lavallee, Sgt. Crystal L. Meints, Staff Sgt. Shaun M. Morand, Sgt. Dennis E. Scofield, and Sgt. Marissa G. Spitz. Read more...

Army surgeon general visits USARIEM (Sep-25)
Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho toured USARIEM, which is situated at Natick Soldier Systems Center, and received briefings on such subjects as biophysics and biomedical modeling, thermal and mountain medicine, military performance, military nutrition, and the development of gender-neutral physical standards for Army Military Occupational Specialties. Read more...

Army developing tool to reduce altitude sickness in deployed Soldiers (Sep-17)
Many Soldiers who have deployed to high altitudes without the proper time to adjust have learned the hard way that they are probably going to get sick. Read more...

Female flag detail honors Women's Equality Day (Aug-28)
"An all-female flag honors team raised the installation flag during reveille," said Spc. Marissa Spitz, a biological research assistant with the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, who took part in the detail. "I am excited to be a part of this to give tribute to female warfighters who served before me and have paved the way for me to be where I am today." Read more...

Let's get nerdy: GEMS summer science program inspires kids in math and science (Aug-14)
For the third year in a row, the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, an extracurricular summer science education program, which enables students to experience science in a real laboratory setting, was hosted at USARIEM. "Our main objective was to take science and math out of the classroom and put it in a real-world setting," Capt. Carrie Quinn, a research physiologist for USARIEM's Thermal and Mountain Medicine, said. "The kids got to see things here that they wouldn't be able to experience anywhere else. They get to truly see how science and math are everywhere -- even in the Army." Read more...

Finding Their Way Through The Woods (Jul-31)
With this in mind, the Soldiers and officers of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, went to the woods of Fort Devens to brush up on their skills July 26. Read more...

A Moveable Feast (Jul-17)
Over the past 17 years, however, the Haleys have lived in many locations together as Haley moved up through the ranks as an Army officer. Over the past four years, they have made Weston, Mass., their home while they both worked at the Natick Soldier Systems Center. Read more...

Researcher from Natick Receives Prestigious Citation for a Lifetime of Stellar Science (Jun-19)
Young received The Citation Award from the American College of Sports Medicine at ACSM's annual conference in Indianapolis on May 28. Read more...

Natick Soldier Makes Impressive Marathon Debut in Tribute to Boston Victims (May-15)
Hill, deputy chief of the Military Performance Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center, ran the 2013 Cox Sports Marathon in Providence, R.I., in an impressive 3 hours, 34 minutes, 34 seconds. Read more...

Soldiers participate in 'Run-Walk to Home Base' at Fenway Park (May-7)
In fall 2009, the Red Sox Foundation, in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, established the Home Base Program to help improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Through the Home Base Program, veterans and family members have access to clinical care, the community as a whole can become educated about the challenges military families face on a daily basis, and research is conducted to improve understanding and treatment of PTSD and TBI. Read more...

On guard against traumatic brain injuries (May-6)
What's missing is a reference data set specific to the National Guard so that its members may be compared to their peers. Heaton and other USARIEM researchers aim to correct that by collecting data from a total of 3,000 Guard members from eight states, three different age groups, males and females, in combat support and combat arms units. Read more...

Natick Soldier plans 'quiet little tribute' to Boston victims (May-3)
"I just said, 'All right, I'm running it for everybody who can't,'" Hill said. "I just pictured those individuals who lost their limbs lying in a hospital bed. What would they give to run a marathon, just run, just get out there and run and have that freedom?" Read more...

Natick researchers team up with Norwegian Army to measure nutritional needs during Arctic ski march (Mar-27)
Norwegian soldiers and U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine's, or USARIEM's, researchers braved whiteout conditions and intense March winter weather -- sometimes with temperatures that were as low as minus 22 degrees -- during the Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger's, or GSV's, three-day ski march exercise along the Norwegian-Russian border in an effort that took more than a year of collaboration and planning. Read more...

Heading for home to help veterans (Mar-5)
The answer is once a year, during the Run-Walk to Home Base presented by New Balance. The fourth annual event will take place Saturday, May 4 to raise funds for the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, which since 2009 has helped veterans and families coping with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. Read more...

The invisible enemy of the Afghanistan mountains (Feb-26)
At heights exceeding 8,200 feet, they must worry about the effects of altitude on their mental performance and about their susceptibilities to Acute Mountain Sickness, or AMS. As acting chief of the Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick Soldier Systems Center, Stephen R. Muza, Ph.D., devotes a great deal of time to studying those problems. Read more...

Army studying special operators' nutritional needs (Jan-24)
Crombie, who works for the Military Nutrition Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, at Natick Soldier Systems Center, Mass., is leading a team that has been studying special operations forces at training venues around the country to discover that. Results will be used to adjust the Basic Daily Food Allowance, or BDFA, for dining facilities that serve their meals. Read more...

After 32 years of service, Natick researcher says farewell (Jan-3)
Dr. Michael N. Sawka began his career at U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine as a research physiologist in 1980. He then became chief of the Thermal Physiology and Medicine Division in 1990 and chief of the Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division in 1996. Sawka served as division chief of Thermal and Mountain Medicine until retirement. Read more...

Natick Soldier Serves as Toxicology Subject Matter Expert During Massachusetts Drug Lab Panel (Dec-20)
A Soldier from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, in Natick Mass., was recently invited to speak as a subject matter expert on lab best practices during the Massachusetts House Committee Post Audit and Oversight Hearing on the State Drug Lab. Read more...

Natick researcher helps Army to marathon silver medal (Nov-2)
Maria Urso of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine helped the All-Army women's team to a second-place finish in the Armed Forces Marathon Championship, held Oct. 28 as part of the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. Read more...

'Fearless Felix' historic space jump has Natick ties (Oct-22)
Last weekend, the world watched as "Fearless" Felix Baumgartner made his epic descent from a balloon 128,100 feet above the Earth. But what the world didn't know at the time is that the technology used to monitor Baumgartner's heart and respiratory rate has ties to Natick. Read more...

Natick researcher, Reserve Soldier is true marathon woman (Oct-16)
The 36-year-old Urso is a presidential-award-winning scientist, Army Reservist, triathlete and, yes, marathon runner. To squeeze anything else into her schedule, she just might need days with more hours. Read more...

Army Research helps firefighter recruits reduce injuries (Sep-24)
Researchers at Natick's U. S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine have teamed up with the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow, Mass., in an effort to reduce injuries in recruits. Read more...

Whitmer takes command of USARIEM (Aug-24)
ROn a sunny day 777 days ago, Maj. Gen. James Gilman, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, took the unit colors from Col. Kevin Keenan and presented them to Col. Gaston Bathalon as the 17th commander of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Today, Gilman took the unit colors from Bathalon and handed command to Col. Deborah Whitmer as the 18th USARIEM Commander. Read more...

Bathalon says goodbye to USARIEM (Aug-9)
Just ask Col. Gaston Bathalon, who will put the finishing touches on his three-decade Army career Aug. 24, the date he relinquishes command of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center. He wound up far removed from his original plan to serve four years and shift into the civilian world. Read more...

GEMS + summertime science = fun (Jul-25)
The Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science program, or GEMS, is an extracurricular summer science education program, which enables students to experience science in a real laboratory setting. The GEMS program at USARIEM began during the summer of 2011 with 50 students enrolled in two GEMS I programs. Read more...

Army researcher receives top White House award for scientific excellence (Jul-23)
Maria Urso will receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, or PECASE, at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, July 31, 2012. She will also go on a White House tour and meet President Barack Obama as part of the whirlwind honors of this award. Read more...

Memorial Day, a dream come true for a Natick Soldier (May-29)
In New England, Red Sox Nation is a way of life. For an Army specialist, who grew up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as the daughter of a church organist, and a huge Red Sox fan, Memorial Day 2012 is something Spc. Erin Jones will never forget. Read more...

USARIEM Soldiers shine during training exercise (May-23)
On the eve of Armed Forces Day, U.S. Army Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM, Soldiers proved they are ready and fit to fight by successfully accomplishing and passing their annual Army Warrior Task training. Read more...

Natick Soldiers run home for PTSD, traumatic brain injury (May-21)
It was a beautiful Sunday morning in May; the kind of weekend day where the sun is saying so long to spring and heating up for summer. Fans eagerly crowded into Fenway Park adorned with team shirts, supportive signs and the air was abuzz with excitement. Read more...

The Army's Future Leaders Explore Future Technology (Apr-17)
Engineering psychology cadets from the U.S. Military Academy got a firsthand look at research that will help shape the future Army -- their Army. They received a tour of USARIEM's four unique divisions and took part in hands--on briefings, from the Altitude Chamber to the Bone Health Lab to the Water Immersion Pool. They saw new technologies, including the 3D laser facility at U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center which is used to measure a Soldier's body dimensions, that promise to protect them as leaders and their future Soldiers and enhance war fighter capabilities. Read more...

Researcher aims to help Soldiers recover faster from wounds (Apr-9)
After collecting a bachelor's degree in anthropology and a doctorate in biochemistry, now Dr. Matheny is still trying to help service members as a research physiologist for the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center. Read more...

Natick study looks at how Soldiers' bodies cool down (Apr-2)
"You can't design possible countermeasures -- pharmacological treatments, perhaps -- until you know mechanisms," said Capt. David DeGroot, Ph.D., a research physiologist in USARIEM's Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, who is leading the study. "You've got to understand the basic mechanism before you (say), 'Okay, now how do I target it?' Read more...

Natick division tests Soldier performance (Mar-12)
As Marilyn Sharp of the Military Performance Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center, or NSSC, pointed out, however, that unusual sight March 8 on a driveway beside the Barnes Building was all about finding better ways to measure Soldier performance. Read more...

Eyes could provide windows to traumatic brain injury (Mar-1)
"The ultimate goal is to provide the most accurate and efficient tools and techniques for determining Soldier performance and readiness," said Dr. Kristin Heaton, a neuropsychologist at USARIEM, "and bringing these tools as close to where the Soldier is working and performing his or her duties as we possibly can." Read more...

USARIEM Soldiers look at military history (Oct-4)
On a Sept. 30 staff ride to Battleship Cove here, Soldiers from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick Soldier Systems Center got a good look at some of their nation's military history. Calling itself "the world's largest naval ship museum," Battleship Cove is home to eight vessels, including five National Historic Landmarks, and an aviation collection. Read more...

USARIEM celebrates 50th anniversary (Jun-20)
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine held a commemorative symposium June 16 to 17 at Natick Soldier Systems Center. Read more...

G.I. Joe and The House of Pain (Apr-13)
Outside Magazine features USARIEM research in a special issue on human performance. Chris Solomon writes about his own physical performance when exposed to heat, cold and high altitude. He interviews research physiologists about their current studies to support Soldier health and performance during an unprecedented visit to USARIEM. Read more...

Fort Benning Training Unit Beats the Heat (Oct-1)
Video featuring Fort Benning initial entry training units piloting body temperature cooling technology to prevent heat injuries. Read more...

Researcher Shares Cold Safety Tips for Soldiers (Dec-17)
DotMilDocs, the official podcast of the Military Health System interviews Dr. John Castellani, Thermal & Mountain Medicine Division. Preventing cold injuries and tips on identifying symptoms of hypothermia, frostbite and non-freezing cold injuries is discussed. Read more...

Armed with Science: Episode #45: Nutrition Science and the Combat Ration (Nov-23)
Dr. Andy Young, chief of the Military Nutrition Division at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), and Mr. Gerry Darsch, director of the DoD Combat Feeding Program at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), discuss how military organizations work together to provide Soldiers healthy, good-tasting, sustainable, and nutritionally sound combat rations. Read more...

Don't Sweat It (Nov-20)
Protection against insect bites is a concern for U.S. servicemembers worldwide, but the impact of topical insect repellents on sweating is unknown. LabTV captures a USARIEM research study in progress. Read more...

Army Times: Five Things Every Solder Should Know About High Altitudes (Jul-25)
Army Times talks with USARIEM's Dr. Stephen R. Muza about understanding the challenging conditions of high altitude and how to deal with them. Read more...

Mountain Medicine for the Warrior (Jul-8)
Pentagon Web Radio talks with USARIEM's Dr. Stephen R. Muza, Thermal & Mountain Medicine Division. They discuss the impact of thin air of high altitude on conducting mountain operations and explain how the Army is using science to improve Warrior health and performance at high altitudes. Read more...

The Science of Military Performance (Jun-8)
DefenseLink, official website of the Department of Defense, features the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). Current research studies focused on improving Warfighter health and performance are highlighted. See complete overview with links to photo essay and video. Read more...

Partnership for Clean Competition Appoints Scientific Advisory Board Members (Feb-6)
Partnership for Clean Competition announces appointment of its first eight Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members. Read more...

News (Nov-15)
Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) Doctoral Student Kristen Smith works with USARIEM research team studying exposure to jet-propulsion fuel and neurological health in military personnel. Read more...

News (Sep-15)
Article features current altitude research at the Maher Memorial Altitude Laboratory on top of Pike's Peak, in Colorado Springs. Read more...