New boots issued to corps freshmen raise concerns

By Kyle Blakie
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

When Amy Hutter used new boots this past summer as she participated in the Nijemegan March in Holland, she had no idea what a challenge they could pose. She found they were much heavier than the boots formerly issued by Norwich to incoming freshmen.

"The main differences in the boot is that they are heavier than the old boots, and they take much longer to dry out," said Hutter, who is a 21-year-old senior international studies major from Louisville, Ky. "They are definitely heavier, but not to the point of being annoying."

Instead of the traditional Vietnam era combat boot, the freshmen were issued the new Marine Corps standard Infantry Combat Boot (ICB), a boot that incorporates several new technologies but with limited maintenance requirements. The changes haven't gone over well with older members of the Corps of Cadets.

For Cheyenne Frazier, 21, a sophomore nursing major from Dallas, Tex., the boots proved to be much clunkier than the older boots.

"You can definitely feel the difference," Frazier said, who has worn both types of boots. "The old boots are much lighter."

The issue of how long it should take the new boot to dry after exposure to moisture is at the heart of the dispute among freshmen who have to wear them.

"A combat boot must dry quickly," said Justin Roy, 19, a sophomore physical education major from Annandale, Va. "If you are wearing a field boot, shouldn't they dry out quicker? If you are in combat, you aren't going to have the choice of going around a pond when you're getting chased by the enemy."

"The older boots dry out quicker. They'll dry within the day," explained Colm Walker, 18, a freshman majoring in economics from Slatehill, N.Y. "My rook buddies who wore the ICBs said that they were still wet for three or four days, just because of the material and how thick they are. They are supposed to be waterproof, but if the water breaks through, it's going to take a while for them to dry out."

The new material in the boots is designed to keep feet "warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer."

"They are Gore-Tex, which is supposed to keep the water out, but for everyone that went on the dog river run, that wasn't the case," Walker said.

According to Walker, the freshmen are instructed not to "spit-shine" the boots, because doing so might harm the Gore-Tex material.

"Working in a good spit shine supposedly clogs the pours, so the boot doesn't breathe," Frazier explained. "They are only allowed to put what they call a high brush shine on them, but it doesn't look as good as a real good spit-shine."

This change in boot care has some cadets miffed, since the spit shine is seen by some to be a right of passage for rooks attending the university.

"Freshmen should have to spit shine their boots just like the rest of us did during our freshman year," Roy said. "Everyone should have the pride in their uniform to take the time and spit-shine their boots."

Another reason Frazier thinks Norwich switched to the new boot was because of greater traction on the new boot sole. "Everyone falls down when it's snowing in the winter."

Some cadets don't think slipping is such a problem.

But Hutter wasn't convinced that there were enough injuries in winters past to warrant the boot change. "Honestly, how many injuries happened last winter that directly resulted from the old boots?

"Everyone falls all over the place during the winter; it doesn't matter what they are wearing on their feet," Hutter said. "How many classes went through here with the old boots? I don't think that it is that big of a problem."

Roy said there could have been alternatives to choose from because "if the school wanted something with more traction, they should have switched to a jungle boot. They're cheaper than ICBs, too."

Roy points out that the boots are intended for infantry use and are inappropriate for freshmen at NU.

"We are not infantrymen, and we are not in combat," Roy said. "All freshmen should have the pride in their uniform to take the time and spit-shine them. Everyone did it their freshmen year."

Frazier pointed out that, these issues aside, other considerations should have dissuaded the administration from adopting the new boot.

"The older boots are much easier to break in just because they are all leather," Frazier said. "The ICBs are tough to break in properly. They're not as comfortable; the leather on the old boot stretches out easier, and they can break them in easier, too."

And from a strictly appearance point of view, Frazier said "the older (boots) produce a better shine, which makes them look much better. They are overall more presentable than the new ICBs."

Walker echoed these sentiments. "Overall, I would go with the old boots. The only time that I would use the ICBs would be if I went into the field for any reason."

Back to Guidon index