Kosmo MOUT Lifeline: lifesaving link to rescue


Photos of Tank Sergeant Ralph Zumbro by 1LT Mike Sparks USAR

The Kosmo MOUT LifelineTM is designed by Bud Calkin of SKEDCO and U.S. Army Special Forces Major Andrew Kosmowski to primarily drag a wounded Soldier from the line-of-fire without exposing another Soldier to danger.

Wounded Soldier being dragged to safety in Iraq: rescuer is exposed

Consider the tragic scene from the HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers" where a winter patrol bumps into the enemy and a Soldier is downed but cannot be rescued by his comrades even though they are just a few feet away behind the cover of a woodpile. This was a real-life event documented by historian Stephen Ambrose in the book, "Band of Brothers". Real Soldiers needing real rescue means. Sadly, this situation is being replayed in Iraq/Afghanistan now (see photo above). The Kosmo lifeline can prevent this.

In addition, the "Kosmo" lifeline has many other important tactical uses making it must-have equipment on every Soldier.

The USAF's 820th Security Squadron and the U.S. Army's 25th Light Infantry Division "Tropic Lightnings" have equipped all their men with Kosmo lifelines. The Tropic Lightnings are headed for Afghanistan soon.

It features a 30 foot Lifeline cord with a screw link on one end which is attached to a loop to the Soldier's tactical vest or load bearing suspenders behind the neck. The other cord end is clipped by a carabiner to a loop inside the pouch. The pouch has a belt loop that is sewn to the pouch at the top and attached with velcro at the bottom to attach/detach quickly from the Soldier's load bearing vest or suspenders or belt. Another carry option is to use the outside of the pouch's "loop" velcro for attachment to "hook" velcro on a ballistic "flak jacket". There is "hook" velcro on the front of the pouch in case the vest is equipped with "loop" velcro.

The flap at the top uses velcro to secure the closure. The carabiner with the Lifeline cord attached is clipped into the loop inside the pouch. The Lifeline cord is stuffed (not coiled) into the pouch. A sliding plastic ball is on the cord to keep the Lifeline in the pouch when the screw link is attached to the Soldier's load bearing equipment top and the flap is closed.

Kosmo on LC-2 ALICE Suspender LBE

USING THE KOSMO MOUT LIFELINETM FOR RESCUE

OPTIONS

1. Self-deployment of lifeline to buddy
2. Buddy deployment of lifeline to wounded Soldier
3. "Grab and Go" Buddy runs to wounded Soldier, grabs lifeline and runs back to cover and pulls buddy back to safety using the line

DIRECTIONS

 Open the flap of the pouch.

 Pull the screw link and about 16-18 inches of cord from the pouch (to the knot) leave the plastic ball inside the pouch.

Close the velcro flap to secure the ball inside.

 Attach the screw link to the loop or center webbing at the back of your vest and close the screw link.

 Attach the pouch to a velcro patch on the front of your ballistic flak vest or run the belt loop through the suspenders or vest shoulder strap's webbing normally used to clip a radio handset, and close down onto the velcro on the pouch bottom.

 If you are wounded,

 ...pull the pouch from your vest,

 ...open the flap

...and throw it (with the cord inside)

 to another Soldier who can use the Lifeline cord to drag you to a safe location.

See Kosmo in action!

Soldiers on the move with Kosmo lifelines ready

Enemy fire! Soldier goes down!

Soldiers return cover fire and throw smoke grenades (not shown for clarity)to mask wounded man

Wounded Soldier (or rescuer) throws Kosmo lifeline to buddies

Rescuers grab bag end of Kosmo lifeline

Wounded Soldier pulled to safety

Another Soldier assists to speed drag of wounded man to safety!

Rescuers should throw smoke grenades and provide covering return fire to protect the wounded man from further injuries from enemy fire during the drag. To get a better grip on the Lifeline cord, tie a loop into it. This will form a handle for easier dragging of a heavy Soldier.

AFTER USE

 Untie the loops.

 Inspect the Lifeline cord and all other parts for damage.

If there is no damage, re-stuff the lifeline cord into the pouch.

Re-attach the screw link to the loop on back of your vest or your load bearing equipment center webbing. Re-attach the pouch to the front of your vest/suspenders/flak jacket so it is ready for the next possible use.

Other uses for Kosmo MOUT LifelineTM

 Emergency "Last chance rappel device"

If you become trapped inside a building up to 4 stories high, the Lifeline can be used to rappel out through the window. Because of the small diameter of the cord, you should not rappel on it unless there is no other way to escape. The break strength of the cord is 1,150 pounds.

TO USE

Attach the end of the rope to the strongest anchor available. If you have enough time, place padding over the window sill under the rope. Attach the carabiner (snap link) to your harness or rappel-capable "Rigger's Belt" but tuck BDU shirt into trousers. If you have extra MOUT Lifelines and no rappel harness or Rigger's belt, they can be used as a TIED full body or seat harness for rappelling by connecting the ends together, doubling it and forming a harness. Insure the carabiner's hook side is towards your belly button, rotate until gate opening is down and away from your body.

RAPPEL ILLUSTRATIONS


Snap carabiner onto rappel-capable Rigger's Belt hook towards belly button


Rotate carabiner until gate is opening down and away


Wrap 3-4 times around the gate from the STANDING end, then slide over to the spine end which you rotate out--rappel with the spine end of the carabiner


Use left gloved hand to guide and right hand to brake by bring arm/hand behind the back


Another view of the Kosmo emergency rappel arrangement

ALTERNATE RAPPEL HOOK-UP


If your rappel-capable Rigger's Belt doesn't have a hardware attachment point, slip carabiner over the nylon webbing and set-up as described above


What the Kosmo rappel looks like on the alternate carabiner hook-up

Attach the rope to the carabiner by opening the carabiner gate and wrapping 3-4 times with the standing end of the rope around the gate of the carabiner as you are taught in training. Then rotate the carabiner until the gate is against your belly button and slide the cord wraps so they are around the SPINE of carabiner. Use your left gloved hand to guide the Lifeline above the carabiner's wraps, and your right gloved hand brakes by pulling the running end of the cord behind your back. Care must be taken when sliding down the Lifeline in a bound that the right arm does not bend towards the carabiner and stays perpendicular with the thumb down.

It will require 3 wraps around the carabiner if your weight is under 250 pounds. Use 4 wraps if you are over 250 pounds. Test this prior to your mission, while using a safety line (belay) to prevent accidental falling. Rappel training is an absolute requirement before using the MOUT Lifeline to rappel as this is a dangerous activitity. Practice while using a safety is essential.

Because of the small diameter and the 1,150 pound break strength of the cord, this should be used in this manner only once and only when absolutely necessary. Repeated rappelling on small cords can be fatal. Avoid sharp edges that can damage the cord. Cord can be purchased separately for training so you don't need to use the MOUT Lifeline system

Hovering helicopter litter "tag line": Three to six MOUT Lifelines can be joined together for use as a tag line when hoisting litters by helicopter to prevent them from spinning.

Medical Evacuation And Training During Ranger School: the role of the SKED

U.S. Army Infantry Magazine, January-February 2002

Although the Helitag kits are better, this can be done if no other tag line is available. You must use the Skedco Helitag "weak links" with any kind of tag line to offer a break-away capability if the tag line gets snagged.

There is a Helitag weak link inside the internal pocket on the velcro flap. Open the bag and you will see the pocket opening just above the internal webbing and inside the closure flap.

 Clearing landmines and booby-traps: The MOUT Lifeline can be used to clear landmines/booby-traps by connecting several lines together to attain a safe stand-off then attaching a heavy object or grappling hook to one end, throw it into the minefield and drag it back over landmines to detonate them by pulling on trip wires and/or activating tilt-rods or fuzes by the throw object's weight.

GRAPPLING HOOK ILLUSTRATIONS

 Body drag line for booby trap check: often retreating enemies will set up grenades and explosives to go off onto their abandoned comrades to try to harm U.S. Soldiers during search procedures. Attach a grappling hook to the MOUT lifeline cord and snag the dead body and drag it to pre-detonate any booby-traps before conducting close range searches.

Lowering line for equipment: the lifeline can be used to lower equipment from buildings and elevated locations.

Stand off opening device i.e. doors: attached to a door, the lifeline can open it while the Soldier is a safe distance away it it were booby-trapped to explode.

 Munitions control: Allows control of thrown or dropped devices such as a flash bang.

For more information or technical assistance please contact Skedco.

skedco@skedco.com

www.oocities.org/skedco2000/kosmolifeline.htm

www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/tame.exe/agcatalog/level4c.tam?M5COPY.ctx=26149&M5.ctx=26149

SKEDCO KOSMO MOUT LIFELINE

Real Soldiers need real rescue means and the Kosmo Mout Lifeline is it! Designed by Bud Calkin of SKEDCO and U.S. Army Special Forces Major Andrew Kosmowski, the compact Kosmo MOUT Lifeline is a Soldier's lifeline in urban and field operations. This is must-have equipment on every Soldier.

"Kosmo" has many other important tactical uses:

• Primary use of dragging a wounded Soldier from the line-of-fire without exposing another to danger
• “Last Chance Rappel Device”
• Use Several for a makeshift Tag line for litter hoisting (weak Link included)
• Full body or seat harness
• Safety line for water operations or cave clearing
• With minor modification may be used as a land mine clearing aid

Now in service with deployed OEF troops. Click on the Product Review link for more information on uses and methods.

Kosmo Mout Lifeline features a 30 foot cord with a screw link on one end which is attached to a loop to the Soldier's tactical vest or load bearing suspenders behind the neck. The other cord end is clipped by a carabiner to a loop inside the pouch. The pouch has a belt loop that is sewn to the pouch at the top and attached with Velcro at the bottom to attach/detach quickly from the Soldier's load bearing vest or suspenders or belt. Another carry option is to use the outside of the pouch's "loop" Velcro for attachment to "hook" Velcro on a ballistic "flak jacket". There is "hook" Velcro on the front of the pouch in case the vest is equipped with "loop" Velcro. The flap at the top uses Velcro to secure the closure. The carabiner with the Lifeline cord attached is clipped into the loop inside the pouch. The Lifeline is stuffed (not coiled) into the pouch. A sliding plastic cordlock ball on the cord keeps the Lifeline in the pouch when the screw link is attached to the Soldier's load bearing equipment top and the flap is closed. Patent Pending. Kosmo MOUT Directions:

• Open the flap of the pouch.
• Pull the screw link and about 16-18 inches of cord from the pouch (to the knot) leave the plastic ball inside the pouch.
• Close the Velcro flap to secure the ball inside.
• Attach the screw link to the loop or center webbing at the back of your vest and close the screw link.
• Attach the pouch to a Velcro patch on the front of your ballistic flak vest or run the belt loop through the suspenders or vest shoulder strap's webbing normally used to clip a radio handset
• Close down onto the Velcro on the pouch bottom.
• To deploy- Extract cord from the case, ball and throw.
• Item SK-750
• Made in the USA by Skedco..

Shipping Weight: 0.62 lb / 0.28 kg

Description - Item No. Retail Our Price Stock Qty

SKEDCO MOUT LIFELINE, OD - MLK0102 $59.99 $46.99
SKEDCO MOUT LIFELINE, BLACK - MLK0103 $59.99 $46.99

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