Editing MOLLE (section)

==== FEA survey ====
Over a period of seven months, questionnaires were distributed to over 2,000 soldiers and marines by the [[Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center|US Army Natick]] Operational Forces Interface Group (OFIG)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sampson |first=James B.* |last2=Leitch |first2=D. Paul † |last3=Kirk |first3=John ‡ |last4=Raisanen |first4=Gerald S. † |date=June 1995 |title=Front-End Analysis of Load Bearing Equipment for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps |url=https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA295874 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/download/DTIC_ADA295874/DTIC_ADA295874_text.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2018 |access-date=14 May 2025 |website=archive.org |publisher=*Science and Technology Directorate (S&TD); †Advanced Systems Concepts Directorate (ASCD); ‡Survivability Directorate, US Army Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM), Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center (NRDEC), Natick, MA |via=[[Defense Technical Information Center]] (DTIC)}}</ref> during its routine surveys of users of [[Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center#Products and systems|Natick developed]] food, clothing, shelters, and individual equipment items.<ref name=":4" />

Five [[US Army]] posts (Forts [[Fort Bragg|Bragg]], [[Fort Campbell|Campbell]], [[Fort Drum|Drum]], [[Fort Hood|Hood]] and [[Fort Lewis (Washington)|Lewis]]) and two [[US Marine Corps]] sites (Camps [[Camp Mabry|Mabry]] and [[Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune|Lejeune]]) were visited. All those surveyed had experience with the [[All-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment|ALICE]], and 40 percent also had experience with the recently introduced internal frame system ([[Individual integrated fighting system|IIFS]]). All tests involved experienced soldiers who evaluated candidate systems during simulated tactical movements in the field and laboratory.<ref name=":4" />

The respondents were given 32 statements about their current load-bearing system and asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed, slightly or strongly, with the statement. These statements reflected issues related largely to deficiencies of their legacy system, the ALICE as well as to the recently introduced internal frame system. The respondents were also asked to provide suggestions for future developments of a military load-carrying system.<ref name=":4" />

The FEA survey resulted in 1,844 fully completed questionnaires by soldiers and marines from eight military specialties. Fifty-six percent of the respondents were combat infantrymen, 14% [[Combat engineer|combat engineers]], 8% medics and the remainder were communications, chemical, mechanic, and other support specialists.<ref name=":4" />