Stardate 20010629.1512 (On Screen): It sounds like someone is well on their way to creating a practical exoskeleton, and naturally the military is interested. I can think of a number of uses it could have in combat situations. For one thing, it's going to be a God-send to the quartermasters; a man wearing one of these will be able to do a much better job unloading trucks. (I'm quite serious.) Another group even more likely to use them would be combat engineers or other military construction units. These could do many of the things done now using big power equipment (moving boulders and logs, for instance) in a much more efficient way when they're building roads or bridges or airfields.
Who I can't see using these any time soon is front line troops. That's because to a front line infantryman, silence is life. The last thing that a rifleman needs is to walk around sounding like a lawnmower. Until these things can be made to operate using a silent power source, you're going to see minimal use of them at the front. If you don't mind making noise, a tank will serve much better. (discuss)
