The MILES or Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System is a training system designed in the late 1970s and introduced in the early 1980’s. It is intended to provide realistic training without the risk on injury.

 

It consists of 3 main components. A Laser Emitting Module attached to the rifle, a harness, and a helmet “halo” band.

 

The harness and halo band have black sensors that when in detection of a “shot”, will sense if the user has been “hit” or a “near miss” has occurred. This is signaled to the user by a small speaker on the harness straps. If the user is “killed” they must take out a plastic key from the laser module on their rifle and insert it into the harness. This disables the rifle and effectively turns the user into a “dead” combatant.

 

The user can only be reset as “not dead” when the game master uses the “god gun” to reset the user.

 

The firing module is attached to the rifle and is used in conjunction with blank ammunition and a blank firing adapter. When the module detects recoil impulse from when a blank is fired, it sends off a laser.

 

All three components are powered by 9V batteries. There is many stories of people cheating by a variety of strategies. Dead batteries, shoe polish on sensors, and tricking the module into firing without actually firing a blank by bumping the rifle buttstock are a few stories I’ve heard.

 

I will get better photos of the gear on its own and not in conjunction with the standard infantry equipment.

 
The harness is used in place of normal Alice suspenders and the Halo band as an adjustable Velcro section to fit to the helmet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efAz9SIVkJA

 

Here is a 12 min. video on MILES.

Actually, I correct myself. The Laser Transmitter doesn't use recoil, but actually uses a microphone instead. 

 

From TM-9-1265-211-10 "Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System Simulator System, Firing, Laser M89"

1989 TM-9-1265-211-10 Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System Simulator System, Firing, Laser M89.pdf

 

Also allows more insight into the system. The controller gun isn't used to reset the user, its actually a green controller key inserted into the key slot.

 

The yellow key is taken out of the M89 Firing Module to silence the "kill" alarm and prevent further firing until the game controller resets you.

Very cool. These don't come up often!

Great topic, thank you for posting it.  
 

I trained in MILES gear back in the day, and it’s nice to see it again.  While the suspenders may technically be called “ALICE”, I never heard that word used to refer to that piece of gear in three years of active duty.  We just called it “LBE”.  Our packs were “ALICE”.
 

My unit wore MILES for a rotation to NTC, and we were in plenty of “gun fights” with the OPFOR in the beautiful Mojave.  What you said is accurate, that your have to take the key out of your weapon when you’re ‘shot’, to silence the alarm on the harness.  There are actually other topics on MILES here on the forum, as I remember that discussion. 
 

When you were shot, a battlefield observer, usually a MAJ (IIRC), would drive up in a 996 and assign you a casualty card at random.  This would indicate the nature and severity of your wound - KIA, need medical, and so forth.  
 

Ahhhh…. Good times.  Oh, and the laser emitting modules - as you called them - were on our all of our weapons, to include our M-60s and M2s.  I recall this vividly, as I dumped two OPFOR into our perimeter concertina with my M-60 one night.  Failed breach, poor lads.

That’s awesome to hear! My dad said he trained with it at NTC and in Korea too. 
 

They had it on the AH-1 Cobras. He was a LT (he did Intel stuff) in 1st Brigade 2nd Aviation Regiment (Attack). They had Stingers with MILES on them to simulate SAMs.

 

The entire gear ensemble while pretty much everyone called it LBE/LCE, officially it’s ALICE. All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment. It includes the belt, suspenders, ammo pouches, compass/bandage pouch, canteen pouch, and rucksack.

Makes it easier to differentiate from the M1956 LCE and such.

I do remember the M1 Abrams had MILES on it too.  I was not in an Armor unit, but we saw them back in “tent city” - that’s when I learned that you don’t walk behind them when they’re running.  
 

Ay yi yi, that’s a spicy meatball!  

I know this likely wont be responded to but how uncommon is MILES gear? And roughly how much would an Emitter be worth?