How to Install an Army Helmet Cover

The U.S. Army uses a standard helmet, officially known as the Tactical Ballistic Helmet II (TBH II). The shape of this helmet is familiar to anyone who has been in the military recently, or seen a soldier in battle dress: a rounded dome with squared-off sections over the ears and an adjustable chin strap. The helmet itself is a hard shell of protective material in a flat color; the different camouflage patterns used in different operating theaters - such as desert, forest, and snow -- are applied to the helmet with a fabric cover, which must be properly installed.

Pull out and set aside the suspension pads that sit between the hemet and your head. Make a note of how they were positioned in the helmet to make replacing them easier.

Check the helmet cover to ensure that the chosen camouflage pattern is facing outwards. Some covers are reversible and may have different patterns on each side.

Line up the helmet cover's label with the rear end of the bare helmet.

Stretch the cover up and over the back and sides of the helmet.

Attach the cover's retaining tabs (strips of fabric extending out from the edges of the cover) to the hook disks on the inner side of the helmet.

Pull the straps tight until the cover sits snugly on the helmet.

Replace the helmet's suspension pads, following your notes as to their correct position and orientation.