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Reservist designs occupational therapy "weapon"

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Contributed by: Douglas Rule on 5/8/2007

by Rebecca E. Tonn

FORT CARSON, Colo.-A certified occupational therapy assistant at Fort Carson's Evans Army Community Hospital made a simulated M-4 rifle out of splint material to aid the recovery of Soldiers who have hand, wrist and arm injuries.
Sgt. Christopher Burcalow, a reservist from the 4010th U.S. Army Hospital, New Orleans, La., assigned to EACH, said that about 15 Soldiers have already used the weapon with positive results.
"It has been beneficial for the Soldiers," Burcalow said.
He made the M-4 out of low-temperature, moldable plastic; it has a trigger simulator with variable trigger pull resistance.
A computer program measures progress: number of repetitions, weight of trigger pull and amount of time between trigger pulls. Soldiers can see they've squeezed the trigger faster and/or harder than the last time, Burcalow said.
"We don't have to go to the range (for occupational therapy). It's right here when they need it. One main concern of Soldiers is they want to go back to duty, but they can't pull the trigger on their weapons. With this simulator, Soldiers feel confident that (after therapy) they are ready to train on the real thing at the range," Burcalow said.
The M-4 also has a working charging handle - to chamber the first round - adjustable sight knobs and a selector switch that flips with a thumb motion. Soldiers can insert and remove actual magazines.
Capt. Priscillia Bejarano, assistant chief of occupational therapy, EACH, said that the simulated weapon Sgt. Burcalow designed helps the Soldiers.
"They appreciate it, and they like how the amount of pressure can be adjusted in the trigger. Burcalow has also taken an occupational therapy assistant certification course; he goes over and above his job requirements," Bejarano said.

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