(Courtesy of PEO-Soldier)

Next time the TV remote batteries run down, consider the advice that the Army is offering soldiers.

The organization responsible for fielding battery-powered devices such as night-vision goggles and thermal weapon sights, Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier, has launched a campaign to encourage the use of L91 lithium batteries.

Joe Pearson, a logistics director at PEO-Soldier, said soldiers can trim the load they carry, improve the performance of their equipment and save the government money by switching from cheaper alkaline batteries.

Advances in technology have led to more battery-powered gear for soldiers, but it’s up to individual Army units to decide which batteries they buy, Pearson said.

When PEO-Soldier staff surveyed soldiers and observed units in the field, they discovered that many of the batteries used were alkalines, he said.

“Most of the batteries being used are not the best quality,” Pearson said.

Soldiers might think they’re getting a better deal, since a AA alkaline battery typically costs 60 cents to $1, compared with $1.40 to $2.50 for a lithium battery, he said.

However, three alkaline batteries are needed to get the run time of one lithium battery, according to Master Sgt. Reiko Carter, a fielding operations NCO at PEO-Soldier.

The Army also discourages the use of rechargeable batteries, other than in training, because they might not hold a full charge, and chargers can add weight to a soldier’s load, Carter said.

Staff Sgt. José Salcedo III, a member of 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, said he carried two dozen or more alkaline batteries to power his gear during patrols in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, in 2012.

Salcedo said a thermal weapons sight — which can help identify enemy combatants at great distance — is one of a modern infantryman’s best tools. So reliable batteries can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield.

The Army calibrates its devices to work with lithium batteries, which perform better in cold weather and weigh only about two-thirds as much as alkalines, officials said.

The weight saved by choosing lithium batteries over alkaline is probably a matter of ounces, but it’s much appreciated, Salcedo said, adding that troops carry about 100 pounds of gear on patrol.

robson.seth@stripes.com Twitter: @SethRobson1

(Courtesy of PEO-Soldier)

(Courtesy of PEO-Soldier)

(Courtesy of PEO-Soldier)

(Courtesy of PEO-Soldier)