When you turn on the news and see coverage about our soldiers, the first thing you think of probably isn’t about how tough it can be to send them the daily essentials that they need. When it comes to packaging supplies for the military, the United States Government has developed a complete logistical solution to meet its (often complex) needs.

With the way technology has changed virtually everything, the science of mil spec packaging has also changed with it. Have you ever thought about military packaging? Chances are you haven’t — but it’s more interesting than you might think. Read on for a history of military packaging and to learn more about how it works today.

Military packaging became a concept around 1941, when the U.S. Army was running exercises in Iceland. During those exercises the army experienced a significant amount of supply losses which were eventually attributed to bad packaging solutions. Similarly, the U.S. Navy had the same problem during operations in Guadalcanal in 1942. Ultimately, it was realized that the Army, Navy, and Marines were experiencing extremely troublesome supply shortages that were jeopardizing their ability to sustain operations — all because military packaging design was unable to meet their needs.

At the time, Industry was more concerned with eye catching packaging that did little in terms of water resistance or protection — a disaster In the making when it came to shipping military supplies overseas. The War Department soon realized that while commercial packaging was fine for domestic distribution, it was hardly enough when it comes to keeping the military reliably supplied. The first military specification for packaging was created in December, 1942, calling for solid weatherproof fiberboard boxes which eventually became the iconic v-boxes, or "victory boxes" you can see in photos today. They were developed specifically to more reliably supply troops overseas with military packaging solutions that took up less space and were stronger than regular nailed wooden boxes.

After the first official specifications for military packaging were defined, other needs soon became apparent — such as the requirements for accurate labeling, inventory control, and beyond. Eventually, mil spec packaging became a serious concern with frequent innovations such as varying packaging materials, barrier materials, advanced pressure sensitive and water resistant adhesives, case liners, storage for electrical equipment, and more.

Today, mil spec packaging is hardly simple, with a constant focus on more reliably and cost efficiently transporting troop supplies to all corners of the world with packaging solutions that offer features such as anti-static barriers for electronic components, integration with military labeling standards, and much more. Today, suppliers across the country work tirelessly to provide the efficient and effective military packaging solutions need to support our armed forces when they need it the most.