In Iraq, there were a lot of brief, small scale, firefights. In these situations, many troops must quickly hit the ground. To cut down on the frequent knee and elbow injuries this caused, "turtle shell" knee and elbow pads have become popular. The pads got a major work out in Iraq, and there were some complaints and suggestions from the troops, The government issue pads were generally liked, but were found to be too stiff and often cut off circulation. Some troops had already noticed this before getting to Iraq and bought HellStorm brand pads, which the troops found more comfortable and just as protective as the government issue pads. Many troops suggested that knee and elbow protection be built into the combat uniforms. Using currently available pads has not only cut down on the fractured knees and elbows that often take infantry out of action for weeks, but all the scrapes and bruises on the knees and elbows that add to the discomfort of combat.