Soldiers in Iraq Save Lives with Silly String

In a war being fought with high-tech weapons and multimillion-dollar arsenals, a simple children’s toy has proven to be a lifesaver. Marcelle Shriver learned from her son, a soldier in Iraq, that the troops sometimes use Silly String to ensure that their next steps won’t cause them to be blown up. Todd Shriver, 28, was telling his mother about how his unit in the troubled area around Ramadi learned from Marines how to use Silly String to detect boobytraps.

Silly String, a neon-colored plastic goo, is shot from a can in strands about 10 to 12 feet long. When soldiers are about to enter a building for the first time, they shoot Silly String into the door and across the room. If the Silly String falls to the ground unencumbered, they can be sure there are no tripwires waiting for them in the room. If it hangs in midair, they know they might have a problem. Tripwires are nearly invisible, and Silly String is so near weightless that it will not trip them.

When Shriver, 57, heard about the innovative new defense system, they started rounding up cans of Silly String and telling people about it. She sent some cans to her son, enlisted the help of two priests, and posted notices in her church and in her church’s newsletter. Public recognition spread and from then on the Silly String started flowing in. Now over 1,000 cans of Silly String are packed into Shriver’s one-car garage, ready to be shipped to the Middle East.

The Rev. Joseph Capella, of St. Luke’s Church in Stratford said that parishioners have even been dropping cans into donation baskets at the church. "There’s so much that they can’t do, and they’re frustrated, but this is something they can do," said Capella.

Just for Kicks, Inc., of Watertown, NY, is the maker of Silly String. The company has contacted the Shrivers about donating some, and other manufacturers of similar products have also offered to donate some. "Everyone in the entire corporation is very pleased that we can be involved in something like this," said Rob Oram, Just for Kicks product marketing manager. He called the troops' use of Silly String innovative.

Although the military is reluctant to talk about the use of Silly String, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said that soldiers and Marines are not discouraged from finding new ways to protect themselves, especially in Iraq, and commanders are often given money to buy nonstandard supplies. For example, medics use tampons to plug bullet holes in wounded soldiers until they can receive medical attention. Condoms and rubber bands are used to protect rifle muzzles to keep out sand.

Shriver said that Silly String is considered a hazardous material since it comes in an aerosol can, and therefore the Postal Service will not ship it by air. But a private pilot who heard about the Silly String campaign contacted Shriver and offered to fly the cans to Kuwait, where they will then be taken to Iraq. Shriver told reporters that she will continue her campaign as long as her son is in harm’s way overseas, and as long as she has Silly String to send. "I know that he’s going to come through this," she said. "I hope they all do."