United States Army Soldier Systems Center The United States Army Soldier Systems Center ( SSC ) is a military research complex and installation in Natick , Massachusetts charged by the U . S . Department of Defense with the research and development ( including fielding and sustainment ) of food , clothing , shelters , airdrop systems , and other servicemember support items for the U . S . military . The installation includes facilities from all the military services , not just the Army , and is so configured to allow cross - service cooperation and collaboration both within the facility and with the many academic , industrial and governmental institutions in the Greater Boston Area . The SSC is sometimes called the Natick Army Labs , although this designation more properly refers to one of its tenant units , the United States Army Natick Soldier Research , Development and Engineering Center ( NSRDEC ) . The Installation . The SSC occupies at its main Natick campus and has an additional in neighboring communities . The main campus is located to the northwest of Natick center and abuts upon Lake Cochituate . Employee / tenant numbers total 1 , 957 ( 159 military personnel , 1 , 048 civilians and 750 contractors ) . The SSC public relations office reports that the installation ’ s FY2006 funding totaled approximately US Dollar 1 Billion and that the facilities infuse more than USD 135 million annually into the local economy through installation salaries , utilities and local contracts . The installation commander is a U . S . Army Brigadier General , currently BG William E . Cole , who also serves as the Deputy Commanding General of the U . S . Army Research , Development and Engineering Command . Mission . The SSC includes facilities designed to research and test both materials ( textiles , combat rations ) and human performance ( human research volunteers ) under simulated environmental extremes ( altitude , heat , cold , wind , etc . ) . The requirement for improved combat rations has led to developments in food irradiation and freeze - drying techniques . Improved body armor , new military parachuting technology , and enhanced military garments designed for a variety of environments are all ongoing efforts . History . Construction of the Quartermaster Research Facility at Natick , authorized by Congress in October 1949 , began in November 1952 . A year later , the QRF was redesignated as the Quartermaster Research and Development Center and four years later as the Quartermaster Research and Engineering Command . July 1961 saw the activation of the U . S . Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Natick and a year later the QREC was placed under the U . S . Army Materiel Command ( AMC ) . In November 1962 , the QREC was redesignated as Natick Laboratories and the following year the Food and Container Institute moved to Natick . July 1967 saw the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility relocate to Natick . Natick Laboratories became a subordinate element to the Troop Support Command in July 1973 and was redesignated two years later as the U . S . Army Natick Development Center and reassigned to the AMC . The NDC was redesignated the U . S . Army Natick Research and Development Command in January 1976 and assigned to the U . S . Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command . ( The same month , AMC was redesignated the U . S . Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command ( DARCOM ) . ) In September 1980 , the NRDC was redesignated as the U . S . Army Natick Research & Development Laboratories and three years later as the U . S . Army Natick Research and Development Center , a subordinate element of the U . S . Army Troop Support Command in St . Louis , Missouri . ( DARCOM and TSC merged in July 1992 forging the U . S . Army Aviation & Troop Command , St . Louis , Mo . ) In October 1992 , the NRDC was redesignated the U . S . Army Natick Soldier Research , Development and Engineering Center ( its current name ) , still a subordinate element of the ATC . A U . S . Army Soldier Systems Command ( SSC ) was activated at Natick in November 1994 . Elements subsequently established at the SSC included the Sustainment & Readiness Directorate ( February 1995 ) and Product Manager - Soldier Support ( October 1995 ) ; elements subsequently relocated to Natick included the Clothing and Services Office ( October 1996 ; from Ft . Lee , Virginia ) and Product Manager - Force Provider ( June 1997 ) . The Sustainment & Readiness Directorate became the Integrated Material Management Center in October 1997 . SSC merged with the Chemical Biological Defense Command to become the Soldier and Biological Chemical Command in October 1998 . At this time the installation was renamed the United States Army Soldier Systems Center . Tenant units and facilities . The SSC hosts several tenant units and facilities at its Natick installation : Products and systems . Natick Labs has developed or is developing the following items or systems : External links . " This article contains information that originally came from US Government publications and websites and is in the public domain . "