The Boston Globe reports that “nearly every piece of gear that military recruits get when they show up for training is made here in the United States — but not their running shoes.”  

“That is about to change, under a policy shift that could have big repercussions in New England.”  

“After years of resistance, Pentagon officials conceded in April that recruits’ running shoes should be made domestically. The decision set off a race to mass-produce the first all-American-made running shoe in roughly two decades. And the two competitors to emerge so far are iconic Massachusetts brands: New Balance and Saucony.”  

“This is a chase for the market share of a giant captive audience: The US military’s recruits go through as many as 250,000 pairs of running shoes a year.”