Navy bans privately purchased body armor

[babylonsister]

http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=46644

Navy bans privately purchased body armor


By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, June 13, 2007

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has banned sailors from wearing personally purchased body armor and other protective equipment instead of standard-issue gear.

However, commanders may authorize sailors in their command to use commercially purchased protective gear, “As long as additions do not replace or interfere with the functionality of approved PPE (Personal Protective Equipment),” according to a recent Navywide administrative message.

The Marine Corps issued a similar message in April.

“The new policy ensures that operating forces are wearing the best available personal protective gear,” an April 27 news release from Marine Corps Systems Command says.

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[Kagemusha]

1. Well thanks to this order, it's the only available protective gear.

So I guess that clears things up.

[MikeNearMcChord]

2. Of course that doesn't include flag officers and their

bodyguards.:sarcasm:

[Marrah_G]

3. They said commanders can authorize the use.

My brother is one of those commanders and with his sailors on the ground and in harms way I would bet my life he has already given them permission to get whatever they need. Not all officers are assholes (just the ones making the decisions in their comfy pentagon offices).

Any jackass at the pentagon hindering the men on the grounds from surviving needs to be taken out and dumped on a dereted island for a couple years. Ugh.............

[Aviation Pro]

4. I guarantee the operators of SPECGRU.....

...are ignoring that order with great contempt. Then again SEALS normally ignore anyone outside of the teams.

[Canuckistanian]

5. Security Contractors should be subject to the same ban

If it's too dangerous for the troops, it's too dangerous for the contractors.

It's only fair.