American Forces Press Service
July 10, 2008 - Coalition forces in Iraq detained 30 suspected terrorists during anti al-Qaida operations conducted over the past three days across central and northern Iraq, military officials said.
In today's operations:
-- Coalition forces operating in the Tigris River Valley captured an alleged al-Qaida leader linked to a bombing network. Nine other suspected terrorists also were detained.
-- In operations near Tikrit, coalition forces captured a wanted man suspected of forging documents for foreign terrorists and coordinating suicide operations targeting security forces and civilians. One additional suspect was detained in the operation. Coalition forces also seized a machine gun, body armor and bomb-making materials.
-- Near Beiji, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists while targeting a man believed to provide shelter to foreign terrorists who come into Iraq to conduct attacks.
-- In Fallujah, coalition forces captured an alleged cell leader believed to be involved with al-Qaida in Iraq operations. The man is suspected of manufacturing and distributing car bombs for terrorist attacks.
-- Coalition forces operating in Mosul detained four suspected terrorists in a three-day operation that ended today.
In yesterday's operations:
-- Coalition forces near Baghdad detained four suspected terrorists while targeting a car-bombing cell.
-- Near Fallujah, coalition forces captured an alleged close associate of a bombing cell leader and four additional suspects.
-- In Mosul, Iraqi commandos detained a suspected cell leader and nine other members of the Islamic State of Iraq, a front organization for al-Qaeda in Iraq.
In July 8 operations:
-- U.S. soldiers seized several weapons caches during anti-insurgent operations conducted in and around Baghdad. The caches contained a 120 mm mortar, 15 empty 82 mm mortars, 2 pounds of explosives, blasting caps, a 130 mm mortar round, 293 AK-47 rifles, 24 other-type rifles, nine insignia connected with Iranian-backed "special groups," an improvised explosive device, a 120 mm mortar round, two 60 mm mortar rounds, seven artillery rounds, nine propane tanks, rifle grenades, hand grenades and an assortment of other rifles and pistols.
-- U.S. soldiers detained a suspected criminal during an operation in the Karadah security district in eastern Baghdad. The detainee is linked to an Iranian-backed network that's suspected of committing kidnappings, murders and attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi officials.
-- Iraqi commandos in Baghdad detained three suspected members of an Iranian-backed group linked to attacks against innocent Iraqis and coalition forces.
-- Also in Baghdad, another Iraqi anti-terrorist unit detained a suspected special groups leader. The detainee is a member of the Iraqi Facilities Protection Service and is suspected of using his position to carry out assassinations, kidnappings, extortion and intimidation.
In other news, an Iraqi anti-terrorist unit detained a suspected Iranian-backed terrorist linked to roadside bombings during an operation in Kut on July 7.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Showing posts with label body armor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body armor. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Forces in Iraq Kill Eight, Detain 24
American Forces Press Service
June 12, 2008 - Forces in Iraq killed eight enemy fighters, detained 24 terrorism suspects and found various weapons in recent operations, military officials said. Coalition forces killed four men and detained nine suspected terrorists today after detainees in custody provided them with information regarding the location of an al-Qaida in Iraq suicide-bombing network.
Coalition forces positively identified the targeted individual, known for making suicide vests, and followed him into a remote area north of Baqouba, about 50 kilometers north of Baghdad. The area was believed to be a hideout used to house weapons, and the house was rigged with booby traps, officials said.
Coalition forces called for supporting aircraft to engage the area, which triggered several secondary explosions, indicating bomb materials and weapons on the ground. Four men were killed in the engagement.
Once the site was safe, the ground force moved in and discovered a tunnel system, fighting positions, weapons, military-style assault vests, and documents detailing terrorist operations.
Also today, coalition forces targeted another member of the Diyala suicide-bombing network who had fled to Tikrit, and they detained three suspected terrorists during the operation.
In Mosul, coalition forces captured a wanted man and one other suspect who are alleged associates of al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders.
Yesterday in Abu Ghraib, coalition forces captured an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq propaganda cell leader. The man is believed to spearhead production and distribution of extremist propaganda in Baghdad and have ties to al-Qaida members outside Iraq. Coalition forces discovered large amounts of media materials in the targeted building and detained one additional suspect.
In other operations yesterday:
-- Members of "Sons of Iraq," a citizen security group, prevented an enemy car-bomb attack by killing four al-Qaida in Iraq members in Salahuddin province.
-- Iraqi soldiers in Mosul captured two suspected members of al-Qaida in Iraq in an operation to capture suspected terrorists who allegedly are responsible for killing an Iraqi soldier and for car-bomb attacks in Mosul. Six additional suspects were detained during the operation, officials said.
-- Iraqi special operations forces captured a criminal who reportedly is involved in the kidnapping and killing of Iraqi soldiers and the murders of Iraqi civilians in the Basra area.
-- Iraqi soldiers seized three weapons caches in Baghdad's Sadr City district. The cache contained homemade bombs and grenades. In other parts of Sadr City, soldiers discovered rockets, rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, rifles, various machine guns, and hundreds of AK-47 assault-rifle rounds.
-- Iraqi national police, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and local Iraqis all pitched in to help rid the streets in Baghdad of weapons, officials said. Among the weapons found were homemade bombs, Iraqi army body armor vests, anti-aircraft projectiles, mortar rounds, a bag of unknown powder, rockets, and rocket-propelled grenades.
In June 10 operations, Iraqi and coalition forces captured three suspected terrorists allegedly responsible for bomb attacks. Four other suspects were detained. Enemy fighters engaged the Iraqi and coalition forces, and one man detonated a suicide bomb. Another man threw a grenade at coalition forces, who then fired back, killing him, military officials said.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
June 12, 2008 - Forces in Iraq killed eight enemy fighters, detained 24 terrorism suspects and found various weapons in recent operations, military officials said. Coalition forces killed four men and detained nine suspected terrorists today after detainees in custody provided them with information regarding the location of an al-Qaida in Iraq suicide-bombing network.
Coalition forces positively identified the targeted individual, known for making suicide vests, and followed him into a remote area north of Baqouba, about 50 kilometers north of Baghdad. The area was believed to be a hideout used to house weapons, and the house was rigged with booby traps, officials said.
Coalition forces called for supporting aircraft to engage the area, which triggered several secondary explosions, indicating bomb materials and weapons on the ground. Four men were killed in the engagement.
Once the site was safe, the ground force moved in and discovered a tunnel system, fighting positions, weapons, military-style assault vests, and documents detailing terrorist operations.
Also today, coalition forces targeted another member of the Diyala suicide-bombing network who had fled to Tikrit, and they detained three suspected terrorists during the operation.
In Mosul, coalition forces captured a wanted man and one other suspect who are alleged associates of al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders.
Yesterday in Abu Ghraib, coalition forces captured an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq propaganda cell leader. The man is believed to spearhead production and distribution of extremist propaganda in Baghdad and have ties to al-Qaida members outside Iraq. Coalition forces discovered large amounts of media materials in the targeted building and detained one additional suspect.
In other operations yesterday:
-- Members of "Sons of Iraq," a citizen security group, prevented an enemy car-bomb attack by killing four al-Qaida in Iraq members in Salahuddin province.
-- Iraqi soldiers in Mosul captured two suspected members of al-Qaida in Iraq in an operation to capture suspected terrorists who allegedly are responsible for killing an Iraqi soldier and for car-bomb attacks in Mosul. Six additional suspects were detained during the operation, officials said.
-- Iraqi special operations forces captured a criminal who reportedly is involved in the kidnapping and killing of Iraqi soldiers and the murders of Iraqi civilians in the Basra area.
-- Iraqi soldiers seized three weapons caches in Baghdad's Sadr City district. The cache contained homemade bombs and grenades. In other parts of Sadr City, soldiers discovered rockets, rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, rifles, various machine guns, and hundreds of AK-47 assault-rifle rounds.
-- Iraqi national police, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers and local Iraqis all pitched in to help rid the streets in Baghdad of weapons, officials said. Among the weapons found were homemade bombs, Iraqi army body armor vests, anti-aircraft projectiles, mortar rounds, a bag of unknown powder, rockets, and rocket-propelled grenades.
In June 10 operations, Iraqi and coalition forces captured three suspected terrorists allegedly responsible for bomb attacks. Four other suspects were detained. Enemy fighters engaged the Iraqi and coalition forces, and one man detonated a suicide bomb. Another man threw a grenade at coalition forces, who then fired back, killing him, military officials said.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
Friday, January 18, 2008
Afghan Army Corps Holds Best Commando Competition
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 18, 2008 - More than 190 Afghan National Army commandos from 203rd Corps vied for the right to be crowned the best of the Best during a competition Jan. 10-11 at a combined military outpost in Khowst province. The Best Commando Competition featured several events designed to test the commandos' mental and physical abilities, determination, and endurance. Racing against the clock, participants navigated stations that tested their knowledge and preparedness in first aid, communications, weapons and fitness, over a milelong course, while wearing their full uniform and 40 pounds of body armor.
"This friendly competition helps build morale and develop skills and unit cohesion," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman.
At the first aid station, the commandos were required to properly affix a tourniquet to their own leg as quickly as possible using two cravats and an empty 30-round M4 magazine.
Next, to test their knowledge of communication equipment, the commandos assembled and programmed a field radio and exchanged a few words over the air with a fellow soldier.
Upon arriving at the third station, the commandos found a field-stripped M4 carbine rifle. Participants had to reassemble and effectively engage two targets on the firing range, hitting each target twice.
Nearing the finish line, the commandos had to muster their remaining strength to accomplish the last two tasks: pushing a 4,500-pound pickup truck about 50 feet before moving on to the pull-up bars to perform as many pull-ups as possible.
The commandos were scored according to their total time to finish the course and accomplish all five tasks. The top three performers received certificates, soccer balls, t-shirts and running shoes to mark their achievement.
"This competition was good for the mind and the body," said an Afghan National Army commando sergeant who participated in the competition. "Everyone tried to be the best of the best!"
"During missions, our soldiers will be stronger now that they've done the competition," a commando platoon leader said. "They're becoming more professional and more proficient in key tasks."
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)
Jan. 18, 2008 - More than 190 Afghan National Army commandos from 203rd Corps vied for the right to be crowned the best of the Best during a competition Jan. 10-11 at a combined military outpost in Khowst province. The Best Commando Competition featured several events designed to test the commandos' mental and physical abilities, determination, and endurance. Racing against the clock, participants navigated stations that tested their knowledge and preparedness in first aid, communications, weapons and fitness, over a milelong course, while wearing their full uniform and 40 pounds of body armor.
"This friendly competition helps build morale and develop skills and unit cohesion," said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman.
At the first aid station, the commandos were required to properly affix a tourniquet to their own leg as quickly as possible using two cravats and an empty 30-round M4 magazine.
Next, to test their knowledge of communication equipment, the commandos assembled and programmed a field radio and exchanged a few words over the air with a fellow soldier.
Upon arriving at the third station, the commandos found a field-stripped M4 carbine rifle. Participants had to reassemble and effectively engage two targets on the firing range, hitting each target twice.
Nearing the finish line, the commandos had to muster their remaining strength to accomplish the last two tasks: pushing a 4,500-pound pickup truck about 50 feet before moving on to the pull-up bars to perform as many pull-ups as possible.
The commandos were scored according to their total time to finish the course and accomplish all five tasks. The top three performers received certificates, soccer balls, t-shirts and running shoes to mark their achievement.
"This competition was good for the mind and the body," said an Afghan National Army commando sergeant who participated in the competition. "Everyone tried to be the best of the best!"
"During missions, our soldiers will be stronger now that they've done the competition," a commando platoon leader said. "They're becoming more professional and more proficient in key tasks."
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Force Protection Exercise Keeps Soldiers on Their Toes
By Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 8, 2008 - Army Spc. David Leopold sat in the break room of the brigade air defense operations center. A fuel handler for Company E, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, Leopold is used to working hard. For the past few days, he'd been doing just that while manning a guard tower on his forward operating base just outside Baghdad. It's part of the job for soldiers of all military occupational specialties while stationed in Iraq. For days at a time, they leave their flight lines, motor pools and offices to gear up and watch a fence line.
On the inside of the fence is the Iraq they know: sand-bag-covered container housing units, dining facilities, rocks and mud. On the other side, an Iraqi city bustles with street vendors, children playing soccer and an ever-increasing flurry of activity signaling new life in a recovering country.
For many, like Leopold, watching the city from a tower is as close as they'll get to life outside the forward operating base. For now, sitting in the break room, he and others were watching a movie between shifts when a voice broke over the radio with a single code word that instantly told the soldiers the base was under attack.
Leopold sprang to life. His body reacted before his mind could process the next steps, and before he knew it, he was standing in full body armor waiting for instructions. He was sent to guard an important tactical operations center.
"When an attack happens, everybody (on tower guard duty) not manning the tower is sent to areas on base to guard sensitive property," said Leopold, a native of Lawton, Okla. "We just move as quickly as we can to secure the area."
This one was just an exercise. The base was still secure, and all was well at Camp Taji. But training like this is important for a lot of reasons, those who participated said.
"It's a good reminder that we're still in a combat zone," Leopold said. "The war doesn't stop on a FOB just because we put up a fence. Anything can happen."
"The attack exercise simulates what would happen if the base was directly attacked," said San Antonio native Sgt. 1st Class Shon Skinner, the Task Force 12 force protection noncommissioned officer. "In an aviation unit, we've got a pretty important task of protecting this airfield."
During the exercise, organizers watch to see how people react. They have goals for what should happen if a base is attacked. The exercise lets them see what actually happens.
"We put a lot of emphasis on getting it right, and I put a lot of stress on soldiers," Skinner said. "We have to see what happens and what their attitudes are when we start inducing stress."
Statistics in the global war on terrorism say the chances of a forward operating base being attacked by anything beyond infrequent mortar or indirect fire are low. And Taji's brigade combat team soldiers, who regularly patrol the streets of Baghdad, tell stories and bring back photos of reconciliation and improved security.
But insurgents in Iraq have tried coordinated attacks on other bases. So far, none has succeeded. The idea of the attack drill is to keep it that way.
"Personally, I don't see (an attack on Taji) happening, but it's comforting to know we have a plan," said Task Force 12 network systems operator Army Spc. Bryan Coffey, who hails from Anderson, S.C. "It could definitely save lives by getting us into place if something did happen."
"We are ready, and we'll always be ready," Skinner said. "If not, we'll continue to train until we are."
For Leopold, the message was clear. Whether or not he's seen it in his six months of pumping fuel in Iraq, the war outside the fence that his hard work supports is very real.
"Anything can happen inside or outside," he said. "We're going to be ready for either one."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Jan. 8, 2008 - Army Spc. David Leopold sat in the break room of the brigade air defense operations center. A fuel handler for Company E, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, Leopold is used to working hard. For the past few days, he'd been doing just that while manning a guard tower on his forward operating base just outside Baghdad. It's part of the job for soldiers of all military occupational specialties while stationed in Iraq. For days at a time, they leave their flight lines, motor pools and offices to gear up and watch a fence line.
On the inside of the fence is the Iraq they know: sand-bag-covered container housing units, dining facilities, rocks and mud. On the other side, an Iraqi city bustles with street vendors, children playing soccer and an ever-increasing flurry of activity signaling new life in a recovering country.
For many, like Leopold, watching the city from a tower is as close as they'll get to life outside the forward operating base. For now, sitting in the break room, he and others were watching a movie between shifts when a voice broke over the radio with a single code word that instantly told the soldiers the base was under attack.
Leopold sprang to life. His body reacted before his mind could process the next steps, and before he knew it, he was standing in full body armor waiting for instructions. He was sent to guard an important tactical operations center.
"When an attack happens, everybody (on tower guard duty) not manning the tower is sent to areas on base to guard sensitive property," said Leopold, a native of Lawton, Okla. "We just move as quickly as we can to secure the area."
This one was just an exercise. The base was still secure, and all was well at Camp Taji. But training like this is important for a lot of reasons, those who participated said.
"It's a good reminder that we're still in a combat zone," Leopold said. "The war doesn't stop on a FOB just because we put up a fence. Anything can happen."
"The attack exercise simulates what would happen if the base was directly attacked," said San Antonio native Sgt. 1st Class Shon Skinner, the Task Force 12 force protection noncommissioned officer. "In an aviation unit, we've got a pretty important task of protecting this airfield."
During the exercise, organizers watch to see how people react. They have goals for what should happen if a base is attacked. The exercise lets them see what actually happens.
"We put a lot of emphasis on getting it right, and I put a lot of stress on soldiers," Skinner said. "We have to see what happens and what their attitudes are when we start inducing stress."
Statistics in the global war on terrorism say the chances of a forward operating base being attacked by anything beyond infrequent mortar or indirect fire are low. And Taji's brigade combat team soldiers, who regularly patrol the streets of Baghdad, tell stories and bring back photos of reconciliation and improved security.
But insurgents in Iraq have tried coordinated attacks on other bases. So far, none has succeeded. The idea of the attack drill is to keep it that way.
"Personally, I don't see (an attack on Taji) happening, but it's comforting to know we have a plan," said Task Force 12 network systems operator Army Spc. Bryan Coffey, who hails from Anderson, S.C. "It could definitely save lives by getting us into place if something did happen."
"We are ready, and we'll always be ready," Skinner said. "If not, we'll continue to train until we are."
For Leopold, the message was clear. Whether or not he's seen it in his six months of pumping fuel in Iraq, the war outside the fence that his hard work supports is very real.
"Anything can happen inside or outside," he said. "We're going to be ready for either one."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Monday, May 21, 2007
Army Defends Body Armor Quality
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
May 21, 2007 – U.S. troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan have the best body armor in the world, and the Army is constantly looking for ways to improve force protection, the general in charge of the program told reporters here today. "Force protection is the No. 1 priority of the U.S. Army. We value our soldiers very highly, and we do everything we can do to ensure that they have the finest in force protection as they go into the battle," Army Brig. Gen. R. Mark Brown, Program Executive Officer Soldier, said at a Pentagon news conference.
In response to a May 17 NBC News report challenging the Army's use of Interceptor body armor vs. the newer "Dragon Skin" armor developed by Pinnacle Armor Inc., Brown today released information about the testing that ruled out Dragon Skin a year ago.
The tests were conducted May 16 to 19, 2006, at H.P. White labs near Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. The Pinnacle armor was subjected to the same tests Interceptor body armor goes through, first being X-rayed and analyzed and then undergoing a series of live-fire tests, Brown said. The live-fire tests included room-temperature tests, harsh environment tests, and durability and drop tests.
Of the eight Pinnacle vests tested, four of them failed the tests, with 13 rounds penetrating completely on the first or second shot, Brown said. After the first complete penetration, the vests technically failed the test, but the Army continued the testing to be fair, he said.
The Pinnacle vests also were subjected to extreme temperature variations, from minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be a realistic cycle if the equipment was loaded onto a plane and flown to the Middle East, Brown said. These temperature tests caused the adhesive holding the Dragon Skin's protective discs together to fail, and the discs gathered at the bottom of the vest, leaving gaps in protection, he said.
Brown also noted that the Dragon Skin vests are significantly heavier and thicker than the Interceptor vests. Dragon Skin vests in size extra large are 47.5 pounds and 1.7 to 1.9 inches thick; the Interceptor vests in size large, which offer an equivalent coverage area to the extra large Dragon Skin vests, weigh 28 pounds and are 1.3 inches thick.
"Bottom line is it does not meet Army standards," Brown said of the Pinnacle body armor.
Brown showed reporters videos of the tests, which were supervised by the chief executive officer of Pinnacle. He also displayed the actual vests that were tested, with markers showing the penetration sites.
The Army did not initially release the information about the tests because of possible security concerns, Brown said. "We are facing a very media-savvy enemy," he said. "They're not only media-savvy, they are Internet savvy. ... Everything that we put out into the public domain, we pretty much assume that they get. We don't like to discuss our vulnerabilities and our counters to the vulnerabilities in the open public."
However, after the NBC report, Army leaders felt they needed to counter any doubts in the minds of servicemembers and their families, Brown said. "Our soldiers and, more importantly, the families - the wives, the children, the parents - have to have confidence that our soldiers have the best equipment in the world," he said.
Right now, the Army's safety-of-use message mandates that all soldiers use Interceptor body armor, which has passed the same tests the Pinnacle armor failed, Brown said. The Army is interested in a more flexible armor, like the Pinnacle design, and if the company improves its product, it could be reconsidered, he said.
Brown stressed that the Army has more than one set of body armor for every soldier in the combat theater, and that he has all the money and support he needs to make improvements to force protection. Also, the Army is constantly working to develop new technologies that will deliver better protection.
"This is not just a matter of debate for us; this is personal," he said, noting that many of his staff members have relatives or friends who have served or are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
American Forces Press Service
May 21, 2007 – U.S. troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan have the best body armor in the world, and the Army is constantly looking for ways to improve force protection, the general in charge of the program told reporters here today. "Force protection is the No. 1 priority of the U.S. Army. We value our soldiers very highly, and we do everything we can do to ensure that they have the finest in force protection as they go into the battle," Army Brig. Gen. R. Mark Brown, Program Executive Officer Soldier, said at a Pentagon news conference.
In response to a May 17 NBC News report challenging the Army's use of Interceptor body armor vs. the newer "Dragon Skin" armor developed by Pinnacle Armor Inc., Brown today released information about the testing that ruled out Dragon Skin a year ago.
The tests were conducted May 16 to 19, 2006, at H.P. White labs near Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. The Pinnacle armor was subjected to the same tests Interceptor body armor goes through, first being X-rayed and analyzed and then undergoing a series of live-fire tests, Brown said. The live-fire tests included room-temperature tests, harsh environment tests, and durability and drop tests.
Of the eight Pinnacle vests tested, four of them failed the tests, with 13 rounds penetrating completely on the first or second shot, Brown said. After the first complete penetration, the vests technically failed the test, but the Army continued the testing to be fair, he said.
The Pinnacle vests also were subjected to extreme temperature variations, from minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be a realistic cycle if the equipment was loaded onto a plane and flown to the Middle East, Brown said. These temperature tests caused the adhesive holding the Dragon Skin's protective discs together to fail, and the discs gathered at the bottom of the vest, leaving gaps in protection, he said.
Brown also noted that the Dragon Skin vests are significantly heavier and thicker than the Interceptor vests. Dragon Skin vests in size extra large are 47.5 pounds and 1.7 to 1.9 inches thick; the Interceptor vests in size large, which offer an equivalent coverage area to the extra large Dragon Skin vests, weigh 28 pounds and are 1.3 inches thick.
"Bottom line is it does not meet Army standards," Brown said of the Pinnacle body armor.
Brown showed reporters videos of the tests, which were supervised by the chief executive officer of Pinnacle. He also displayed the actual vests that were tested, with markers showing the penetration sites.
The Army did not initially release the information about the tests because of possible security concerns, Brown said. "We are facing a very media-savvy enemy," he said. "They're not only media-savvy, they are Internet savvy. ... Everything that we put out into the public domain, we pretty much assume that they get. We don't like to discuss our vulnerabilities and our counters to the vulnerabilities in the open public."
However, after the NBC report, Army leaders felt they needed to counter any doubts in the minds of servicemembers and their families, Brown said. "Our soldiers and, more importantly, the families - the wives, the children, the parents - have to have confidence that our soldiers have the best equipment in the world," he said.
Right now, the Army's safety-of-use message mandates that all soldiers use Interceptor body armor, which has passed the same tests the Pinnacle armor failed, Brown said. The Army is interested in a more flexible armor, like the Pinnacle design, and if the company improves its product, it could be reconsidered, he said.
Brown stressed that the Army has more than one set of body armor for every soldier in the combat theater, and that he has all the money and support he needs to make improvements to force protection. Also, the Army is constantly working to develop new technologies that will deliver better protection.
"This is not just a matter of debate for us; this is personal," he said, noting that many of his staff members have relatives or friends who have served or are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership; and, law enforcement personnel who have written books.
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