Defense Logistics: Army and Marine Corps' Body Armor Requirements, Controls, and Other Issues
Released: 2007-06-06T00:00:00

Letter

Background

Used by all U.S. military service members and DOD civilians in the area of operations, the IBA consists of an outer tactical vest with ballistic inserts or plates that cover the front, back, and sides. As the ballistic threat has evolved, ballistic requirements have also changed. The vest currently provides protection from 9mm rounds, while the inserts provide protection against 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds. Additional protection can also be provided for the shoulder, throat, and groin areas. Figure 1 details the body armor components.

Concerns regarding the level of protection and amount of IBA needed to protect U.S. forces have been raised in recent years, prompted by a number of reports, newspaper articles, and recalls of issued body armor by both the Army and the Marine Corps. In May 2005, the Marine Corps recalled fielded body armor because it concluded that the body armor failed to meet contract specifications, and in November 2005, the Army and Marine Corps recalled 14 lots of body armor that failed original ballistic testing. Additionally, in April 2005, we reported on shortages of critical force protection items, including individual body armor. Specifically, we found that the shortages in body armor were due to material shortages, production limitations, and in-theater distribution problems. In the report, we did not make specific recommendations regarding body armor, but we did make several recommendations to improve the effectiveness of DOD’s supply system in supporting deployed forces for contingencies. DOD agreed with the intent of the recommendations and cited actions it had or was taking to eliminate supply chain deficiencies.

Army and Marine Corps Body Army Meets Current Theater Requirements

Army and Marine Corps body armor currently meets theater ballistic requirements and the required amount needed for personnel in theater, including the amounts needed for the surge of troops into Iraq. Used by all U.S. military service members and DOD civilians in the area of operations, the IBA consists of an outer tactical vest with ballistic inserts or plates that cover the front, back, and sides. The vest and inserts currently meet the theater ballistic requirements. The vest provides protection from 9mm rounds, while the inserts provide protection against 7.62mm armor- piercing rounds. Additional protection can also be provided for the shoulder, throat, and groin areas. The Army and Marine Corps body armor meets the required amounts needed for personnel in theater as well. Table 1 details Army and Marine Corps theater requirements and worldwide inventory quantities of the body armor as of February 2007.

CENTCOM requires that all U.S. military forces and all DOD civilians in the area of operations receive the body armor system. Currently, service members receive all service-specific standard components of the body armor system prior to deploying. For example, the Army issues the shoulder protection equipment to all its forces; however, Marine Corps personnel receive this equipment item in theater on an as-needed basis. The Army and the Marine Corps provide the DOD civilians with components of the armor system. However, the time frame for receipt of these items varies as some receive the body armor prior to deploying and others upon arrival in theater. Army unit commanders only reported one body armor issue in their December 2006 to February 2007 classified readiness reports. This one issue did not raise a significant concern regarding the body armor. Moreover, Marine Corps commanders’ comments contained in the December 2006 and January 2007 readiness reports did not identify any body armor issues affecting their units’ readiness. In December 2006 and January 2007, the Army, in its critical equipment list did not identify body armor as a critical equipment item affecting its unit readiness.

Controls in Place to Assure Body Armor Meets Requirements

The Army and Marine Corps have controls in place during manufacturing and after fielding to assure that body armor meets requirements. Both services conduct quality and ballistic testing prior to fielding and lots are rejected if the standards are not met. They both also conduct formal testing on every lot of body armor (vests and protective inserts) prior to acceptance and issuance to troops. During production, which is done at several sites, the lots of body armor are sent to a National Institute of Justice-certified laboratory for ballistic testing and to the Defense Contract Management Agency for quality testing (size, weight, stitching) prior to issuance to troops. Figure 2 illustrates the lot acceptance process.

Once approved, the body armor is issued to operating forces. Currently, both Army and Marine Corps personnel are issued body armor prior to deployment. The Army lot failure rate from January 2006 to January 2007 was 3.32 percent for the enhanced small arms inserts, and there were no failures for the outer tactical vests. From February 2006 to February 2007, the Marine Corps lot failure rate was 4.70 percent for the outer tactical vests.

Although not required to do so, after the systems have been used in the field, the Army does limited ballistic testing of outer tactical vests and environmental testing of the outer tactical vests and the inserts. The Marine Corps visually inspects the vest and the plates for damage. According to Army officials, there has been no degradation of body armor based on ballistic and environmental testing results. Additionally, to determine future improvements, the Army and the Marine Corps body armor program offices monitor and assess the use of body armor in the field, including the review of medical reports from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. For example, the Army and Marine Corps added side plates and throat protection based on body armor usage in the field.

DOD has a standard methodology for ballistic testing of the hard body armor plates, but not for the soft body armor vest. Currently, DOD’s Director, Operational Test and Evaluation Office is developing a standard methodology for ballistic testing of the soft body armor to eliminate discrepancies in testing methodologies. The new standard is expected to be issued sometime in 2007.

Army and Marine Corps Share Body Armor Information

The Army and Marine Corps share information regarding ballistic requirements and testing, and the development of future body armor systems, although they are not required to do so. For example, in August 2006, the Marine Corps attended the Army’s test of next generation body armor types at Fort Benning, Georgia. Similarly, the Army sent representatives to attend the Marine Corps’s operational assessment of the new Modular Tactical Vest. DOD officials indicate that there is no requirement to share information. Title 10 of the U.S. Code allows each service to have separate programs, according to Army and Marine Corps officials. Nevertheless, the services are sharing information regarding ongoing research and development for the next generation of body armor.

Contractors and Non- DOD Civilians Are Provided Body Armor Where Permitted

Regarding contractors or non-DOD civilians, DOD Instruction 3020.41 allows DOD to provide body armor to contractors where permitted by applicable DOD instructions and military department regulations and where specified under the terms of the contract. It is CENTCOM’s position that body armor will be provided to contractors if it is part of the terms and conditions of the contract. According to CENTCOM officials, non- DOD government civilians such as State Department civilians are expected to make their own arrangements to obtain this protection. However, the officials said that commanders, at their discretion, can provide body armor to any personnel within their area of operation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Army and Marine Corps have taken several actions to address concerns, including assuring that the body armor systems meet the current theater requirements and that the amounts needed in theater are available. However, ballistic theater threats can change, and the services will need to continue to monitor and evaluate the theater ballistic threats in order to develop and provide individual body armor that can counter these changing threats. The services also will need to monitor and evaluate new technologies that may counter emerging theater ballistic threats. Moreover, they will need to continue to assure that controls are in place during manufacturing and after fielding to assure that existing and future body armor systems meet theater ballistic requirements.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be pleased to respond to any questions you or other Members of the Committee may have.

Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments

For more information regarding this testimony, please call me at (202) 512- 8365. Individuals making key contributions to the testimony include: Grace Coleman, Alfonso Garcia, Lonnie McAllister, Lorelei St. James, and Leo Sullivan.

This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately.