The Emperor's New Body Armor

[noamnety]

The Marine Corps issued to nearly 10,000 troops body armor that government experts urged the Corps to reject after tests revealed critical, life-threatening flaws in the vests.

In all, the Marine Corps accepted about 19,000 Interceptor outer tactical vests from Point Blank Body Armor Inc. that failed government tests due to “multiple complete penetrations” of 9mm pistol rounds, failing scores on other ballistic or quality-assurance tests, or a combination of the two.

“Since these are lifesaving pieces of equipment and are being used in support of the Iraq war, I urge immediate action since this technical office has little confidence in the performance of the items to provide the contracted levels of protection as defined in the performance specification,” wrote ballistics expert James MacKiewicz in a memorandum rejecting two lots of vests on July 19, 2004. ..."

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-832873.php

[7th_Sephiroth]

1. i have a silk shirt that

deflects 9mm rounds better than that crap

[wakeme2008]

2. Sad fact is some parents brought this shit for

their sons/daughters going to Iraq and now this.

[rzemanfl]

3. The best body armor is an ocean separating our troops from

Iraq.

[Javaman]

4. Recently in Iraq...

A group of US soldiers gather round their captain...

Captain: Listen up, here we have first grade body armor! The best from the US!

private Pyle: who makes it, sir?

captain: what's the son?

private pyle: who makes the armor, sir?

The captain checks the tag on the inside of the armor.

captain: Says, Point Blank Body Armor, inc, do not dry clean, heh heh heh...

private snowball: Sir, I'm not wearing that stuff, it's tissue paper....

captain: soldier, you listen to me, this is first grade armor, our gov't wouldn't let us out in the field unless this stuff was safe...

private from the back of the crowd: just like our humvees right? hahahahah!

The group of soldiers start laughing.

captain: back in rank! you will wear this!

private cowboy: but it will get us killed.

captain: son, according to mr. rumsfeld, anything can kill you...

private parts: okay, so let me get this straight, you want us to wear substandard body armor, ride around in unarmored humvees while the Iraqi's continue to shoot and put IED's on the road?

captain: um...yeah.

private room: Than you wouldn't mind wearing the first one then sir?

[noamnety]

5. I googled the fellow who approved it

LTC Patricio.

He is also one of the folks supporting the use of uniforms doused with permethrin - even though it's one of a number of chemicals being looked into as a possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome.

His support (wearing insecticides is entirely safe, even for pregnant women!)
http://www.infowars.com/print/us/dowse_insecticide.htm

Committee report on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (search on permethrin):
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/T?&report=hr388&dbname=cp105&

Safety of our troops is obviously his number one concern.

[mopinko]

7. i always wondered about the insecticides

my nephew was there, and they were begging the folks back home to send them flea collars, that they wore, 4 or 5 at a time, around wrists and ankles. they also begged for deet, which they practically bathed in. that shit has to add up.

[dbt]

6. Kick for bu$hler's armored limousine(s).

Somebody needs to burn in hell for this.

[mopinko]

8. so, who's campaign contributions

greased this deal?