Body Armor: When to wear, when to leave it...?

[SHIVAN]

First, let me open this thread by saying I am looking for educated and firsthand responses only. So if you've never "jocked up" for non-square range activities, like I haven't, please just read the responses of those who have...


I am intensely curious, due to some recent reading, if our finest elite soldiers routinely leave on missions without body armor?

Policemen seem to wear it as religiously as they wear their duty pistol, yet I often see, and read, of our elite warriors not wearing it at all.

I'd like to understand the reasonings why one would chose to leave it vs. wear it.

[Dave L.]

What I have noticed lately is many guys are wearing less or no body armor in hard cars. Reason: If the blast can blow through the side of a hardened vehicle, the kevlar and plates just make it harder for your buddies to carry your injured/dead body.
+ Wearing a tac vest is easily noticed and may put you in more danger. (at least where I am)

Do I keep it in the vehicle, yes, with no mag pouches or anything- everything is in my "go bag".

[Dave L.]

First, let me open this thread by saying I am looking for educated and firsthand responses only. So if you've never "jocked up" for non-square range activities, like I haven't, please just read the responses of those who have...


I am intensely curious, due to some recent reading, if our finest elite soldiers routinely leave on missions without body armor?

Policemen seem to wear it as religiously as they wear their duty pistol, yet I often see, and read, of our elite warriors not wearing it at all.

I'd like to understand the reasonings why one would chose to leave it vs. wear it.

Who are you referring to?

[Failure2Stop]

Occasionally will leave armor for pure recon missions. Stand alone plates and carriers are occasionally used to provide protection without undue soft-armor weight, as well as a platform for minimal gear.

DA will always be in full (mission profile) kit, as contact is imminent.

Most snipers hate body armor, for many reasons, but especially the reduction in ability to stalk/conceal.

ETA-Many organizations have different rules/outlooks on the employment of armor.

[Don G.]

Content deleted.

[sff70]

Unfortunately, not all uniformed LEOs wear it, esp. in the more hot and humid environments.

It won't do any good if it's under a case of flares in the trunk of a crown vic.

[ddemis]

I have a level III-a point blank that I wore for law enf. duties and driving armored truck and I must agree it was damn hot and uncomfortable during the summer months and somewhat heavy( 7 pounds). But I never stopped wearing it after one of our officers was shot and killed by a 16 yr. old punk kid. I must firmly say wear it all the time for civilian use but the military has some obvious reasons why they leave it behind. I guess it comes down to the enviroment your operating in.

[M4Guru]

I wear a RAV on some missions (mounted patrols, etc.), but more often than not I wear a regular Paraclete plate carrier with soft armor backing. Mobility kills a lot of people. It's scary to think of all the shit Uncle Sam requires soldiers to wear. They look like the kid off of "A Christmas Story" when he's all bundled up in his winter suit. I wear Paraclete Level IV plates in both rigs.

Unless I am on SR or something I always wear some kind of armor. I don't see anyone rolling without armor in populated areas.

[ddemis]

I am still a big proponent of plates in my carrier especialy the ceramic type to up the level of protection. For some odd reason a silly rumor started in the mid 90's that a round could ricoche off the plate and go up in to your lower jaw. That rumor became so wide spread that within a few weeks nearly every housing officer and guard at AT systems I worked with had taken his plate out. Ever heard that one.

[jackinfl]

I am still a big proponent of plates in my carrier especialy the ceramic type to up the level of protection. For some odd reason a silly rumor started in the mid 90's that a round could ricoche off the plate and go up in to your lower jaw. That rumor became so wide spread that within a few weeks nearly every housing officer and guard at AT systems I worked with had taken his plate out. Ever heard that one.

I've heard it, but I thought it was from the hard steel rounded trauma plates that used (thinking early 1990's) to be in LE soft concealable armorer. Now all companies that i know of have soft trauma plates...
Jack