In Focus: Intercepter Body Armor

Of the many items that I have been issued since being mobilized, there is one with which I absolutely have a love-hate relationship.  It is the Interceptor Body Armor, or IBA for short.  (The military shortens the name of everything.)  I've nicknamed mine "The Beast."

The Beast consists of eight pieces:  a vest with front and back armor plates, two side plates, two upper arm protectors, two side protectors, and a neck protector.  Put together The Beast weighs about 50 lbs.

While wearing The Beast, I feel like I have a 50 lb kid standing on my shoulders wearing roller blades.  It is uncomfortable, limits movement, slows walking and running, and moves the body's center of gravity higher, which requires getting used to balancing with it while bending, walking, running and shooting.

I dread putting on The Beast and look forward to removing it at every opportunity.  Along with The Beast, I have a helmet that weighs 4 lbs, knee pads, elbow pads, a pistol belt, holster and 9mm, along with an M-16 rifle.  I also wear a Camelbak, which holds about a gallon and half of water.  The gear together comes in at about 70 lbs.  Given I weigh 145 lbs, the gear increases my body weight by nearly 50%.

However, I know why I have to wear The Beast - it may save my life.  In past wars where warfighters were not issued body armor, for every one killed, two to three were wounded.  In our current conflict, the ratio is one in nine.  Body armor is saving lives where, without it, many would have sustained fatal injuries.

These past two weeks have also given me great empathy for those soldiers and Marines who stand watch for hours on end wearing their IBA in 135 degree heat.  It has been in the seventies here in SC during our training.  Normally, these conditions would be comfortable, but with an IBA, it gets hot quickly.  

So say a prayer for those men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan whose job requires them to wear these devices for hours in the oppressive heat, while maintaining a focus on their mission.  It's just one more reason why they are all heroes.