Diagnostic Memo

Diagnostic Memo

From : Jane F . Walker

To : John Q . Public

Subject : Purchase of body armor for Mr . Public 's son Nehemiah to serve in Iraq

Body armor is indispensable for anybody who wants to maximize chances for survival in the military action . Desire to survive is nothing to be ashamed of - after all , a dead warrior is of little use to the nation that sent it into the thicket of the battle . Therefore , careful protection is essential

Purchase of body armor requires certain knowledge on its types and variations

, established by the NIJ (National Institute of Justice ) as Levels I , IIA , II , IIIA , III , and IV . These levels are tested and certified by the NIJ to stop the penetration of a particular ammunition caliber and mass , traveling at various muzzle velocities at an industry standard 5 meters (for types I thru IIIA ) and 15 meters for III and IV (CompassPoint Investigations . Buying body armor without NIJ certification or used one is in most cases a waste of time and money and an economy that may put your son 's life in danger

Here I would like to familiarize you a little bit with different armor types to give you a general idea of their variety . Type I armor will save from 22 Long Rifle High Velocity lead bullets and 38 Special round nose lead bullets . Since this is too little for most situations , as for instance , law enforcement officers encounter on a daily basis , Type II-A armor was designed protecting against 357 Magnum jacketed soft point bullets and 9 mm full metal jacketed bullets . The difference between Type II-A and Type II is in the velocity of the bullets : while Type II-A offers protection from bullets flying at a speed of 381 m per second or less (lower velocity , Type II protects from those with velocity of 425 m per second or less . Type III saves from high-powered rifles , and Type IV is the highest level of protection useful even against armor-piercing rifles

It is recommended that you buy body armor that has a level of protection of IIA or higher . IIA (9 mm FMJ at 1 ,090 fps ) is considered to be the bare minimum for pistol fire . Since your son may be exposed to heavier fire in the hot spot where he is going , you may want to increase the level of protection . The choice will depend to some degree on the level of comfort different types of body armor will have to offer

Another thing to look for when getting body armor is a vest that will hold armor plates in its pockets , at a minimum rated to stop standard military ball ammo (Body Armor . You may also want to consider vests with plates thick enough to stop armor piercing ammo , although their heavy weight is certainly a downside . The need for plates comes from the threat from a so-called blunt trauma that may emerge even after the ammunition was stopped by the vest . This trauma can...