The Beast of Burden?: USMC Rethinking Body Armor Requirements

I’ve been watching the past few months as the Marine Corps prepares to go into Afghanistan.  Comparisons to Iraq are natural, but anyone who practices the military profession realizes that there are some similarities, but the differences are significant.

One of the main differences is the terrain in Afghanistan, which is much harsher than in Iraq.  The infrastructure (road network) is far less developed and much of the geography is downright vicious.

When the Iraq war kicked off the Congressional war cry was for more armor for the troops – more body armor and hardened vehicles.  Unfortunately, the terrain in Afghanistan is unforgiving on heavy things – Marines wearing too much body armor and vehicles designed to mitigate roadside bombs.

Currently, a combat ready Marine can be required to carry up to 80 pounds or more of protective equipment and other gear (rifle, water, ammunition).  A protective vest alone weighs about 35 pounds.

The Marine Corps has looked at the requirements of Afghanistan and come to the conclusion that the current weight of protective gear a Marine carries is a liability in executing the mission AND protecting the Marine.

Marine Lt. Gen. George Flynn, Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Combat Development and Integration, recently told Congress, “The bottom line is the focus on armor as the principal means of protecting our force is making us too heavy.”

In separate comments, Brig. Gen. Tim Hanifen, Deputy Commanding General of the Marine Combat Development Command, said, “Being able to maneuver and fight and chase down a fleeing enemy; that’s actually where your protection is (versus) armoring up and being more static.”

The political “hot potato” here is convincing a war-weary public that less-is-more.  Jean Malone, Deputy Director of Experiment Plans at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab said there could be backlash if a commander decides protective gear is not suited for a particular mission and a service member is killed.

To mitigate this problem, the Marines are testing and fielding a vest that weighs less than 20 pounds, and are looking for a lighter hardened vehicle solution.

Additionally, the Marines are educating Congress about their less-is-more philosophy in hopes of avoiding a public backlash.