Posted on Apr 25, 2015
Those of you still Active Duty or working Civilian Law Enforcement, What is your number one complaint with your PPE?
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Let me know what you dislike most about wearing Personal Protection Equipment? With all the different types of PPE's, there is usually one common complaint while wearing them. What is yours?
Posted in these groups: 
Law Enforcement
Police Officer
Police Sergeant
95B: Military Police
31A: Military Police
Law Enforcement Police Officer Police Sergeant 95B: Military Police 31A: Military Police
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 11
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The vests are absolutely terrible for law enforcement. On the deployment side, plate carriers are the best thing I ever had, bar none.
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Eye pro and ear pro . The eye pro always fogs up, gets sweaty, or dirty. It degrades your vision making it harder to do everything making you a less effective war fighter. Ear pro is more simple... No one wears it we have to be able to hear comm and we can't plug our ears. We need ear peices that hook up to our comm and have external microphones. Like a hearing aid.
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SGT (Join to see)
Besides the battery issues, the Harris was by far the best radio we had. It was an easy fill and the range, even with the handhelds, was ridiculously good.
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GySgt (Join to see)
It probably is a cost issue for that purchase but it will end up costing them the the tax payers more money on the back end paying for hearing aids
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I thought about some really good complaints like, weight, lack of agility, cumbersome, etc. and then I realized that it stops 7.62 mm ballistic projectiles, shrapnel and has save countless lives.
I have no complaints!
I have no complaints!
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Even the smallest size IOTV the Army issues doesn't fit properly. Plate carriers are definitely better in my opinion but leave more exposed.
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My number complaint is with bulkiness of the IOTV. In Iraq we wore sideplates, DAPs, throat protectors, tailbone protectors, and groin protectors on our IOTV. Thankfully we were mounted but I felt like the michelin man trying to manuever in it. What's more problematic is that you can't shoulder a rifle while wearing it. How are my riflemen supposed to put accurate fire on the objective with PPE like that?
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CSM (Join to see)
1LT L S
Not sure what train with it means but all the units I have ever served in do train with it. One of the principles of training is train how you fight.
Here's the problem. How are you training? Are you in the field, in FOBs wearing just ACUs and then putting your PPE on when you go out on missions? Or are you a light infantry unit operating dismounted for 30 days straight? Do you wear your PPE 24/7? A 10 klick movement to contact, over rough terrain, dismounted, in full PPE is not conducive to gaining the element of surprise or being agile enough to overwhelm your enemy.
PPE is great for what it was designed to do which is, riding in an armored vehicle to a dismount point, conducting a short dismounted patrol, getting back in the vehicle and RTB. Get back to the FOB, COP, JSS and take it off.
Continually wearing your PPE isn't going to make your body get use to it, that's like saying doing P.T. in MOPP 4 everyday will help you get use to wearing your JSLIST.
Not sure what train with it means but all the units I have ever served in do train with it. One of the principles of training is train how you fight.
Here's the problem. How are you training? Are you in the field, in FOBs wearing just ACUs and then putting your PPE on when you go out on missions? Or are you a light infantry unit operating dismounted for 30 days straight? Do you wear your PPE 24/7? A 10 klick movement to contact, over rough terrain, dismounted, in full PPE is not conducive to gaining the element of surprise or being agile enough to overwhelm your enemy.
PPE is great for what it was designed to do which is, riding in an armored vehicle to a dismount point, conducting a short dismounted patrol, getting back in the vehicle and RTB. Get back to the FOB, COP, JSS and take it off.
Continually wearing your PPE isn't going to make your body get use to it, that's like saying doing P.T. in MOPP 4 everyday will help you get use to wearing your JSLIST.
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More from when I was in LE, body armor does not breath. It's like your own personal sweat lodge.
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LCpl Brett McMeans
Bingo.. All PPE's really put the heat on in warm, humid climates. Especially LEO's who wear a uniform and try to maintain a professional appearance while dealing with the public. That's one of the reason our CTAV was created. Doesn't matter which PPE you wear, Our CTAV keeps you cooler and safer..
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
My chief complaint also in the summer esp. it got pretty hot wearing these vests. In the winter it was an extra layer and didn't bother Me. At least though Our vest were not off the shelf, they were custom fitted to each of us as individuals to include an extra carrier. I'm now retied from the Police department but at least I worked an agency that We were well equipped with top notch items. Each of us was also issued riot helmets with full face shield for added protection if needed.
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The maneuverability when wearing it is a huge factor. They found in Afghan that Plate Carriers. The weight of the IOTV to infantry units really reduced their ability to move. But on the down side it also reduced their level of protection. Now in Iraq the IOTV worked well as many units didn't need to move long distance or on any adverse terrain.
A lot of people don't like them. I will wear the stuff* out of mine. Better to have it and not need it and not have it an need it.
A lot of people don't like them. I will wear the stuff* out of mine. Better to have it and not need it and not have it an need it.
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Coming from an AGR the issue I have is that we only have it for a deployment then turn it back in and then get a new one for the next mission. I wish it was with the rest of my gear in the ISM and go with us as we move unit to unit.
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LTC (Join to see)
Agreed. This is a problem having been Active Duty and Guard, I see the hugh set back of only having it for deployment.
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On the Leo side of the house I would like to see the carrier double as the uniform shirt.maybe even attach to the duty belt to take some stress off the low back.
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