Body armor anyone?

[kalboy]

Is anyone here, besides LEOs and military , wearing body armor as part of their SD prep?

 

[Disposable Heart]

Used to, about 3-4 years ago. Wore it around quite a bit (Second Chance Level II). Realstically, sucked. While not "heavy" it was hot, uncomfortable, bulked up my clothing (could not wear JUST a T shirt as it would look atrocious), etc... It severely limited my mobility in the car (reaching to get into the glovebox with seatbelt on was a real treat...

All in all, not worth it. Civilian's Rule #1: Get home alive at the end of the night. If I NEED body armor, then I am doing something pretty darn stupid or should just RUN! If I am in a situation where body armor is of usage, then I messed up (situational awareness) or would be of little use (knife across throat, shot in face, kicked in crotch, etc...).

For it's VERY slight benefit, it's cons are far too many to name. Police have a good use for it as they are required by their job to get into things requiring violence sometimes or the threat of violence aimed directly at them. I am not. While it can be a useful tool in severely (and almost mall ninja ish situations) limited situations, our most important tool is our eyes/ears and mind. Use distance and common sense (not walking into a biker bar wearing pink tutu) as armor. :twoccents:

 

[Blackhawk2001]

I would have it available, if I had some. Got used to wearing it while I worked for MCSD and didn't find it terribly uncomfortable except at the height of summer. Situational awareness isn't omniscience and relatively concealed body armor might save your life from a stray or even a deliberate shooting.

 

[rmabrey]

Ive been considering it for when I start working on an ambulance. Not sure how much it would hinder care but I know some medics locally wear it. As far as I know there has never been an EMT/Medic shot in Evansville, but I sure dont want to be the first

 

[vitamink]

there have been a couple emts shot at here in indy. They haven't been shot, but that's just because it's hard to shoot someone if you're holding the gun sideways and yelling what street you live on while pulling the trigger...

 

[ggglobert9]

Interesting piece of trivia...I was a Paramedic for 15 years many moons ago! Several of my coworkers...including myself approached management about acquiring vests... up to and including purchasing them on our own. We were told that we should be smart enough to keep ourselves out of places of danger and were denied getting them.

 

[vitamink]

...we should be smart...i guess we'll just play it safe and stop taking runs then since most 911 calls are in the middle of the ghetto...management sucks.

 

[sepe]

there have been a couple emts shot at here in indy. They haven't been shot, but that's just because it's hard to shoot someone if you're holding the gun sideways and yelling what street you live on while pulling the trigger...

You sure get some strange looks when practice this technique at the range and it is a REALLY awkward position to get a follow up shot when shooting an 8mm Mauser.

I've got some armor hanging on my computer chair right now. I'm not sure I'd be wearing every day but IF I needed it, it'll be there.

 

[Shay]

As with any piece of gear, don't wait until you need it to start training with it.

If you own a vest, put it on and wear it when you train. It will likely affect the way you move, draw, sit, squat, run....

Get used to the differences now. Under stress is not the time to find out that you can't do what you need to do.

 

[96firephoenix]

I would think that body armour would be a practical thing to train with and have for home defence. if someone is breaking into your home, you are not putting yourself in a poorly chosen situation, the situation is choosing you and I would want anything and everything that helps me live to tell the tale.

for everyday use... see what those who came before me wrote.

 

[dsol]

I have a used level II vest that I slip on if something goes bump in the night. Only good against pistol rounds, but that is all I would likely to encounter if some thug was breaking and entering. My little furry alarm systems should give me a little warning I hope. If they dont like the intruder to death first. They normally bark then lick, so I should be goood.

 

[Gabriel]

Your chest will smell like your feet when you take the damn thing off...................

That's no lie. It takes me about five minutes to soak a t-shirt under my vest when it's over 60 degrees out. It takes a little longer when it's colder, but still have to peel it off every night.

 

[IndianaResident]

Disposable Heart put it very succinctly.

I can imagine the increased difficulty you would have explaining that you're simply an armed citizen minding your own business when wearing body armor.

Even soft armor helps soften and deflect blunt attacks and knifes. The trauma stressed people can inflict knows no bounds, and that may be an argument to put to the bosses. For example, I saw a man go into seizure during a taekwondo sparring match, and he bruised more than a few people before he was under control. Poor example, maybe, but I don't have to tell EMTs non-deliberate threats to their person are pretty common as well.

Anyone have any thoughts on what body armor would do for you in say, a car accident?

 

[grimor]

if your gonna put it on at some point and try to fight/shoot you need to train with it before hand. You'd be surprised how many things you have to adjust to do even some simple things (like get up off the ground/out of a chair/out of a car) I recommend a carrier with a quick release system, much better than trying to cut burnt/melted kevlar off you or try to cut through it to get to an injury.

I gave up trying to get the smell out of my issued carrier, smells like 600 buckets of **** were dumped on it. Just got a new one.

 

[Denny347]

I've worn one for 8 hrs a day for the last 13 yrs...I HATE them. They are stiff and extremely hot and are obvious under most any clothing. I will always wear one while in uniform but I sure as hell am not going to when off. I wear one at work because I'm a walking bullet sponge. Not so when off. Not a bad idea to have one handy (better to have one and not need it then need one and not have it) but unless your job places you at extra risk, there is little need to wear it daily.

 

[Pale Rider]

If you are a civilian, not working private security and your personal threat assessment determines you need to wear body armor.... what your really need is to relocate, or reconsider the parameters and validity of your initial threat assessment.

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

Even soft armor helps soften and deflect blunt attacks and knifes...

...and helps save the spines of former Marine working a security job when both feet slip out from underneath them on a gravelly incline and they slam the ground with their entire weight focused right between their shoulder blades.

I had bought a kevlar vest (used, Level IIIA) within the first week of starting this job as an armed security officer after seeing the ghettos (25th and Keystone, 46th and Arlington, the Meadows ) where this company had most of their Section 8 apartment building/complex contracts. I told myself from the beginning that no matter how easy/safe the job site appeared to be, I was always going to wear my vest just for the mere simple fact that our uniforms (intentionally) looked very similar to LEO uniforms, and I didn't feel like playing bullet sponge for a nutcase off his meds and looking to settle a score with the nearest cop-like individual.

My discipline of always wearing it at work paid off when I was assigned to watch a construction site at night to keep the tools and building supplies from walking off. This site was a bit out in BFE in the southeast corner of Marion county with no phone, no lights, no motor traffic, not a single luxury...and the closest house was at least a quarter mile away, as primitive as can be... The guy I relieved briefed me on the site/contract and said I could just stay in my car the whole shift, but that just didn't sit well with either the Marine in me, nor the 1st and "12th" General Order:

1: "I will take charge of all (client...not government) property in view."
12: "I will walk my post from flank to flank and take no off any rank!"



So after finishing my coffee in my car, I grabbed my Maglight and took a tour of the job site. After seeing all the property there was to guard in about 20 seconds, I noticed a gap in the weeds and a small pond at the bottom of a fairly gentle (20 degrees max) 10-12 foot long slope. I was easing my way down near the edge just to eyeball it for lack of anything else to do when Shhhhh-BAM!!!! Both feet slid and flew out from under me on the ball-bearing-like pebbles and gravel that was on the hard-packed slope. My feet go horizontal, but since I am on a slope with my feet pointing toward the low end, gravity gravely gravitates me back to earth and the high end of the slope and the center of my back are the first one to meet and greet each other.

Even with the vest on, it knocked the wind completely out of me and I was gasping to fill empty lungs. Without the vest, considering how hard I slammed the ground and how hard the ground and rocks were, I would have cut the skin and/or broke my upper vertebrae. So even without guns and knives involved, it saved me from serious injury.

Anyone have any thoughts on what body armor would do for you in say, a car accident?

It would have kept me from collapsing my lungs in the head-on collision I had on SR-67 right at the 2-lane to divided 4-lane merger, which happened about 18 months before I decided test the impact protective capabilites of my kevlar vest... I was clinically dead for a few minutes during that bit of fun and games...wear your seatbelts *properly* boys and girls, without setting an excessive amount of slack in it , mmmkay?

 

[christman]

You'd be suprised at how many LEO's don't wear vests anymore. I'd wager a shade over 50%.

 

[IndianaResident]

Bushido Devil Dog...I'm going to market you to body armor companies to use as an advertising campaign. I'm willing to accept 70% for being your manager. Let me know.

But that's interesting about the car wreck thing. I was wondering because I've heard non-specific stories of soft armor keeping things in place (i.e. ribs and organs) when a body is getting tossed around a fair bit. Guess we have some justification for this armored civilian concept, besides not wanting to slow down rounds flying.

If you are a civilian, not working private security and your personal threat assessment determines you need to wear body armor.... what your really need is to relocate

Not always an option, but well put.