I tried on the new flak my unit, 3/5, will be receiving before our September deployment. I don't know how many have seen it or tried it on already, but it's pretty rough. It's not so bad once you've got it strapped on; kind of bulky, but otherwise well balanced. It's just a ***** to get on and off. Gone are the days when you could yell 'Gear up!' and have everyone ready in two minutes. Now you no **** need a flak buddy now to help you get it on. It goes over your head like most chest rigs, and comes together by tugging forward on the wings that flap to the sides, pulling them across your stomach where they velcro down. The neck pro utilizes velcro too, instead of buttons. (I like that.) With ESAPIs and side SAPIs, it's pretty bulky, but I suppose it's worth it if it keeps my out of the dirt.

Is that new gear so bulky that you aren't as mobile as you should be?

I have had the new Flak, the MTV for about 4 months now. Its part of the Marine Corps going buck wild with their stupid PPE (Personal Protective Equiptment) Campaign. The new flak chafes the hell out of your hips, its a bulky bastard and it does hinder movement. I hate it. You feel like a friggin turtle wearing it. If you end up on your back, have fun trying to get up. Sacrificing mobility for a false sense of security. The Side SAPIs don't even cover much, a round can still enter your vest and turn your heart and lungs into jell-o.

Oh and you do NOT need a buddy to put it on.

Since it is so bulky, it is a bullet proof vest? Or still just a flak jacket?

This is what the new Flak Looks like. The Modular Tactical Vest

That pic on Wiki has three Marines helping one Marine attach the rig. That seems like a waste of time

Yeah after awhile, you get used to the vest and can put it on yourself.

It's starting to look more like the Eagle CIRAS gear or FSBE, whatever you want to call it. Just a word for anyone who just got fitted, I noticed we had guys put them together and all weighed down there was definitely some stretching and it started to hang low so think about that. Secondly about hip chaffige I've seen guys get those battle rigs way too big and then it'd be down around their waist, if you get it to fit snug and what not it should be pretty high and you've got that groovy back thing that hangs down to cover the revealed portion of your lower back (something I've been wanting to install.)

Other than that, looks like way more options for pouches and stuff which turns out to be bad because you'll only be expected to carry more ****.

Well on the plus side it should help you maintain your slim figure

Won't see many fat grunts coming back from Iraq I bet

I don't understand why we never got the Dragonskin jackets.

This is what was said in an article about Dragonskin in the Marine Times last month. I don't have a source, but this is what I can remember about the article.

Dragonskin weighs about 47lbs or so. The MTV weighs 30lbs. Dragonskin is made up of many small interlocking plates. After taking so many rounds, the plates start to loose their round stopping capability. And at about 140 Degrees the glue that holds them together melts and they become loose thus making the vest less effective.

Either that, or the MTV is cheaper and we tend to purchase from the lowest bidder.

I saw the Vest on cspan, in front of the defense approration Commitee, they had a Marine Officer and an enlisted Marine show off the Vest and answer questions about it from the senators of the Committee, some were VN War vets.

The key points about the vest were protection and getting it off easy enough and quickly. It realy didn't get into getting it on, thinking that a Marine will have time to get it on, but need to get it off as the main concern.

I think that the main CONCERN IS ARMOR up, and not about tactical use. The Public, Mommy, Daddy and the GOV wants you Marines to be armored up to the teeth and to bring most of ya home.


The Gov did what the PUBLIC wanted, I think?

quote:

Originally posted by bigEMarDet77:
I think that the main CONCERN IS ARMOR up, and not about tactical use. The Public, Mommy, Daddy and the GOV wants you Marines to be armored up to the teeth and to bring most of ya home.


The Gov did what the PUBLIC wanted, I think?

Thats pretty much it. The friggin beauracrats and admin weenies who will never have to wear the damn thing write it off as a success. You feel like a goddamned turtle in the vest. We are sacrificing freedom of movement for a false sense of security, because there are gaps in the vest....one well placed round will still turn your heart into jell-o. This just makes mommy and daddy feel better.

Give it time and everybody who goes outside the wire will be wearing EOD bomb suits

quote:

Originally posted by Stacy0311:
Give it time and everybody who goes outside the wire will be wearing EOD bomb suits

Dude, you got no idea. The Marine Corps is going ape sh i t wild over Personal Protective Equiptment, or PPE. And now you can be NJPed for not wearing full PPE which is your vest with 4 SAPI Plates, Throat Neck and Groin protection, Nomex Flight Gloves, and Ballistic Glasses.

Stacy0311 - You're closer than you think. The whole MRAP mass-buy that is going on now to fight IEDs - the MRAP started out as an EOD / combat engineer vehicle.

did they ever issue those turret gunner suits?

I remember reading about them. Basically a modified EOD suit for whoever was going to be up on the gun in a Humvee.

All I know is that wearing an IBA with SAPI plates, throat and groin protector in Kosovo was a ****ing joke. Although the plates did help me stay upright while sleeping in the Humvee

quote:

Originally posted by Stacy0311:
did they ever issue those turret gunner suits?

I remember reading about them. Basically a modified EOD suit for whoever was going to be up on the gun in a Humvee.

the monkey suit, the flak pants and stupid sleeves? yeah but at the end we also got the shoulder pads, they actually allowed you to bend your arms.

You'd have to be ****ing stupid to try and wear that whole getup for a dismounted patrol. Although the pants did save my sawgunner's nuts literally when he was in the turret.

The loss of mobility vs. the armor protection is shitty because guys were getting hit in very specific areas that negated the armor.

Is the MTV being fielded in Iraq/Afghanistan currently, or is it still being "tested out" in the states? It would be good to hear about someone who used it in combat to see how it compares to the interceptor. I personally dont have my gripes about the interceptor, gives me enough freedom or movement to do what I gotta.

Damn, I feel sorry for you guys! I thought it sucked going from the Viet-Nam style flak vest to the "Pressure cooker" form fitting one. Guess I had it pretty good after all.

Good luck, and God bless,

-Frank