Washington, D.C.-Some of the gear that has been issued to members of the Army has been recalled, nearly 16,000 flak vests and body armor that has been found in an audit to not meet specifications necessary to stop bullets and resulting in possible vest failure.
Army Secretary Pete Geren issued the recall after the Defense Department Inspector General informed his office about the flak vest audit, and that it may fail in the field.
The Army is being found to have not insured as intensive of testing procedures as they might have, or that they have in the past. The New Improved Body Armor Vest that is now in testing is hoped to help replace some of the older vests that are being recalled.
The Inspector General Gordon Heddel wrote a letter on January 27th finding fault with the older vests, and finding them to be deficient gear. Army Secretary Gerens office immediately issued a recall for the vest involved.
Gerens office believes the vests to be sound but is issuing the recall to be better safe than sorry. No U.S. Soldier has been damaged or killed by these flak vest or their failures, but the inspector General is saying that these vests need to be replaced.
