Modern Combat Vest

[Snake Master]

Just a quick question, but do Modern American soldiers attach gear pouches directly to their vest or are they attached to a load bearing vest?

Thanks,
Michael

[homerj109]

Both. Pouches and such can be attached directly to the body armor using the MOLLE system, but we are also issued a load bearing vest that we can wear over our body armor. But in general, if we are wearing our body armor we would attach pouches directly to them, and if we aren't wearing body armor we will wear our load bearing vest instead. Using both would be extra weight but in some cases aftermarket load bearing vests or chest rigs are more comfortable. Depending on the unit, this could be up to user preference, especially when deployed.

[Snake Master]

So when deployed they are attached directly to vest, and when in training they are attached to the M.O.L.L.E. rig?

Thanks,
Michael

[AMTG]

Depends.....I deployed to Iraq with a vest, but never wore it, as it was easier to attach pouches to the body armour....depending on what you were doing, you could change them quicker as well

For use back in Australia, we used the vest as we didn't need body armour

[Snake Master]

So basically it is just soldiers preference? And you just do what you want to do. So its a personal thing?

Thanks,
Michael

[homerj109]

In the Army there isn't much left to personal preference when uniformity is a constant. Being deployed is the only real time we get to have any degree of personal preference in our kit. But even that depends on whether your units Standard Operating Procedures would even allow it.

But the way the system was designed, and the way our Soldiers are shown to wear the system in Basic Training is to wear the vest over the body armor in combat and wear only the vest during road marches, when we train or shoot "slick" (without helmet or body armor) or other training where we don't wear our plates. While at the same time in other units have done away with the vest and make you wear your body armor with pouches directly attached for everything you do.

The short answer is we wear what we are told to wear unless we are given some flexibility in personalizing our body armor set up, but in general you would see us wear our body armor with pouches attached because more than lightly that would be how we would deploy.

[Snake Master]

Wow, thanks. I am currently begining a Desert storm and a Iraq/Afganistan war collection and this helps a lot.

Thanks,
Michael

[homerj109]

No problem, for Desert Storm the old ALICE Load Bearing Equipment (LBE) was still being used and would have been worn over the old PASGT flak vest.

If you need some inspiration the website below is a great collection of military photos of all eras and countries:

Strictly Photos & Video

[Snake Master]

What are all the kinds of pouches that are worn on a modern combat vest?

Thanks,
Michael

[jimpy]

What are all the kinds of pouches that are worn on a modern combat vest?

Thanks,
Michael

Hi Michael,

Depends on what you mean by "modern" and what nationality.

If you are talking about the US armed forces, then, I'm sorry, but I can't help. However, if you're talking about the British armed forces, the "Molle" system is in current usage.

Regards etc
Ian D

AKA: Jimpy