There have been many reports over the years about governments not providing sufficient body armor for soldiers out in war zones. However, it is worth remembering that such news reports always seize on the fantastical and the sensational, making stories out of half truths and isolated instances.
In reality, far more people are saved on a daily basis by the presence of body armor than are injured or killed as a result of a lack of it, and today more than ever, such armour and tactical equipment is able to be sourced cheaper than ever before whilst at the same time being even more effective.
The current range of body protection is often so good that many people who are shot in the heat of battle actually don’t feel the impact at all. Many bullets will be totally deflected whilst others will become lodged within the armour and, in the majority of cases, people speak of a stinging sensation or of no knowledge of being struck at all.
Films often show people being hit by bullets whilst wearing bulletproof vests and being thrown to the ground and seriously hurt by the impact. Whilst this might once have rang true, many bullets will now not even be felt, allowing people not only to have their lives saved, but also more importantly continue to focus on the serious task ahead of them.
The need for protective clothing and other tactical equipment is greater than ever and as the standards of such clothing rise, the need for ever greater standards of protection rise proportionately. Whilst the protective industry improves, so does the munitions industry meaning that as new products are released, the chances are new weapons will be too that will be able to penetrate older protective gear.
So, whilst we may be protected for now, the need to push the boundaries in what our protective gear can do is unlikely to ever stop.