PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-689
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 689
APRIL 2010
50
PS 689
APR 10
No Rough Stuff
For starters, don’t play
rough with the inserts.
That means no throwing
them to the ground or
dropping them on hard
surfaces. Even though
they’re
tough,
the
inserts are ceramic and
they can crack if you
manhandle them. And
cracks weaken an insert’s
ballistic protection.
Inspecting
If your ESAPI or ESBI gets hit by bullets or fragments, its ballistic protection
is weakened. So play it safe. Turn in damaged inserts to support.
•
Handle the insert to see if it flexes.
•
Listen for crunching sounds that indicate
broken pieces.
•
Shake the insert and listen for loose pieces
rattling around.
•
Look for rips, tears or holes in the fabric that
expose the black ceramic tile.
If you ±nd any of these
problems,
the
insert
is
unserviceable. Turn it in to
support and get a replacement.
As a ±eld ±x during operations,
you can patch torn fabric with
100-mph tape, NSN 7510-00-
266-5016. But remember, this
is a temporary ±x until you can
replace the insert.
Take an Interest in Ceramic Inserts
Body Armor…
Take an Interest in Ceramic Inserts
inspect each insert for
cracks before each mission
and once a day during
garrison or field use.
it takes
more
than just looking
it over, because
cracks may be
hidden
under-
neath
the fabric.
Here’s
how to
inspect
your
insert…
•
Shake the insert and listen for loose
pieces rattling around.
the enhanced small arms protective inserts (esapI)
and the enhanced side ballistic inserts (esbI)
in your improved outer tactical vest (Iotv) are
components of the finest body armor ever made.
they can shield
your vital organs
from multiple
hits by rounds as
large as
7
.62mm.
they protect you, so how
about doing a little work
to protect them?
that includes
inspecting,
cleaning
and
storing.
Patch fabric with 100-mph tape
don’t
toss
inserts or
vests!
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2/22/10
4:46:03 PM
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