Marines Recall Combat Vests

The U.S. Marine Corps is recalling 5,277 combat vests issued to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Djibouti after a newspaper article raised the possibility that they failed a test to determine whether they could stop a bullet.

In a statement, the Marines said they are recalling the vests to alleviate any doubts caused by a Marine Corps Times article published Monday. Service officials insisted they do not believe the vests are faulty.

The armor in question is called the "Outer Tactical Vest" and it is part of the Interceptor body armor package issued to troops in combat zones. The vest, when combined with protective plates, is designed to stop a rifle round.

Without the plates, the vest should still provide some protection against 9 mm pistol rounds and fragments from an explosion. But several vests manufactured by Point Blank Body Armor of Pompano Beach, Fla., fell short of the Marines' standards during testing in 2004, according to Capt. Jeff Landis, a Marine spokesman.

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