PM keeps IBA defending you.

That Interceptor body armor (IBA) you're wearing is hands down the finest body armor ever made. Its soft ballistic panels protect you against light fragmentation and 9mm rounds. Its small arms protective inserts (SAPI) protect you against rounds as large as 7.62mm.

Considering how the IBA protects you, you need to take a personal interest in its condition. That means thorough preventive maintenance. When was the last time you gave your body armor some PM? If it's been a while, take the PM pledge. Devote some time each week to the care and cleaning of your IBA.

Inspection

Start with a close inspection of the outer tactical vest (OTV). The OTV includes the following cloth carriers:

* base vest's outer shell

* groin protector

* throat protector 

* yoke and collar

* deltoid and axillary protectors

The OTV also includes all soft ballistic panels and inserts.

Here's what to look for when you inspect the OTV's cloth carriers:

Cuts, rips, tears, holes, or burns

Torn pockets or flaps

Torn or frayed webbing

You also need to inspect all soft ballistic panels and inserts. Look for:

Cuts, rips, tears, holes, or

Loose or broken stitching

Hits from fragmentation or small arms fire

Torn, damaged or missing hook-and-loop fasteners

Broken or missing buckles or snaps

Front hook-and-loop fastener won't close securely

Hits from fragmentation or small arms fire

Bunching or lumps that cannot be flattened

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Depending on the amount of damage, your OTV could be repaired or replaced. Ask direct support for guidance. Turn in a badly worn or damaged OTV to your supply folks so they can determine if it's serviceable. If it isn't, they'll give you a replacement.

Damaged soft panels and inserts have had their ballistic protection weakened. So play it safe. Always turn in damaged panels and inserts for direct support assessment/replacement.

Cleaning the OTV Cloth Carriers

OTV cloth carriers layered with mud and grime deserve a good cleaning. Washing them now and then helps prolong their lives and makes them more comfortable to wear. Besides, the Central Issue Facility (CIF) expects you to clean the carriers before turn-in. Follow this cleaning advice:

* Use a cloth or soft brush to sweep away loose dirt from the carriers and the hook-and-loop fasteners. Never use a wire, metal or stiff-bristled brush. It'll damage the material.

* Remove all soft ballistic panels and inserts and all small arms protective inserts (SAPI) from the carriers before washing.

* Wet the carriers with cold or lukewarm water. Hand-wash with mild detergent, NSN 7930-00-929-1221, and a soft brush. Never machine wash. It causes too much wear and tear on the fabric.

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* To clean heavy grease and oil, apply a mix of detergent and water directly on the spots and scrub with a soft brush. Repeat the cleaning if the stain is stubborn.

* After washing, rinse thoroughly in clean, lukewarm water until all traces of soap are gone.

* Hang the cloth carders to dry. You can dry them either indoors or outdoors in the shade. Never dry them in a machine dryer or near a heater or open flame--they'll fade and shrink the fabric.

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* Do not use chlorine bleach, solvents, cleaning fluids or petroleum products to clean the carriers. They can stain, fade and weaken the fabric and shorten its life.

Cleaning the Soft Ballistic Panels and Inserts

* Use a moistened cloth or soft brush to sweep away loose dirt from the panels and inserts.

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* Do not dunk the panels and inserts in water. It can damage the layers of ballistic protective fibers inside. When panels and inserts get soaked, the layers and the weave begin to pull apart or bunch up. Either way, they start to degrade. Once that happens, they start to lose their ballistic protection.

Never machine wash or dry clean panels and inserts. If they become wet, let them air dry fiat, indoors or outdoors in the shade. Never dry them in a machine dryer. And never dry them near a heater or open flame.

* Do not use chlorine bleach, solvents, cleaning fluids or petroleum products to clean the panels and inserts. * If they become soaked with bleach, gasoline, oil or lubricant, turn them in for assessment/replacement.