Well, I can only tell you that the guys I talked with today said that there were a few "stupid ones" that would remove a plate or two. But they said those were definately the minority. They did say it was usually the drivers that removed the back plate because it hurt when driving a Stryker.

They have some vests they brought back that prove their effectiveness. One took a direct hit from an RPG; another took three rounds in the center of the chest. Both guys are alive today.

They also said that after wearing it awhile you don't notice it. So maybe some guys weren't in an environment where it was as necessary as others.

I don't doubt their crdibility, gv, but if given the choice between face-to-face accounts by Stryker NCOs versus an obscure article written by someone interpretting what a public relations officer told them, well, that's a no-brainer.