[Puppage]

I understand that the body armor in question (at the time) was a proto-type version and that was the reason for the delay......they were waiting for the final version.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Yes, the manufacturers took a while to meet the volume needs of the DoD, and those were not fully met until early 2004.

Could the DoD put out procurement requests before congress approved it?

[TeleStraightShooter]

Do you know anything about how Kerry's vote against the $87 billion delayed the need body armor?

[Criminal Number 18F]

I understand that the body armor in question (at the time) was a proto-type version and that was the reason for the delay......they were waiting for the final version.

Nope. The design of the IBA was final in 2001 and combat troops had it in 2002. It continues to get tweaked -- the web loops were changed from vertical to horizontal in 2002 production, and shoulder pads were added in late 2003. But these changes are made as a running change on the production line, and refit in the field.

What held the armour up was: (1) not enough production capacity, coupled with (2) the Army deciding that all troops must have the best armour, not just troops whose mission was direct ground combat.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F