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thedrifter
02-25-06, 06:25 AM
Local Marine buys his own flak jacket
WHEC-TV-10

There have been numerous stories about how body armor issued to American soldiers and Marines leaves the sides of the body vulnerable. The Marines have addressed that by issuing additional body armor to protect those areas. NEWS 10NBC spoke with a Marine on Friday that has a slightly different problem.

Lance Corporal Steven Giannetto arrived home Friday afternoon from Camp LeJeune to visit his family before being shipped out to Ramadi, Iraq. Giannetto, 24, is with India Company, III Battalion, 8th Marines.

Giannetto is a 1999 graduate of Northstar Christian Academy, and enlisted in the Marines right after the terrorist attacks of September 11th. He says the body armor S.A.P.I., Small Arms Protective Inserts, he was issued during his first tour of duty proved to be too small when loaded down with ammunition, grenades and water in 130-degree heat. The body armor left his torso vulnerable at times. Giannetto is stationed at Camp LeJeune and the Marines have not yet honored his request for a larger vest. So, faced with being sent back to Iraq next month with his old body armor, he did what others in his outfit have done. He went out and spent $185.00 for a new-type flak jacket. “Every time I would squat down, the Velcro that keeps it together would come undone,” Lance Corporal Giannetto explained. “And the S.A.P.I plate which is supposed to be directly in front to protect your vital organs would shift over to the side because the vest wasn't big enough.” The new vest he was purchased is Marine approved.

“These ones slide over your head so that if you have to loosen it up,” Giannetto said while describing his new flak jacket. “It has slips on the side, to breathe or get air or to relax, it doesn't take the S.A.P.I plate from your front, from your vital organs. I'm ready to go. There are people that are relying on me, and I'm prepared to do my time.”

Lance Cpl. Giannetto is the pointman in his unit, having a flak jacket he can depend on is important.

Ellie