Help me save your life-this DOESN'T work

[Eagle5US]

This is for Soldiers and their Leaders to take notice and help me save their lives.

I have been here in Sadr City for the past 15 months, have had right at 100 critical traumas on my table. I have seen about every sort of "gear set up" on my patients as I cut it off trying to access the man or woman underneath.
For those of you who utilize the IBA to mount your items, please read up.

The side plate attachment points and your axillary protectors are important.

1) More and more I am seeing where the axillary protectors are folded DOWN into the side plate pocket because they are "uncomfortable" in the armpit. This now exposes the armpit, which has been the area of multiple round and IED shrapnel hits allowing metal to penetrate the chest cavity.

2) The side plate attachment points MUST be left exposed so we can get to the snaps. When you are on the table, we unsnap the front snaps of your sideplates, pull the attachment ribbon, exposing the 2 side, "pull to tighten" and single elastic straps that we then CUT. Once these are cut, we cut the elastic of the axillary protector and flip the entire front of your vest straight up and behind you so you are now only laying on your back plate. We can then pull this out from under you.
Total time with a mangled, loaded vest and live patient about 15 seconds.

IF those side plate snaps are covered by gear....it takes us 3-5 MINUTES to cut you out of that gear.

I have seen so many of these, especially on the new arrivals, that today I decided to stop a soldier and take a photo of exactly what I was talking about.
Notice the folded down axillary protector AND the GP pouch placed over the top of the side plate attachment snaps (Laser Pointer spot).

Thanks for taking the time to read...help us help you. Seconds really do make the difference

Eagle