ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. — Female Airmen assigned to the 28th Security Forces Squadron received the Aspetto Mach V Female Body Armor (FBA) system at Ellsworth Air Force Base on March 2.
Previously, female defenders wore the same body armor specifically designed for their male counterparts.
The new gear has an adjustable back corset that tightens to fit, and also features a design that is not one-size-fits-all. This allows the vest to conform to the female torso and provide better coverage.
“The differences between the plate carriers are the sizes and fit,” said Master Sgt. Jennifer Osborn, a 28th SFS flight chief. “Most of the male sizes are too large for smaller female frames, and the weight distribution differs between males and females.”
This addition of female body armor came as part of the Reconstitute Defender Initiative, a comprehensive effort for the Air Force launched by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein to revitalize and reconfigure security forces squadrons.
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