The U.S. Army is planning to purchase a total of 840,000 protective vests, each equipped with ceramic plates that protect the wearer from high powered rifle bullets. This number of vests enables to army to equip every active duty and reserve soldier with the vests. This, in turn, means that the troops have the vests to wear during training back in the United States. This is important, because many troops, particularly reservists, dont get to wear the vests until they reach Iraq, and have to spend days, or weeks, getting used to moving around, and using their weapons, with these bulkier (because of the ceramic plates) vests.