Pentagon rushes underwear armor to Afghanistan

genitals, Fuller said. Kevlar bike shorts and heavy silk underwear are also being issued to some troops to prevent bomb debris from perforating their abdomens.

•Handheld ground-penetrating radar systems called Minehounds help troops find buried bombs with few metallic parts that could be discovered by conventional detectors. Commanders want more than 600 of the devices.

•Heavy-weight chaps that can be worn in areas where troops fear IEDs are hidden.

Because troops already carry as much as 100 pounds of gear, adding heavy clothing or armor in Afghanistan

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Pentagon rushes underwear armor to Afghanistan

By Vyacheslav Oseledko, AP/Getty Images

Troops wounded by improvised explosive devices or IEDs have gone from an average of 22 a month in 2008 to 281 a month in 2010

EnlargeCloseBy Vyacheslav Oseledko, AP/Getty Images

Troops wounded by improvised explosive devices or IEDs have gone from an average of 22 a month in 2008 to 281 a month in 2010

The number of troops wounded by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has gone from an average of 22 a month in 2008 to 281 a month in 2010, the year that a surge of 30,000 troops ordered by President Obama was completed.

Although soldiers and Marines wear armored vests, they generally have no such protection below the waist against explosives that detonate when stepped on. The counterinsurgency strategy overseen by Gen. David Petraeus emphasizes the increased use of foot patrols to root out insurgents and avoid civilian casualties.

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