The Army announced a new, lighter, more efficient body armor for troops in April.

The Army began development of the IOTV in the spring of 2006, narrowing down industry offers from 17 to six later in the year. Testing among the remaining competitors was conducted by Soldiers at Fort Lewis, Wash. in January and February, the Army said.

Officials with PEO Soldier were unavailable to comment on which of the competitors will manufacture the new IOTV or how quickly it will be fielded.

Nothing has changed, even though troops are dying daily.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Army is late in delivering newer, lighter body armor to soldiers downrange.

In April, an official with Program Executive Officer Soldier (PEO Soldier) said that soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan would begin to receive the Improved Outer Tactical Vests that month.

“The Army will begin fielding the IOTV April 07 as directed by [Headquarters, Department of the Army/ Army Central Command],” said Steven Pinter in an e-mailed response to questions to Stars and Stripes last month.

Awright! Good deal! A slightly better chance for a few young Americans to survive Mr Bu$h’s ego-war and come home alive.

Not exactly.

But the Army has not yet awarded a contract for the new body armor, according to PEO Soldier, the Army’s development center for advanced soldier equipment.

Officials at PEO Soldier declined to comment about why no contract has been awarded.

“It is not common Army practice to discuss pending contract awards in the media,” an e-mailed response from PEO says. “As soon as contracts are in place, PEO Soldier would be pleased to conduct an interview with Stars and Stripes.”

Asked if he could say why no such contract had been awarded, Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, who handles Army resources issues said, “No, I can’t.”

After all, it’s only been five weeks, and Mr Bu$h and Mr Rove have been preoccupied with trying to avoid being locked up in jail for their part in the burgeoning AttorneyGate scandal (and the soon-to-be-made-public scandal involving the FBI’s ultra-secret illegal domestic program) and they haven’t been able to make the appropriate deal with a Republican Party big pocket$ donor.

(On Greenwald’s column, pay attention to “Update II.”)

Sooner or later, as is the track record with the Bu$h malAdministration, they’ll get the graft squared away, and they’ll then start paying attention to the needs of the troops. Until that time, the delay will continue to be the fault of the Democratic Congress.