 This video is brought to you by the Program Manager, Infantry Combat Equipment, or PMIS. PMIS is a Program Management Office within Marine Corps Systems Command located in Quantico, Virginia. When first receiving an Improved Modular Tactical Vest, or IMTV, it is important to inventory all components of the vest. The vest consists of one front carrier, one back carrier with shoulder straps, one yoke and collar assembly, one throat protector, one groin protector, one lower back protector, two side plate pockets, one left and one right inner cummerbund, two cummerbund panels, one quick release cable, one rifle bolster, and one yob-yab shoulder strap. In addition to the IMTV, you will be issued two enhanced small arms protective inserts, or ESAPI, and two side small arms protective inserts, or side ESAPI. Prior to conducting a fore-corner check, ensure the size of the plate corresponds with the size of the vest. Take one hand and place it at a top corner of the plate, place the other hand at the bottom complementary corner of the plate. Holding the plate next to your ear, firmly twist and torque the plate. Repeat on the other corners. You should be listening for any crackling in the plate. It will sound like this. If any noise is heard, the plate should be returned and replaced by the issue facility. Next, take your fingers and firmly press around the edges of the plate to feel if there is any crumbling of the plate. Repeat the same process for the other ESAPI plate and the two side ESAPI plates. As you handle each component, ensure you inspect for serviceability by checking for holes, rips and tears. Additionally, verify functionality of all buckles, straps, ladder locks, channels, pull tabs, pouch attachment ladder system, formerly known as molly, and hook and loop, commonly referred to as velcro. If any component is determined to be unserviceable, return the entire vest to the issue facility. There are four calm routing channels, two at the top of the shoulders and two more located beneath the buckles. Locate and open the throat protector channel and insert the throat protector. This component is meant to be used as a look down collar to protect the throat in the event of a blast. Disengage the hook and loop and inspect the kangaroo pouch. Insert the yib-yab shoulder strap into the pouch and secure. Disengage the front flap by pulling the tab and inspect the hook and loop and then re-secure. Flip the front carrier over and inspect the nose glide and the six ladder locks. Disengage the hook and loop material at the bottom of the carrier. Open the vest and make sure the ballistic panel insert size corresponds with the size of the vest and says front on it. Locate the plate pocket holder. Insert the eSapi plate into the plate pocket holder. Make sure the strike face is facing the enemy and hard armor always goes in front of soft armor as worn. Ensure the plate pocket is secured as tightly as possible to limit any movement of the plate. Once all is seated properly re-engage the hook and loop. Insert the groin protector by attaching it to the middle set of ladder locks on the front carrier. Raise or lower the groin protector for optimal coverage. Upon completion set the front carrier aside. Place the back carrier down so that the pouch attachment ladder system or pals is facing up. Inspect for serviceability. Ensure the cummerbund adapter is properly installed in the cummerbund tray. Flip the back carrier over to install the yoke and collar assembly. Weave the two tabs of the yoke and collar assembly through the ladder locks at the top of the vest. Be sure to reroute the tabs back into the ladder locks on the yoke and collar. Make sure the bottom of the yoke and collar assembly runs parallel to the hook and loop material. Disengage the hook and loop material at the bottom of the carrier. Make sure the size of the ballistic panel insert corresponds with the size of the vest and says back on it. Insert the eSapi plate in the same manner used on the front carrier. Make sure the strike face is facing the enemy and hard armor always goes in front of soft armor as worn. Ensure the plate pocket is secured as tightly as possible to limit any movement of the plate. Attach the lower back protector by attaching it to the ladder locks on the lower portion of the vest. Place the front and back carrier down with pals facing up. Turn both carriers so that the shoulders of the front and back carriers are facing each other. Engage the buckles and then the hook and loop on one shoulder. Ensuring that the hook and loop is flush on the shoulder area. Repeat the same process for the other shoulder strap. Pull the yoke and collar assembly through the neck opening and make the hook and loop flush to prevent bunching. Set the vest aside. Though the IMTV may be configured for a left or right quick release pull, for the purpose of this training video a bottom right quick release configuration will be utilized. Lay one cummerbund panel flat with the pals side down. Insert the quick release cable into the cummerbund panel by routing it through the channel as shown. Once the cable is fully inserted, place the pull handle into the open pocket. Use of an ID card will help in placing the pull handle into the pocket. Inspecting the side plate pocket, notice that the ballistic panel inserts or soft armor is sewn in. Insert the side ESAPI into the side plate pocket. For added comfort there is a removable foam pad behind the soft armor. Insert the side plate pocket into the cummerbund panel. Further secure the side plate pocket into the cummerbund panel by routing the retention straps through the ladder locks located inside the panel. Be sure to reroute the pull tabs back into the ladder locks on the side plate pocket. Finally, secure the side plate pocket with the panel retention straps ensuring that the hook and loop is fully engaged. Repeat this process with the other side plate pocket and cummerbund panel. Lay your vest face down with the cummerbund tray open. Read the labels to ensure the inner cummerbunds are on the correct sides. Insert the inner cummerbunds through both the web channel and the support channels. Pull the center white decron loop through both inner cummerbund grommets. Insert the cummerbund panel that does not have the quick release cable through the support channel first. For initial assembly the cummerbund straps should be fully extended. Pull the white decron loops through the grommets. Repeat this process with the cummerbund panel that does have the quick release cable. Starting from the bottom, route the quick release cable through all three white decron loops. Secure the excess cable into the top channel of the same cummerbund panel it is attached to. A properly installed cummerbund will have the adjustment buckle near flush with the inner edge of the cummerbund support channel. Your vest is now complete. Ensuring that the throat protector is detached at the neck, don the vest over your head. Using the buddy system, have your buddy hold the front carrier up while you secure the inner cummerbund around your body. Once the inner cummerbund is secured around your body, drop the front carrier and open the front flap. To reduce or eliminate bunching of the front carrier, adjust the shoulder straps by applying tension and using the pull handles on the cummerbund panels, secure the cummerbunds in place by engaging the hook and loop. Finally, close the front flap and secure. The side plate pocket should be as high up in the armpit as possible while still maintaining comfort. Using the buddy system, check the fit of the vest. Make sure the top of the front and back plates are leveled to one another. Using their thumb as a measuring tool, have your buddy make sure that the front plate is within one inch of your super sternal notch. If the one inch requirement is not met, take the vest off and adjust the shoulder straps. Next, check to make sure there are no gaps between the vest and your body. Ensure the front and back edges of the side plate pocket overlap the edges of the front and back carriers by at least one and a half inches. For initial fitting, the hook and loop of the cummerbund should not be exposed. No more than three-quarters of an inch of hook and loop can be exposed even when wearing cold weather gear. If more or less than a three-quarter inch requirement is exposed, have your buddy open the rear cummerbund tray and make the necessary adjustments by lengthening or shortening both sides of the cummerbund panel. If those adjustments still fail to meet the three-quarter inch requirement, you must utilize a smaller or larger size cummerbund. We will now demonstrate the two doffing methods. Overhead and shoulder break. Undo the throat protector and lift the front flap. Undo the cummerbund and inner cummerbund. Grab the vest by the shoulders and lift the vest up and over your head. Undo the throat protector and lift the front flap. Undo the cummerbund on the buckle side of the vest. Undo the single buckle. Undo the inner cummerbund completely and push the front carrier away from your body to slide out from the side of the vest. Only in the case of an emergency or for training purposes should the quick release system be activated. As a safety precaution, whenever traveling over water, be sure to disengage the throat protector at the neck. We will show the steps twice, first in slow distinct movements and second in real time. First, hook your thumb in the ring and pull the cable down and towards the center, turning your hips slightly to aid in the vest coming off. Then, undo the buckle. To obtain a better stock weld, the IMTV has a component called the Yib-Yab shoulder strap. It is optional to attach the Yib-Yab shoulder strap to the vest. To attach the strap, remove the buckle from the front carrier on the shooting hand. Next, remove the corresponding shoulder strap on the back panel and stow these components away in the kangaroo pouch. Attach the Yib-Yab to the back carrier in the place of the just removed shoulder strap. Route the end of the Yib-Yab through the metal ring on the front panel in order to marry the vest together. Conduct a pull test to ensure the Yib-Yab is fully inserted. This video was brought to you by the Program Manager Infantry Combat Equipment Marine Corps Systems Command. For more information or to schedule training, contact PMICE via email at PMICE at usmc.mil.