1-19. MISSION-ORIENTED PROTECTIVE POSTURE

Working while wearing all of the individual protective equipment (IPE) (mask hood, overgarment, helmet cover, gloves, and overboots) decreases the soldier's ability to perform normal work and increases the likelihood of heat injury. In addition, work while wearing a protective mask may give some soldiers a "closed in" feeling that can lead to mental distress. The need to balance protection with the threat, temperature, and urgency of the mission led to the development of the mission-oriented positive posture (MOPP) concept. Mission-oriented positive posture is a flexible system for protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical contamination that requires the soldier to wear only the individual protective equipment consistent with the threat and other conditions, including temperature, humidity, work rate, and mission. There are five levels, MOPP level zero through MOPP level 4 (figure 1-16). The higher the number, the greater the level of protection. However, as the level increases, the efficiency of the soldier decreases correspondingly.

a. Mission-Oriented Positive Posture Level Zero. At the lowest MOPP level (MOPP zero), you do not wear any of the MOPP gear. You carry your protective mask and hood in your carrier and have your protective overgarment (in a sealed bag), overboots, and gloves readily available (within the work area or vehicle, for example). You should also have your M258A1 decontamination kit, M8 paper, M9 paper, and three Mark I kits in your carrier. MOPP zero may be used when the enemy has an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) employment capability, but chemical warfare has not begun. You should be able to go from MOPP zero to MOPP4 (put on all of your protective gear) within 8 minutes.

b. Mission-Oriented Positive Posture Level 1. To go from MOPP Level zero to MOPP Level 1 (MOPP1), remove your protective overgarment from their bag and put on the protective overgarment and helmet cover. Continue to carry the carrier containing your mask and hood. You will also carry your overboots and gloves. The jacket may be kept open for ventilation in warm weather, but the trouser legs must be closed. Attach the M9 detection paper to your overgarment at this time. If you are at MOPP1, you should be able to put the rest of your protective gear (achieve MOPP4) within 4 minutes.

c. Mission-Oriented Positive Posture Level 2. To go from MOPP Level 1 to MOPP Level 2 (MOPP2), put on your protective overboots and continue to carry your gloves and the carrier. The overboots take about 3 to 4 minutes to put on and lace. Once you are at MOPP2, you can progress to full protection (MOPP4) in less than a minute. The jacket of the overgarment may remain open in warm weather.

d. Mission-Oriented Positive Posture P Level 3. To go from MOPP Level 2 to MOPP Level 3 (MOPP3), put on your mask and hood and continue to carry your gloves. The jacket of the overgarment

may remain open and the hood may be rolled in warm weather. At this level, protection is almost complete but interference with work becomes significant. The mask and hood restricts vision and heat stress becomes a major factor.

e. Mission-Oriented Positive Posture Level 4. To go from MOPP Level 3 to MOPP Level 4 (MOPP4), put on your protective gloves (inner cotton gloves first, then the outer rubber gloves). Close the jacket to the overgarment, pul the hood down and secure it. This makes protection complete, but further interferes with individual efficiency and further increases the likelihood of heat injury.\

f. Mask Only Posture. Although not a MOPP level, soldiers in a protected environment (inside a tank or shelter which protects them from direct skin exposure to liquid or solid agents) may be told to use mask-only posture. The mask provides protection against inhaling chemical agent vapor. Since there is no threat from liquid or solid agents, the overgarment, gloves, and overboots are not worn. A soldier operating a teletype inside a sealed communications van, for example, can work far more efficiently in mask-only posture. If the shelter is penetrated, the inside becomes contaminated, or the soldier leaves the shelter, the soldier must assume the appropriate MOPP level.