US Army MOPP-4 testing at YPGs TRTC in Hawaii

MOPP (an acronym for "Mission Oriented Protective Posture"; pronounced "mop") is protective gear used by U.S.

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

personnel in a toxic environment, e.g., during a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (

CBRN Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consi ...

) strike: *

Protective mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and prac ...

– Commonly referred to as a

gas mask A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...

or pro mask. It is designed to filter harmful chemical and biological agents, as well as irradiated particles from the air to allow the wearer to breathe safely. No protective masks filter out gases such as

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simple ...

, and in situations requiring that level of protection, external breathing apparatus is employed. * Mask carrier – Protects the mask from damage. It is usually worn as part of battle gear for easy access and usually contains a technical manual, extra filter, spare parts, chemical detection papers, and

nerve agent Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that ...

antidote An antidote is a substance that can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek term φάρμακον ἀντίδοτον ''(pharmakon) antidoton'', "(medicine) given as a remedy". Antidotes for anticoagulants are s ...

kits (NAAK). * Over garments –

Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST), also known as Advanced Chemical Protective Garment (ACPG) by the U.S. Navy, is a suit used by the U.S. Military for protection against CBRN hazards. It is part of the MOPP ensemble. T ...

(JSLIST) Specially designed clothing to be worn over the normal uniform. These garments are designed to allow maximum airflow for cooling while keeping chemical and biological agents from reaching the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...

of the wearer. Some are equipped with a

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...

lining to neutralize some agents. Military personnel often equip over garments with strips of M9 Detector Paper to identify chemical agents on the battlefield they might come in contact with. * M9 Detector paper is worn to detect chemical liquid agents that a service member may brush against while in MOPP gear. It is worn in three different areas of the suit. It is worn on the dominant arm, bicep area, on the wrist of the opposite arm, and on the dominant leg, shin area. It is also placed on lower levels of vehicles for detection purposes. * Gloves and overboots – (JSLIST) Highly durable

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

, designed with combat operations in mind. Used to prevent contact with agents.

MOPP protection levels

Each MOPP level corresponds to an increasing level of protection. The readiness level will usually be dictated by the in-theatre commander. *Mask Only – Protective mask is carried. *MOPP Ready – Protective mask is carried. First set of suit, gloves, and boots are available within two hours, second set within six hours. *MOPP Level 0 – Worn: nothing. Carried: Protective mask. Immediately Available: suit, boots and gloves. *MOPP Level 1 – Worn: suit. Carried: Protective mask. Immediately Available: boots and gloves *MOPP Level 2 – Worn: suit and boots. Carried: Protective mask and gloves. *MOPP Level 3 – Worn: suit, boots and mask. Carried: gloves. *MOPP Level 4 – All protection worn.

References

External links

Mission-Oriented Protective Postures (MOPP)
{{U.S. biological defense Safety equipment Environmental suits Chemical warfare United States Marine Corps equipment

MOPP protection levels

See also

References

External links