Understanding The U.S. Military Combat Eye Protection Program (MCEPP)

MCEPP Provides Freedom of Choice

The Military Combat Eye Protection Program (MCEPP) was established to validate and authorize protective eyewear for use by military personnel. Additionally, it improves soldier acceptance of authorized protective eyewear, thus reducing the likelihood of eye injury to soldiers. MCEPP comes under Program Executive Officer Soldier (PEO Soldier). PEO Soldier “designs, develops, procures, fields and sustains virtually everything the Soldier wears or carries.”

The Army’s MCEPP program protects soldiers’ eyes from ballistic injuries by allowing soldiers to choose their own approved eyewear. As more options are provided to soldiers, MCEPP hopes to increase the number of soldiers who wear protective eyewear, thus reducing the number of eye injuries sustained by soldiers in training and combat.

MCEPP’s goal is to increase the number of soldiers who wear protective eyewear, thus reducing the number of eye injuries sustained in training and combat.

Strict Testing Standards

All approved military eyewear should meet or exceed protective standards established by the Integrative Protective Team (IPT). The IPT is a committee appointed by PEO Soldier to validate safety standards and test protocols and to approve new products for the Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL).

Commercial eyewear products are tested to determine their ability to withstand ballistic fragments such as rock, glass, and shrapnel in a laboratory and a field environment. The eyewear that passes these tests is updated on the APEL, which is regularly updated.

Authorized Protective Eyewear List – APEL

APEL is a listing published by PEO Soldier of all eyewear products approved for military use by the MCEPP-IPT. All APEL items must be labeled on the packaging and frame with “APEL,” which indicates the product is on the APEL. Anyone purchasing their own MCEP should look for this label. Only eyewear on the APEL has been validated against Army requirements for protection against ballistic fragments. Eyewear not on the APEL is not authorized for wear during combat or training or even when there is a risk of eye injury.

Products on the APEL are tested every two years and routinely sampled for compliance. APEL items with changes in the design or fabrication process require immediate retesting, and products can be placed on suspension resulting in recertification needed to get back on the list.

An example of the APEL label on a pair of Uvex Genesis Ballistic Safety Glasses.

The APEL is published on the following website:

http://www.peosoldier.army.mil/equipment/eyewear/

APEL designated protective eyewear from various manufacturers such as ESS, Oakley SI, Smith Elite, Uvex, Wiley X, and others made the APEL. Currently, MCEPP is working with vendors to improve eyewear for soldiers. Improvements needed include better scratch, fog, and impact protection and protection against exposure to contaminants such as bleach and dirt. Also, new goggle colors, universal prescription inserts (now available), and active laser protection are on the list of future interests for MCEPP.

Relevant Links

• Here’s additional information on the submission process for inclusion on the APEL.
• Here’s a link to a downloadable PDF for the current APEL list.
• And here’s a link to an earlier article on “How to Identify Ballistic Rated Eyewear.”

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