With the risk of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) growing as our men and women put their lives on the line every day, the Illinois AMVETS Service Foundation is working towards providing protective clothing for our men and women. The Illinois AMVETS Service Foundation helped to create a unique shirt to send to our service men and women abroad. 

The 5.11 Tactical SeriesTM contains a special fabric that is fire retardant and won't wash or wear out. These shirts also contain moisture-wicking and anti-bacterial materials. These long-sleeved shirts exceed the minimum standard of NFA tests. In addition, there is enough cotton material in these shirts to wear comfortably under any uniform. The AMVETS hope these fire-retardant shirts will prevent some extensive burn injuries. Providing these shirts enables our soldiers to work more comfortable and effectively, ultimately saving lives. The response to these shirts has been overwhelming. Since 2007, over 20,000 of these shirts, valued at $1.7 million, have been distributed.