When Andrea Porter began her Ph.D. in multidisciplinary engineering at Texas A&M University, she never expected her studies to involve bra fitting or testing body armor on shooting ranges.
But her passion for ergonomics—making tools and environments fit people better—led her to an overlooked issue: how poorly fitted body armor affects women in the military and law enforcement.
Porter’s interest was sparked while mentoring high school girls in Amarillo, Texas.
Many went on to careers in the military or policing, and they shared painful stories about how their armor didn’t fit right.
One soldier said her vest would ride up and block her vision.
A police officer showed Porter scars caused by armor rubbing against her chin. Others described the struggle of having to hold their armor down while running or tighten it so much that it restricted breathing.
Determined to help, Porter teamed up with her research advisor Dr. Mark Benden, a professor of environmental and occupational health, who understood the problem firsthand from his military service.
Together, they explored how to improve armor fit for women—a topic rarely studied in depth.
A surprising factor emerged during Porter’s research: the bra. In a survey of nearly 1,000 female officers, she found that bra choice greatly affected how comfortable and mobile women felt in their armor. In fact, some women reported feeling more comfortable not wearing a bra at all. This revealed that poor armor fit wasn’t just a sizing problem—it was also about how armor interacted with what was worn underneath.
Because most armor fitters are men, talking about bra and armor fit can be awkward. Porter is now developing guidance to help both male armor fitters and female officers navigate these conversations more comfortably and professionally.
Her research also led her to test body armor on the shooting range, something she had never imagined doing.
Working with Survival Armor, a women-led company in Florida, Porter tested how air gaps between armor and the body—caused by different breast sizes—affected protection. Surprisingly, she found that areas with gaps actually absorbed impact better than areas where the armor was pressed tightly against the body.
Current armor testing methods don’t account for these gaps, which could mean many women—and men—aren’t getting optimal protection.
Porter’s work is now gaining interest from law enforcement agencies across the country. By highlighting the roles of bra fit, breast shape, and armor design, her research is helping build a better, safer future for women in uniform.
