LITTLE COMPTON — Ferrying troops between hot spots west of Baghdad, Lance Corporal Zach Bamberger is in the driver's seat of a seven-ton truck. An M-16 rests across his left arm. His left hand is on the wheel, and his right hand is on the trigger. A Kevlar helmet protects his head. One steel-plated bulletproof vest on loan from the Little Compton Police Department protects his heart.

Acting Chief Sid Wordell gave the vest to Lance Corporal Zach Bamberger on one condition: It must come back from Iraq without any holes (dents would be okay).

Twenty-one-year-old veteran and lifelong Little Compton resident Lance Cpl. Bamberger is part of the 4th Division, though on this, his second tour of duty in Iraq, he was assigned to support the First Marine Division Infantry. That places him an a very dangerous position of delivering infantry amid guerilla warfare. The Marine Corps issued him a standard flack jacket, but it had no plates.

Lance Corporal Zach Bamberger

"The jacket alone would hardly stop a knife, let alone bullets," said Mr. Bamberger's sister Lauren. "Last year he was assigned to support and supplies, but this year he's supporting the First Marine Division by driving infantry into hot spots, so he's the main target," she said.

"A sitting duck," is how Zach put it to his father, Jeff Bamberger.

Furthermore, the phone call in late July gave him just four days notice that he was returning to Iraq. Not only was he handed a more dangerous assignment than last time, but he also had an extremely short time in which to pack and prepare himself.

The family was willing to pay for $500 plates and the $1,300 jacket, available from police equipment catalogues. But there was no time take delivery before Zach left town three days later.

As a last ditch effort, Zach phoned Acting Chief Wordell, who was at his sons' All-Star baseball game but dropped everything to assist. He gave Zach a Class IV steel-plated tactical vest, the same thing worn by S.W.A.T. members in a high-threat situation, and better than the ceramic plated vest the Marines might have issued the 4th Division. The vest weighs 15-pounds and will stop a rifle or a pistol round. Little Compton Police carry one in each cruiser, and the one given to Zach was considered an extra at the station. Chief Wordell also thought Zach should wear a second, more-flexible vest that is better for sitting and driving.

"He's going double-vested; he'll be hot but he's not really concerned with that part. He keeps telling us that as an infantry driver he is the first target, and I think it is because he is trying to prepare himself," said Lauren, who was "thrilled, incredibly thankful and relieved" when the local police department stepped up to help.

"The police didn't wait to see if he would eventually get one or see if he had time to buy his own. Sid dropped what he was doing and met Zach right away that night and he and the other officers on duty made sure he was all set."

Many of the Marines in Zach's unit and under the same time constraints did the same thing by calling up their local police departments in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

"I have yet to hear of one department who refused a Marine a vest with plates. It was touching to hear their stories, and we are proud of our police department for being there for our Marine," said Lauren, who has since heard of 15 marines who were given bulletproof vests by area police departments.

Among the things marines cannot bring are cell phones and personal firearms. But the Marine Corps. never said their reservists couldn't bring extra protection.

"They weren't told 'no,' but he pretty much snuck it over," said Lauren.

Lauren and Jeff Bamberger anticipate some complaints from taxpayers that police gear was given away. Jeff just shrugged.

"You'll get it back. It's just on loan for seven months," he said. "It's not like Sid had to take one off somebody's back."

Acting Chief Wordell said that the reason there's an extra vest at the station is because of manpower shortage at the public safety complex. Every police officer is equipped with proper gear. Now Zach is, too.

By Chelsea Wonacott-Mershon

chelsea@eastbaynewspapers.com