WASHINGTON (November 20, 2009)--The U.S. Army says there will be an outside review of how body armor for its soldiers is tested.

The Government Accountability Office said last month that the Army made mistakes in testing a new body armor design and it recommended the process be reviewed before the armor is sent to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army said that the criticism was overblown and said that no U.S. troops have been killed in combat as a result of any problems with the armor.

Nonetheless, Army Secretary John McHugh announced Friday that the National Research Council will do an independent assessment of the Army's body armor testing.