1. Intel. Nothing can protect you from an aviabomb except you knew it was coming and hid before bomber arrived.
2. Your squad.
3. Military training.
4. Good supply lines.
5. A TON of other gear.
6. A vest.
Now let's say you bought a vest in the warzone and military didn't have enough because of that and lost and now enemy approaches you. Is a vest going to protect you? No, absolutely not. Not in the slightest. The fact that a kevlar vest can stop a bullet means zilch if battle is lost. The enemy doesn't even need to come to you, now that they control infrastructure you will come to them and do whatever they say because otherwise you'll starve (if economy collapses you have greater chances of dying then from contracting covid-19).
> buying them puts soldiers at risk because they need their protection
Yes, exactly that. So yes, stop buying vests, because military can use them to protect themselves and you and you can't.