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As I understand, fairly early in the Iraq/Afghan wars side plates either didnt exist or werent that common initially. Then the media started squawking about how "our troops arent as well protected as they could be". (This is before the media decided to turn on a dime and suddenly criticise the wars they used to support 100%) Side plates were then mandated. If you see the frumpy bulbous michelin man loadouts of those years, you'll see what I mean. The consensus that I have read/ heard regarding side plates is that the circumstances where you can't or don't need to wear a chest rig/pouch loadout are the ones where the side plates actually serve a function... Drivers, turret gunners etc... Those are demonstrable circumstances where a side plate may in fact protect you from the threat you are facing.
Also, bear in mind. Early on SAPI plates were "in conjunction with" in order to get the lvl IV type protection. Usually that meant BALCS soft armour covering the whole torso with the Front/Rear/(side) plates over top of that.
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