Support the troops -- let them use armor.
Dec. 30th, 2003 10:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
libertangoHere's a piece off the AP wire.:
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"Democrat Urges Homemade Armor in Iraq
Leading Democrat Urges Army Secretary to Consider Allowing Unit's Homemade Armor in Iraq
The Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Dec. 29 — The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee urged the Army's top civilian official Monday to seriously consider allowing an Army Reserve unit to outfit its vehicles with homemade armor while serving in Iraq.
Army policy generally prohibits troops from using equipment that has not been tested and approved by the military.
But fearing roadside bombs and snipers, the 428th Transportation Company turned to local businessmen to fund and fabricate special steel plates for their five-ton trucks and Humvees, which have thin metal floorboards and, in some cases, a canvas covering for doors.
The Army has made no decision yet on whether the soldiers will be allowed to use the armor.
Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the House Armed Services Committee's senior Democrat, sent a letter Monday urging Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee to encourage the Army to "give every consideration to the efforts of the 428th."
"The Army should commend the soldiers of the 428th Transportation Company for their innovation and old fashioned American ingenuity," Skelton wrote.
Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said policy prohibits the Army from commenting on letters between congressmen and senior Army leaders. But Smith added the Army has asked the steel fabricator to submit a sample of the armor for testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Brownlee told the Senate Armed Services Committee in November that the Army was examining ways to add armor to vehicles, but he said it could take until summer 2005 to have armor on all the Humvees in Iraq.
A spokeswoman at Fort Riley, Kan., where the Missouri-based troops are preparing to depart for Iraq, said the unit will be able to take the steel with them, but that the Central Command will decide later whether it can be used."
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And people wonder why I don't think Bush will get the military vote next election (assuming an election is held): "No, you can't use extra armor."
Sheesh. No wonder the man feels too guilty to go to any military funerals.
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"Democrat Urges Homemade Armor in Iraq
Leading Democrat Urges Army Secretary to Consider Allowing Unit's Homemade Armor in Iraq
The Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Dec. 29 — The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee urged the Army's top civilian official Monday to seriously consider allowing an Army Reserve unit to outfit its vehicles with homemade armor while serving in Iraq.
Army policy generally prohibits troops from using equipment that has not been tested and approved by the military.
But fearing roadside bombs and snipers, the 428th Transportation Company turned to local businessmen to fund and fabricate special steel plates for their five-ton trucks and Humvees, which have thin metal floorboards and, in some cases, a canvas covering for doors.
The Army has made no decision yet on whether the soldiers will be allowed to use the armor.
Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the House Armed Services Committee's senior Democrat, sent a letter Monday urging Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee to encourage the Army to "give every consideration to the efforts of the 428th."
"The Army should commend the soldiers of the 428th Transportation Company for their innovation and old fashioned American ingenuity," Skelton wrote.
Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said policy prohibits the Army from commenting on letters between congressmen and senior Army leaders. But Smith added the Army has asked the steel fabricator to submit a sample of the armor for testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Brownlee told the Senate Armed Services Committee in November that the Army was examining ways to add armor to vehicles, but he said it could take until summer 2005 to have armor on all the Humvees in Iraq.
A spokeswoman at Fort Riley, Kan., where the Missouri-based troops are preparing to depart for Iraq, said the unit will be able to take the steel with them, but that the Central Command will decide later whether it can be used."
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And people wonder why I don't think Bush will get the military vote next election (assuming an election is held): "No, you can't use extra armor."
Sheesh. No wonder the man feels too guilty to go to any military funerals.
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-31 05:56 am (UTC)First is that it is the Pentagon brass that is nixing the home-made armor, and insisting on the slow testing procedure. Bush could override it, but he isn't the one setting the policy.
Second is that a lot of the lower level troops are behind Bush. A lot aren't, but that seems to be perhaps a quarter of them at the most. Others are upset, but again this is targeted more at the chain of command rather than the prez.
It's more likely to be a small source of unhappiness, adding to the general level. It will take some (more) stupid strategic choices - more "fly-paper" or leaning on Syria - to get the military and kin really pissed at Bush.
(sigh)