SC National Guard had to leave $50 million worth of equipment in Iraq

[Barrett808]

(Columbia-AP) January 2, 2006 - South Carolina National Guard units that deployed to Iraq last year had to leave $50 million in equipment behind and they aren't sure when the items will be returned or even replaced.

Colonel Ronald Huff is the Guard's deputy chief of staff for logistics. Huff says South Carolina's units were asked to leave 24 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 169 heavy transport trucks and Humvees.

They also left hundreds of radios, weapons, tools and other equipment.

But, Huff says, even if the units had been able to bring back some of their equipment, it is "very, very worn."

The 122nd Engineer Battalion based in Edgefield brought back many of their dump trucks, but they were nearly useless upon return.

(more)

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4308230

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. talk about "use it or lose it"

if we multiply this by 50 . . . .

[Benhurst]

2. No wonder the United States doesn't have a national health program.

What a dump!

[Pavulon]

3. As a former guardsman

that sucks. ang units are usually under supplied or very close to it as is. Leaving all your gear for the next guys will create a mess at home. And a mountain of paperwork for the poor bastard that has my job of keeping up with all the shit we lost broke or "lost".

[pfitz59]

4. Abandoned US equipment in Vietnam......

was the mainstay of VC units! Wonder how much of this stuff will be utilized by Iraqi forces in the pending civil war?

[Pavulon]

5. Good point

Most of the equipment, het, hummers etc, break all the time. Require parts and service. More than cars, so I thing the stuff would be junk after a year.

Just costs a fortune to replace.

[ny_liberal]

6. tax dollars at work

[liam_laddie]

7. Yep! Military-Industrial complex

Hmmm..$50 mil in new business? That's assuming there are actually
funds to "buy new." More payola to rethug donors. It'll never end until
they're outta DC, entirely. That'll take some blood, sweat and tears, I imagine.

[tn-guy]

8. Maybe I'm missing something

Perhaps there is an explanation that I've overlooked but I fail to see why units would bring their equipment back when they rotate out. It would seem to be a waste of resources to see unit A bring back a ship load of trucks, humvees, etc. while unit B ships a truckload of the same stuff over. Why should we spend time, effort, fuel hauling equipment away from the combat zone?

[Bushies gotta go]

14. It does seem stupid

You would think there is a "pool" of equipment in Iraq (or elsewhere) and all they woud have to do is rotate in warm bodies. But, no, they actually make each group bring their own stuff. Just go by your local NG unit and see the big empty parking lots. Normally, they are ful of vehicles that never move. Nw everything is gone (one way to tell if they've been deployed).

Not only is it a waste of money in transport costs but most of the equipment that an NG unit has is hand-me-downs or on its last stop before the crusher/auction/decommission. But, if they didn't take it with them, they wouldn't have it. The military is too short on equipment and has no "pool".

[leftchick]

9. don't hold your breath for replacements

protecting the USA is NOT a priority with bushco.

[Lisa]

10. what happens if the state gets hit by a hurricane ...

.... before the equipment can be replaced?

[Bob3]

13. The Governor of the state will be blamed and his phone tapped

Along with anyone in the media who mentions it. And all the people they know. We are at war here.

[Mika]

11. Who pays for the equipment? The states or the fed? n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

12. The Federal government pays for it

The National Guard is equipped and paid by the Federal Government and in return the Guard units must meet organizational and training standards. I guess they can continue training with broomsticks to maintain their training standards until they are reequiped. :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

15. The broken down crap from the "regular" army that gets brought home

will probably be handed down to the reserve & guard...and then the regular army will get shiny NEW toys, paid for with our tax money..The next war will be all about playing with, and testing the new stuff..

the stuff left behind will be cobbled together by the resourceful Iraqis, who will surely find ways to kill each other with it, and may even use it agaisnt the US forces who remain:(