Army Thin-Skinned Over Homemade Armor

[velocity]

Think I just made the 12hr rule :D

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30796-2003Dec25.html

Army Thin-Skinned Over Homemade Armor
Transportation Unit Headed for Iraq Sought Extra Protection for Non-Combat Vehicles
By David A. Lieb
Associated Press
Friday, December 26, 2003; Page A22


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Fearing roadside bombs and sniper bullets, members of the U.S. Army Reserve's 428th Transportation Company turned to a local steel fabricator to fashion extra armor for their five-ton trucks and Humvees before beginning their journey to Iraq earlier this month.

But their armor might not make it into the war, because the soldiers did not obtain Pentagon approval for their homemade protection

<<<<cut>>>>

The soldiers persuaded a local funeral home director who is active in community affairs to pay the $4,000 tab for 13,000 pounds of quarter-inch steel. Industrial Enterprises Inc. donated the fabricating work, also valued at about $4,000, so the steel could be fitted under vehicle floorboards and on the inside of doors.

<<<cut>>>>

Fort Riley spokeswoman Deb Skidmore said the reserve unit will be allowed to take the steel to Iraq, but U.S. Central Command will decide later whether the troops will be permitted to use it.

<<<cut>>>

Kirkweg said the Missouri soldiers did not have time to wait weeks, months or years for the Army to test and approve a steel-plating project that he could complete in three days.

<<<more in the article>>>>

The added weight is around 180lbs per truck that does not sound bad. BUT more important was the costs, $111.00 per truck.....

[mbperrin]

1. Good Lord! Those boys oughta know better than

to value their own lives over Pentagon-buddy profits!

[SpiralHawk]

2. The military-industrial complex that President Eisenhaur (sp?)

warned us about, will do its best to squelch such initiatives. This one will probably get through, because its getting publicity, but they will be on the look out for other innovators. There's just no profit in it for the big War Corporos.

"What's good for Halliburton is good for America."
-Bunker Dick Cheney

[AlecBGreen]

7. SpiralHawk

Did Tricky Dick REALLY say "What's good for Halliburton is good for America."!? Is he f-ing serious!?

-alec

[FreakinDJ]

3. no way they will let them use the armor

The cost are too cheap

Defense contractors will have Cheeny doing back flips in no time to get this stuff out of there

[wingnut]

10. to be fair

it is cheap for a reason, being mild steel, not serious armor. A lot better than nothing, though.

[sam sarrha]

4. If U haven' seen "PENTAGON WARS" go to your Video rental store and get it

Tonight ... it is a TRUE STORY...!!!!!

[DK666]

5. Holy crap....

We have been doing this forever. H-46 pilots put extra flack jackets under the seats of helos so they dont get their nads shot off. 1/4" Plywood 1/4" STEEL plate and 1/4" MFD was standard practice in the 1st gulf war on the floor for the H-46. It wouldnt always stop the round but most the time it just bounced off ya. Made a hell of a noise like a marble in a beer can.

[velocity]

6. The sad part is parents

are buying their sons and daughters the better vests and these soldiers are getting readly in advance of going over their and preparing their vehicles.......

And how many dollars did we give to Iraq....

[number6]

8. this is how Bu$h fraud supports our troops ...

:eyes: They gotta make their own home made Armor.

[7th_Sephiroth]

9. they could allways do what tank crews did in ww2

they set up a rotateing set of chains a number of feet infront of the tank mounted to it that would spin and clear any mine infront of it, but those were tanks going 30mph, not a humvee doing 60

[IMayBeWrongBut]

11. from what I've read...

Most of the IEDs are not mines but remotly detonated devices. For example A guy hiding nearby watching the road sits and waits till a US military vehical is passing buy and he hits the button. The whirling chain only works for defeating preasure activated mines...