Amid Shortage of Gear, Some U.S. Soldiers Must Equip Themselves

[Tinoire]

Amid Shortage of Gear, Some U.S. Soldiers Must Equip Themselves

By Keith Garvin



W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 7 — Pene Palifka, a proud and protective mother, worries about her son, Billy, a specialist with the National Guard deployed in Iraq. She reads his letters home almost daily.

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Concerned about her son's safety, Palifka recently spent $1,100 of her own money on armored chest plates to protect him and others from enemy fire.

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‘We … Buy It Ourselves’

Many active-duty troops also are spending money on other equipment.

One group of Marines due to leave for Iraq bought goggles, backpacks, magazine pouches and gloves. It's better than their issued equipment, they said, and worth their hard-earned cash.

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Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has introduced a bill calling for the government to repay the families of troops who buy their own gear.

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http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/US/iraq_equipment_040207.html


http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/US/iraq_equipment_040207.html

[diamond14]

1. photos...those who will DIE or be maimed for bush* oil wars...

all over America, from sea to shining sea...bush* continues to send OUR young soldiers off to die for NOTHING, no threat to us, no WMD, no imminent danger...but the soldiers keep going to their deaths, while bush* campaigns and feasts and vacations....



Soldiers of the 81st Armored Brigade stand in ranks during departure ceremonies for the Washington Army National Guard in Tacoma, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004. The Brigade will head off to Iraq (news - web sites) after additional training at Ft. Irwin, Calif. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)



Soldiers with the New York State National Guard 2nd 108th Infantry Battalion gather for a deployment ceremony in Fort Drum, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004. The battalion is being shipped out to Iraq (news - web sites). (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

[4morewars]

3. how many of them.....

will be coming home in "transport tubes" ??? We'll never know, because showing THAT has been banned !!!!!

[diamond14]

7. sad but true...all for bush* oil wars....OUR young soldiers die....

[Lisa]

2. Bush is downloading the Quartermaster's job onto the families?!

What is this, the Revolutionary War -- when there wasn't a proper government to supply the Continental Army, and soldiers had to make their own equipment? Powder horns and bullet molds anyone?

It's as if he's trying to apply his social services plan (hope some charity will come along and take up the slack) to national defense.

I'm just waiting for him to announce that there isn't any INS/Customs anymore, and Americans all have to drag some sandbags to fortify the border, and take turns signing in visitors.

[OneBlueSky]

4. so where's all that money going? . . .

inquiring minds want to know . . . btw, this is a disgrace . . .

[4morewars]

5. Where is all the money going ????

close to 100 billion dollars !!!!!!!

http://costofwar.com/

What are they spending it on ???? Even with all the stealing, it's hard to imagine. Halliburton?? Bechtel ??
:wtf:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. H-A-L-L-I-B-U-R-T-O-N

[Don_G]

6. That's Been The Theme Of The Iraqi War

Since day one: Billions for Halliburton and the troops can get Visa to pay for the equipment needed in the field.

It seems fitting that a Fundie Administration would base their war and political plans on faith-based "crap" instead of the procedures that the Military has worked out since WW II.

[Kool Kitty]

8. Exactly.

Bibles and prayer requests for all, body armor for the lucky some. Sheesh. I thought that they had taken care of this problem. I seem to remember that Myers (in some public display with Reichminster Rumsfeld) was questioned about this by some senator and saying that everyone had the proper equipment by last December. What the fuck are they doing with all the money, if they aren't even arming our soldiers properly?

[pinniped]

9. Well someone is getting a couple haliburton refunds to the tune of...

tens of millions so there's some $$$$ for starters.

But I highly doubt that money will be used to buy armor plates.

It will probably find its way back to that chiseling bastard of a corp. Pretty good how you can rip the taxpayers and get away with it.

[Solly Mack]

10. They can't afford to pay us back for the money we spend on gear

If everyone in the military submitted their receipts for re-payment, the DoD would go broke....and then some.

[Hekate]

11. Have they no shame? Apparently not.

"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war." ~Donald Rumsfeld

"But why should we hear about body bags and deaths and how many,
what day it's going to happen, and how many this or what do you
suppose? Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my
beautiful mind on something like that?" ~Barbara Bush

"I guess the 'nation's grandma' isn't the grandma of those her son sends into harm's way." ~Hekate

ARLINGTON WEST, SANTA BARBARA CALIF.
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Default.htm
click on the large photo of AW to go here:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Arlington_west_121003.htm
Scroll down the page for all the photos...

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. Thanks for the Veterans for Peace website...just joined and...

...will be contacting my local Huntsville, AL chapter later today.

[JCMach1]

12. Makes me mad

:grr:

[indepat]

14. Armored chest-plates for our soldiers would leave less profit for

the private-sector contractors pursuing their no-bid, unlimited cost overrun contracts in Iraq, would it not?

[Supormom]

15. MTP interview with Shrub...

He blamed the deficit on the war saying he was NOT going to send American soldiers to war without proper equipment.
They are having to pay for their own equipment, medical treatment, and meals while they are in the army hospitals.
Why didn't Russert bring up any of these facts?