Donated GPS units give directions to Minnesota troops

[kickysnana]

"We were in a very bad part of Baghdad and needed to get out of their fast," Ed read from the e-mail. "Our convoy commander screamed ? and said 'do you have this on your GPS.' I answered, 'yes,' and directed them back out of the there." Ed chocked up as he finished reading the soldier's e-mail. "What I'm trying to say is everybody in the convoy owes you a big thank you. I was scared to death." Ed was so moved by the e-mail that he made it his mission to get GPS units into the hands of every Minnesota soldier who requests one.

"Somebody has to do this, and nobody's doing it," he says.

With fundraising help from the St. Augusta's American Legion Auxiliary, Ed has now presented 60 of the $160 GPS units to departing troops and personally provided GPS training.

"You get lost over there, what do you do?" Ed asks. "You can't read the signs. You can't ask for help."

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=519195&catid=14
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Comment: Our troops are still having to fight a 21st century war with 20th century equipment.

[Squatch]

1. I smell BS in this article

Every C2 node and damn near every vehicle has either an issued PLGR or DAGR GPS receiver.

[kickysnana]

2. I don't speak military acronym. Could you translate? Thanks. n/t

[Squatch]

4. Sure...

PLGR = Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver
DAGR = Defense Advanced GPS Receiver

These are issued GPS receivers that have been in inventory for the past 15+ years for the PLGR and 5+ years for the DAGR.

[Debau2005]

5. Agreed

My husband was a truck driver in one of the convoys with the National Guard in 2005-2006. I have teased him that he can't find his way home because of his bad direction, but survived Iraq. He says he didn't need directions in Iraq, his truck had GPS.

I'll send this article to him and get his thoughts.

[DS1]

3. Chocked up? Who writes this garbage?

Besides, map reading should be essential, in case your plastic GPS is blown up, or runs out of batteries, or loses signal.

Just drive, get out of there. How hard is that?

[kickysnana]

6. Local TV Station report...

do you suppose that a fib snowballed into a GPS campaign and nobody wants to fess up?

[LiberalFighter]

7. Could it be someone who is running for Congress in that area?

Michele Bachman maybe trying to get pr for her campaign?

[Nickster]

8. Could these be National Guard units? They don't always get fully equipped. Just wondering.

[kickysnana]

9. Yes they are NG units. n/t