The Pentagon announced that
soldiers will no longer be allowed to wear body armor privately purchased for them by family members.
Pitin had a diary about this in the early morning that few people saw, so I wanted to bump it for the early morning East Coast readers. Am I the only one who thinks this should be a big story?
Let's review. First the Pentagon goes to war with the army we have, and
does not provide enough armor for the soldiers because GWB is in such a rush to get his war on. Then the Pentagon
admits in a secret study that better body armor would have prevented injuries and deaths. Family and friends buy body armor and send it to their favorite soliders at their own expense. The Pentagon in a rare positive PR move
decides to reimburse family members for privately purchased body armor, but
families are frustrated by the delay in the reimbursements.
Then in January, some families were told that troops could risk losing their SGLI death benefits if they use their own armor.
Now we have this, from the AP story by Lolita Baldor (who has been on the body armor story for a while):
Soldiers will no longer be allowed to wear body armor other than the protective gear issued by the military, Army officials said Thursday, the latest twist in a running battle over the equipment the Pentagon gives its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Don't give them armor. Don't let them buy their own armor. Don't give them benefits when they come home injured or dead as the result of inadequate protection. What more proof do we need that this Administration doesn't give a d@mn about protecting or supporting the troops?
Republicans. Loving our troops to death.