Adopt a Humvee

[Blogwhoring for my husband, SwamiUptown at Beliefnet.com]

Riddle Me This: I Hate the War, But I Care More About the Troops Than the President

Only one company seems to know how to add armor to Humvees. And, guess what, it says it's never been asked to work faster or increase productivity:

Jacksonville, Florida-based Armor Holdings last month told the Army it could add armor to as many as 550 of the trucks a month, up from 450 vehicles now, Robert Mecredy, president of the company's aerospace and defense group, said in an interview today.

"We're prepared to build 50 to 100 vehicles more per month," Mecredy said in the telephone interview. "I've told the customer that and I stand ready to do that."
So what's the problem? The client--the government--has never asked for more.

Huh? Why not?

One explanation: Until that soldier put the question to Rumsfeld, the government didn't know there was a problem.

What that would mean: The government doesn't read the papers or watch TV or, presumably, read reports from Iraq. (Requests for more supplies--and more troops--from commanders in Iraq? Like voting machines in the black neighborhoods of Ohio's cities on November 2nd, they can't be found.) Maybe it comes down to this: If it's not on Fox News, the government doesn't know what's happening. How scary is that?

Another explanation: The government knows, but can't find the money. And if you weigh competing interests--tax cuts for the rich vs. death and dismemberment for blue-collar soldiers--well, the people recently voted on that. The rich win. The poor lose.

What that would mean: Pork rules. At Homeland Security, Bernard Kerik has $7 billion to bestow on companies that he has already done business with. And Wyoming must be protected from terrorists at all costs. Out of sight, out of mind. Literally: "America First."

A third explanation: The government knows. The government could find the money. But the government just doesn't care about anyone who's not a CEO and/or didn't donate $100,000 or more to the campaign.

What that would mean: We're on our own. Call it "the privatization of America" if you want to make it sound pretty, but it comes down to the same thing--the government is no longer the friend-of-last-resort. You want help? Find a faith-based benefactor in the private sector.

I buy the third explanation. And that gave me an idea....

Adopt a Humvee

Army of One. That's me. Private Kornbluth, reporting for duty.

My mission: make sure our troops have armored Humvees.

My goal: Write a check to Armor Holdings, Inc. And get others to do so.

My first task: find out how much it costs to armor a Humvee. And, of course, whether Armor Holdings will accept my donation.

What I did: I called Michael Fox, President, Corporate Communications, at Armor Holdings in Jacksonville.

Outcome: He was "on another line." He will call me back. Maybe.

What you can do to help: Call or e-mail Armor Holding in Jacksonville, Florida. Robert R. Schiller, President & Chief Operating Office or Michael Fox, Corporate Communications. Phone: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]. You might also cc the Department of Defense. And please cc me: [e-mail].

What you might say: "I care about our soldiers. I want more Humvees armored, and I want you to accelerate the delivery dates. May I write you a check to help this cause?"

Thanks for doing this. If you have some spare time--what!!! in this holiday season!!!--you might send me some explanation of the question that's been bugging me for days: Why do people who hate the war seem to care more about the soldiers than the people who "support" the war?

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/145/story_14546_1.html

•  Label 'em

  Just like the 'Gift of the People of the US" label on food aid packages. Right on the dash-"Gift of the Liberals of the US"

  by mrwizard on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 12:19:18 PM PDT

  •  I Thought

    This was one of the things the American government was supposed to be buying with the $87 billion supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan.  We shouldn't have to host bake sales to get armored vehicles for our troops.

    by eafredel on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 01:17:31 PM PDT

•  A Forth Explanation?

  The DoD just didn't see the need for them.

  How the System Shorted Armored Humvees

  by Goldfish on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 12:19:44 PM PDT

•  this just in

  CNN has just reported that the army secretary called this company today and has renegotiated the contract to up the number of armoured humvees supplied to the gov't.

  Apparently, the Pentagon is claiming that they simply did not know that this was an option until the news broke this week, even though the company had told the Pentagon previously that they had the capacity.

  So, hang on to your money. This move and this new "armour task force" are supposed to be taking care of the problems.

  Right. We'll see what really happens.

  by catnip on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 12:33:23 PM PDT

  •  We'll see indeed

    What about the already dead soldiers?  Oh, that's right, we don't acknowledge dead soldiers in this administration.

    by Pennsylvanian on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 12:55:58 PM PDT

•  Buy armor instead of a magnetic ribbon

  I was just thinking today about how much people have spent on those stupid "support our troops" magnetic ribbons. They're made in China and the profits go to corporations. If the people who get those really want to support the troops, why don't they send the $3 or whatever to pay for humvee armor instead? If 100,000 people in this country have gotten ribbons that is $300,000 dollars. Apparently it's better to sacrifice the troops than it is to sacrifice for the troops. Sad, isn't it?

  by puppethead on Fri Dec 10, 2004 at 01:17:49 PM PDT