Just another small outrage, reported by the AP. The Pentagon refused to discharge a wounded soldier until he ponied up the cost of his body armor. The story is in the NY times
here (registration required). A few excerpts below the fold.
A former U.S. soldier injured in Iraq says he was forced to pay $700 for a blood-soaked Kevlar vest that was destroyed after medics removed it to treat shrapnel wounds to his right arm.
First Lt. William ''Eddie'' Rebrook IV, 25, of Charleston had to leave the Army because of his injuries. But before he could be discharged last week, he had to scrounge up cash from his buddies to pay for the body armor or face not being discharged for months -- all because a supply officer failed to document that the vest had been destroyed more than a year ago as a biohazard.
......
In the past, the Army allowed to soldiers to write memos, explaining the loss and destruction of gear but a new policy requires documentation from the field.
Turns out the guy is a West Point graduate with four years of active duty, six months in Iraq. The Army Chief of Staff Peter Schoomaker got caught by Robrt Byrd at a Senate Armed Services budget hearing
'How can it be that the Defense Department, which is requesting $439 billion in this budget, has to resort to dunning a wounded soldier for $700 to replace a piece of body armor?' Byrd asked.
Schoomaker called Rebrook's story unusual and promised Byrd to 'correct it if there's any truth to it.'
Nice, huh?
And how is Rebrook today?
His arm never completely recovered despite seven operations. He still has range of motion problems and pain.