IRAQ: Troops pay to get better gear - Standard equipment lacking in some cases

USA TODAY ^ | John Diamond

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. soldiers who invaded Iraq went into battle with the most modern and lethal equipment ever carried by an armed force. In some cases, they paid for it themselves.

Combat soldiers interviewed by an Army investigative team after the capture of Baghdad reported that they dipped into their own pockets to buy such accessories as pistol holsters, rucksacks, boot soles, underwear, rifle sights, global-positioning-system handsets and field radios, rather than use Army-issue versions.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ping!

[Vengeance122]

Well, I think we can't just blame the Clinton administration for that. The military's lethargically slow purchasing apparatus is to blame. And a lot of procurement issues often are decided by how influential the Congressman of the district the factory is located in rather than on simple merit. Hopefully, Rumsfeld's ideas for reform in the Pentagon include something in this area.

[Constitutional Patriot]

I heard that a very common purchase is a quality folding knife.

I think that the govt. should give the soldiers vouchers and let them use the money to buy additional equipment (w/ the stipulation that it be used for equipment).

It bothers me that our boys (and girls) have to spend out-of-pocket to equip themselves.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Not one more penny to the UN and other air conditioned SUV driving NGOs until our troops have everything they need.

[LonghornFreeper]

>> and tools such as battle axes and bolt cutters proved highly useful in urban combat.

Battle axes? Even though I am sure this doesn't mean what I think it means, I have to admit that I got a huge laugh thinking of some poor fool Republican Guardsman running from a GI with a five foot tall medieval style battle axe.

[Quas primas]

My nephew, who thinks he killed at least 250 Iraqis, complained that the M16 jammed way too much with the amount of silt/sand that was in the air. He said he was always cleaning it, out of complete paranoia of having it not work.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

My nephew, who thinks he killed at least 250 Iraqis, complained that the M16 jammed way too much with the amount of silt/sand that was in the air. He said he was always cleaning it, out of complete paranoia of having it not work.

Some of the Freepers on the bang list might have some comments about that!

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[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Comment on M-16 jamming in Iraq?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Welcome, I see you recently signed up!

[Joe Brower]

In the extremes of the arid climate and desert terrain in much of Iraq (read: lots and lots of sand and dust), I have no doubt that the M-16s required a fair bit of maintenence, but from what I've heard so did M2 .50 cals, the M240s, M9s and M1911s -- heck, the Abrams tanks were getting overheated by too much dust and grit. The main complaint I heard about the M-16s is that the M855 ball ammo doesn't have sufficient knockdown power and that they're too cumbersome for use in the armored vehicles and for MOUT, with the troops preferring the M4 in that role. That's all I've been made aware of -- I'm sure that other folks will be along to give their two bits!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See comments on post #11!