And your yellow ribbons still aren't enough

John Tod of Mesa had been prepared to face Father's Day worrying about his son's pending date with the war in Iraq.

Then Uncle Sam stepped in with more disappointing developments.

Marine Pfc. Jeremy Tod called home with news that his superiors were urging him and fellow Marines to buy special military equipment, including flak jackets with armor plating, to enhance the prospects of their survival.

The message was that such purchases were to be made by Marines with their own money.

"He said they strongly suggested he get this equipment because when they get to Iraq they will wish they had," Tod said.

Total estimated cost: $600.

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http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0618evthomason18Z10.html

Irony:

Bush approving raising the life insurance policy payout for soldiers from about $12,000 to $100,000, but not providing money to pay for the flak jackets to save their lives (and hence, avoid the $100,000 + pension + benefits for the widow).

...

What gets me is that somehow the whole election crap about Kerry "not voting for the 87 billion to pay for armor for our troops" is utter effing lies because they still don't have their flak jackets.

I don't think we should be sending troops over there... but if we are, we ought to be giving them the best equipment money can buy.

I wonder how many of those $600 kits could be purchased with the salary of one five-star general (or better yet, the black budget of a single hare-brained boondoggle of a weapon system).

I seriously want to start ramming people who have those damn ribbon stickers plastered all over their cars. It's such an empty meaningless gesture and all they're doing is lining the pockets of the people who make the stickers. If they really gave a shit they'd take the money they spent pretending they care and send it someplace where it might actually help someone.

Hmmm thats funny...

I have a yellow sticker on my car...and because I have that you assume that I don't place my money some where it might actually help someone?

Well yeah I do...as a matter of fact, my nephew was just back home from Camp Pendleton, CA. He just got back from his first tour in Iraq. During that tour,
I sent numerous packages to him for him and his buddies. While he was home,
I paid for a welcome home party for him and gave him $100. When he goes back
again, in 6 months *because he requested to do so*, I will continue to send him the packages for moral support.

What have you done?

I'll remember that comment the next time I am in your area. I'll be the redhead in the dark blue Durango.

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On March 24, 1999, two bat-winged B-2 bombers from Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri flew around the globe to drop their munitions on Serb targets in Kosovo. The around-the-globe sortie marked the first combat experience of the $2.2 billion bomber. While the military effect of this particular mission was marginal, it could have serious repercussions back in Washington, re-opening a debate which many thought had ended in 1997.
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with 2.2 Billion dollars the price of ONE B2 bomber ....

we could buy 3,666,666 of these $600 flack jackets.

Since thus US military is 1.4 ish Million thats more then enough to give everyone one and a spare.

If we limit only those in the combat zones to having a flack Jacket thats more then enough to give every soldier 10.

Kinda of strange that the flak jackets are such a unbearble out of budget expense - Considering the US military bought 40 B2 bombers.

The benifits were increase from a max of $100k to $250k. Its life insurance the service member is allowed to purchase.

I dont buy this story about the shortage of camelbacks and flackgear. I believe this was a problem early on but has mostly been resolved. There have been some issues with defective vest and the design of the new helmets arent the best. I think most of this is resolved also.

Stuff soldiers like to get are: Febreeze, Underarmor Tee Shirts, Knife sharpening kits, Good socks, LED flashlights, small folding knives, beef jerkey.

If u want to send stuff to service members overseas: http://anysoldier.com/index.cfm

Heres where u buy armor and crap to send if your so incline: http://www.lightfighter.com/istar.htm

Then perhaps you would believe this story.

Marine units found to lack equipment
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/06/21/marine_units_found_to_lack_equipment/

This information was the Marine Corps Inspector General in his report filed to congress yesterday.

What do you not buy about the first story? I don't understand your basis for calling a soldier and his father a liar.

Does bitching, moaning and complaining count for anything? I asked him as well as a bunch of others the same thing in another thread with no response. Wonder why? I don't.

I have a Yellow Ribbon magnet on my car. It cost me a dollar and some change. I put it on my car because I support the people who are willing to stand on a wall, and say "Nothing's gonna hurt you...not on my watch".

*Put her thumb and forfinger together* See this space? That's the amount of guilt I have for my 'empty meaningless gesture'. I just hope you have liability insurance when you ram my car, Chip.

Maybe I missed it in there somewhere and if so my apologies but I didn't see anything in that article about Flack Jackets. This article is about heavy machinery and heavy machine guns.

They just irritate me since the proceeds from the sale of those stickers don't go to charity. They just make the sticker makers rich. They should all say "I Support Our Sticker Industry"

Nope, and making generalized, stereo-typing comments about how people chose to spend their money doesn't either.

Note to Chip... It's not about you my friend.

Gotta love the American way. I don't think they were ever advertised that they were going to charity.

But honestly, Chip, is it the sticker or the fact that the person supports the war that is the problem?

It's the fact that they support a meaningless war that promotes Bush's warmongering.

I don't support the troops. I don't want them to die, but I feel if I support them being over there.... I would be supporting the war.

Well, unfortunately, that's the problem we had with Vietnam. We demonized the soldiers who wen thru the Hell of War. We can't blame the soldiers for their orders...and it *is* okay to disapprove of the war and support the ones who have to fight that war.

That is an opinion, not a fact. Do not portray it as such.


That is sad and pathetic. Soldiers are dying for you over there and you don't want to support them because you don't agree with why they are there. You should re-think this. No matter if you agree with the war or not our men and woman in arms deserve our support.

That logic has me completely baffled.

The men and women over there are doing what they pledged to do. Does that make them monsters that need to be shunned? No.

The monsters are what they are fighting over there. My nephew had stories about how when they went through a town, the only people that were left were the terrorists. The people that wanted the freedom they had to offer, fled until the troops came in there and made their towns peaceful again.

The terrorist, the lil angels, they would put their children in cars loaded down with explosives and push them in front of the tanks so the soldiers wouldn't shoot. Then when it got close enough, they would blow it up. Poor lil things, having to do that to their own children because President Bush is a filthy warmonger. *please read the sarcasm in that statement*

And damn President Bush and the Evil American troops for invading the palaces and terrorist hideouts that had the walls and toilets lined in gold. They seized all of their good cocaine that they were going to sell in the US to support their war efforts. So he took away their livelyhood too. *insert sarcasm here too*

I have one of these:

:/ mmm...k. The only thing I can express to our soldiers are my condolences that they are caught in the middle of this ill-conceived cluftersuck.

People are dying in Iraq in my name and against my wishes, toward the end of establishing a U.S.-dependent, oil-rich outpost in the Middle East (the same reason we funded and armed Saddam in the first place). I don't blame the soldiers for these circumstances, but neither do I feel compelled to cheer-lead at the death rally.

Oooooo, I like that one, Kendra! I may have to get me one, and give more support to the Evil Sticker Empire...

Although the TM on the "Bring Them Home" kinda dulls my enthusiasm. They *had* to trademark it...

No, it's not the fact that the person supports the war. It's that buying those stickers doesn't actually do anything to support the troops. If people want to tie a yellow ribbon around their antenna, great. I have no problem with that... it's specifically those ribbon shaped stickers. Somewhere the guy who thought up the idea of making those stickers is laughing his ass off by his very expensive swimming pool behind his multi-million dollar house.

Is that not enough?

I have cited two references on two areas of underfunding for a war that has been going on for a while now.

Also it was more than just heavy machinery and machine guns as you can see from the first paragraph.

"Marine Corps units fighting in some of the most dangerous terrain in Iraq don't have enough weapons, communications gear, or properly outfitted vehicles, according to an investigation by the Marine Corps' inspector general provided to Congress yesterday."

As for the ribbons, they are not enough.

A few well-placed letters to your congressman letting them know you are aware of this report as well and you expect there to be action taken will go a long ways.

Remember this is not about whether or not the war is justified or our troops should be over there in the first place This is about making sure that those who are over there have the equipment they need.