WASHINGTON (AFP) - US troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan lack proper equipment, are overstretched and face serious health problems upon their return home, according to a poll released by an advocacy group.
The poll by VoteVets.org, a political action committee made up of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, showed that nearly half of all veterans (42 percent) believe that their equipment did not meet military standards.
It also said that 35 percent of veterans reported that their trucks had no armor protection while 10 percent said the trucks were "up-armored" with scrap metal.
"The results of this poll should be a wake up call to every American," said Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and chairman of VoteVets. "We are shortchanging our troops, in combat and at home.
"I am proud of my service in Iraq, but my job was made more difficult by the real life-or-death challenges I faced when it came to equipment and supplies that were inadequate or not fully operational."
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061004/ts_alt_afp/usiraqafghanistan