DoD drops ball on body armor reimbursement program

March 09, 2005

By Rick Maze
(Army)Times staff writer

The Defense Department has missed a deadline for creating a program to reimburse deployed troops, their friends and family members for the purchase of safety and protective gear, prompting complaints from the program’s chief congressional sponsor.

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said the 2005 Defense Authorization Act, signed into law by President Bush Oct. 28, included a new program under which the Pentagon could provide reimbursement of up to $1,100 for the purchase of protective, health or safety equipment for deployed troops if the government could not or would not provide it.

The provision covered items purchased between Sept. 11, 2001, and July 31, 2004, either by or on behalf of service members.

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The Defense Department opposed (Sen. Christopher)Dodd’s reimbursement plan, arguing it was a bad precedent to reimburse troops for personal items. Defense officials dropped their objections only after the proposal was modified to give the Pentagon final say about what items might be covered.:mad:

(more at link)
<http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-711068.php>

and determining that they did nothing wrong.

Shouldn't our government, the leaders of the country who sent them to war in the first place, be responsible for adequately equipping the troops?

It's just one more example of Bush, Rumsfeld, and Cheney doing a piss-poor job of planning an illegal war.

...adequately equipping the troops?" :shrug:

Yes, of course they should, but so many of them ended up in Iraq without proper protection, the Family started buying the equipment at the local Army/Navy Surplus stores, and sending it to them.

The 2004 "Emergency Supplemental" was supposed to reimburse the Families for this. It didn't happen.:grr:

no wonder we are losing this stupid war. they are utterly incompetent and accountable for NOTHING>

:kick: