Second Class Soldiers

[Moonbeam]

I hadn't realized that a think called the military industrial complex had planned the shortage.

 

[DoubleL]

Well feeling some better today, I think the vest, Body armor problems were later cause I didn't see anyone without one at the start of the war or any video through the war, In all wars you have supply problems, We had more in Nam than anyone can think of, Also we had GM making the M-16's at that time that got a lot of young men killed, But they made them cheaper than colt or browning, Now that I am thinking straight I would have to know more about someone having to buy their own body armor, I just think there is more or less to that, Just doesn't sound right, The page would not open so where would one buy armor, Does Iraq have a army navy store

 

[chess9]

DoubleL:

Hang in there! Being sick sucks.

Never forget this is America and this is just blood sport. When its all over we go to the NCO club and get sh++faced.

No one here is better than anyone else and we are all dumber than a box of rocks anyway.

-Robert

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: DoubleL
Well feeling some better today, I think the vest, Body armor problems were later cause I didn't see anyone without one at the start of the war or any video through the war, In all wars you have supply problems, We had more in Nam than anyone can think of, Also we had GM making the M-16's at that time that got a lot of young men killed, But they made them cheaper than colt or browning, Now that I am thinking straight I would have to know more about someone having to buy their own body armor, I just think there is more or less to that, Just doesn't sound right, The page would not open so where would one buy armor, Does Iraq have a army navy store

I carried a GM-made M16A1 for a while. Compared to a Colt or Harrington-Richardson, that rifle was a POS. In fact, while working in the arms room, I noted that most of the GM-made rifles in our unit at that time were POS.

Anyhow, logistics snafus are not some revolutionary new phenomenon. For example, during the first Gulf War, there were units in my task force without the older flak vests or even desert BDUs. Yes, active duty has traditionally received preferential treatment over Reserve/Guard members. However, this is still no excuse for the lack of body armor after one year of operations. Additionally, in my experience from 1980-2000, numerous soldiers brought some of their own gear with them on deployment because they either didn't trust the GI issue equipment or the supply system.

The bottom line is that if this shortage is indeed a problem, then DA really should acknowledge it and take action.

 

[CaptnKirk]

When I got to Cam Rahn Bay in '67 the M-16's that we were given had been dropped in their crates
after shipment on the beach. They had been pilfered open, contaminated with sand, and with all the
pickling for shipping were quite a mess to clean up and make servicable.
There were 2 things going against us with these weapons at the time:
1) They had been shipped without cleaning kits.
2) Solvents and other cleaning agents were scarce, lots of wiping, and lots more sand.
Cam Rahn Bay