If you are critical of the need of such equipment I wish you were over there and they were home.
Transportation units have very limited communications If your unit becomes separated you are screwed.
Just ask Jessica Lynch.
Every truck needs bino's too but transportation units such as this don't usually operate in hostile areas because they move low and slow so it's radios and the little combat luxuries are not a way of life for them.
Some of them even have to wear the Vietnam era flack vests because there is a shortage and Guard units don't get priority. ( tell that to the widow )
It's real easy to monday morning quarterback these guys from your nice safe home. I receive E-Mail from them as they can catch it. The moral is HIGH folks. But I would submitt you that most peoples daily lives have not changed that much since 9-11 . Theirs have drastically.
I was with these same guys on the morning of 9-11 and we have been deployed 3 times since then
Part time job my ass. But someone must do it and we are that someone. Help us if you can.