[68skylark]

I remember being issued the heavy, old style flak jacket for training and manuvers, and then being told that if this was a real situation they really wouldn't do us any good. Protection against shrapnel, not bullets.

I was taught in basic that shrapnel wounded or killed soldiers 4-5 times as often as bullets. So protection against shrapnel isn't worthless. Still, this country is very wealthy and I can't imagine any reason why our troops shouldn't have the best new body armor.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

ping

[TrueBeliever9]

As a mom who has purchased her share of military gear I am hear this mom! I would buy my son whatever he needed. We should not have to do that, but the alternative is not looking good. Our men should be the best equipped in the world and their families should be given the best care!

[OneTimeLurker]

"Still, this country is very wealthy and I can't imagine any reason why our troops shouldn't have the best new body armor."

Maybe because we would have to run an enormous deficit in order to do it....oh never mind!

[pullmyfinger]

Because our military is still working under good President Clinton's mentality. When I was in, during those years, we had to make our training aids our selves because we could not afford to get proper training.