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I don't know what more I can add that the NCO corps hasn't already stated. This SPC is a REMF and is whining just like every REMF I ever met. They cried in Bosnia in 98 because we didn't have cable installed. They stayed in air-condition connexes and offices while Armor/CAV and Infantrymen went on 4-10 hour patrols in full kit and stuffed into XM1114s or guarded their spoiled REMF butts at the base camps.

As to why we don't have the vehicles/armor in the quantities we really need, here are a few reasons:
1. The "military-industrial complex" is nowhere near as big and powerfull as Hollywierd and the National Socialist Left make it appear to be. Anyone tried buying 5.56mm(.223CAL) rifle ammo lately? It's getting rare because the cuts to the military manufacturing capabilities in the 90s means we have trouble keeping up with the ammo demands and are now buying civilian ammo.
2. It takes a lot of money to rebuild the Armed Forces, especially one that was overused/abused and underfunded. I really would have liked another two years of improvments and Bush's policy innitiatives in place before we went into action....But what we want and a pile a manurer.... We don't get to set timelines when our enemies attack. We are getting gear and training to the soldiers as fast as currently possible and we are pushing those limits on a daily basis.
3. We could have had the M1114 Armored HMMWV in 1999, but didn't. Why not? Ask Bill, Hillary, and John Kerry. Ask them why the improved body armor wasn't bought. Ask them why all the add-ons for the rifles were not bought in the late 90s. We did have them, but only for select members of SOCOM. There was no money to buy them for the conventional military. Ask them why it was only through investment in the M1 Abrams tank program by allied countries that our M1 tank fleet was saved and we now can buy the M1A2SEP. I bet you they will say "that's none of your business!" (Kerry's favorite ANSWER)

BTW the HMMWV is NOT a combat vehicle and we are trying to get new vehicles out as fast as we can. These new vehicles were in the prototype stage and stayed there in the 90s so Clinton couldn't cut them. They are now comming out. Things like the M-8 AGS (or maybe the 120mm armed Thunderbolt) for the 82nd ABN, the Cobra Armored vehicle for the Military Police, and many other things too detailed to get into. We stand on the edge of a technological and tactics quantim leap. We've been standing here since Clinton took office and froze military upgrades in favor of implementing more socialism. Now we can make that leap.

Lastly, I just went to a PLDC graduation today (my soldier there was on the Commandant's list). Most of these soldiers had 2-3 combat stripes on their uniform and were headed stright back to combat. These soldiers were not complaining..... says something, I guess...but I don't know, I'm just a dumb captain....Maybe this REMF SPC with less time in service than I've been an O-3 is 50x smarter than a prior service officer with 12 years in....or a slew of 1SGs and CSMs with 20-30 years....