[jjm2111]

Give me a break. The military is filled with beareucratic clowns and officers who won't put their own neck on the line for anything. Two of our guys went w/out armor for 7 of their 8 month deployment and only got 'we're working on it' from the higher ups who spent lots of time goofing off or sleeping.

[Eagles Talon IV]

A soldier is responsible for his equipment. If it is destroyed then it is incumbent on him or her to secure the documents necessary to ensure they are not responsible. In this particular case the people who treated him are easily contacted and the necessary paperwork will be filed. The soldier will get his money back. If exceptions are made in a case like this then where do they stop? The military runs on discipline and regimentation and if this is allowed to be ignored in any instance then chaos will follow.