U.S. Troops Lack Uniforms

NewsMax.com Wires ^ | Friday, Jan. 24, 2003 | Staff

[joesnuffy]

U.S. Troops Lack Uniforms

NewsMax.com Wires Friday, Jan. 24, 2003

FORT HOOD, Texas – The 16,400 troops of the Army's 4th Infantry Division might deploy for possible combat in green fatigues because they don't have enough of the sand-colored camouflage uniforms used in desert warfare.

Preparations have been under way at the nation's largest Army post since Monday when orders were received. Maj. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, division commander, says his troops are ready for their assignment, although they are short on the uniforms.

"We will deploy in our green fatigues because we don't have enough of the desert fatigues in stock for everyone in the task force," he told the Dallas Morning News. "It is my call. We want everyone to dress the same. We can clearly do our job wherever we go, no matter what uniform we're wearing."

Fort Hood officials said that the uniform shortage was only a temporary problem and that preparations were continuing for the largest deployment at Fort Hood since the Persian Gulf War.

The 4th Division, the Army's premier high-tech combat division, will head the 37,000-soldier Task Force Ironhorse. The division includes the 3rd Brigade at Fort Carson, Colo., and National Guard and Army Reserve units from across the nation.

Odierno would not disclose the division's mission or destination.

"We're not going to talk about where we're going or how long we'll be there," he said. "And I'm not into message sending. We're prepared to go anywhere to do whatever is necessary."

The 4th Division, with its Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, and motorized howitzers, is fully digitized. Computers link the mechanized units on a high-tech tactical combat network.

"It gives us full battlefield situational awareness," said Lt. Col. Ted Martin, commander of the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment. "We know where our tanks and our people are, and we also can tell where the bad guys are. It's an incredible tool."

The 4th Division has been has been training at Fort Hood and the National Training Center in the Mojave Desert in California.

Troops have been inspecting and preparing heavy equipment for shipment around the clock since Monday. At the same time, soldiers have been making personal arrangement for their families as they prepare to depart in the next few weeks.

Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International

[thetruckster]

Let's get those boys some threads!!

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Not a huge deal probably, I figure they are going to be spending a lot of time in MOPP4, not exactly discreet there.

[xsrdx]

The Army, in it's wisdom, does not allow soldiers to purchase the Desert BDU - they are NOT available through the clothing sales system.

Thus, the only way to get these uniforms is through the supply system, which, as you might have guessed, is not as responsive as it's commercial counterpart.

Most units tagged for mideast duty already have the uniforms, but the 4ID doesn't have a specific mideast mission.

This is not about money, it's about responsiveness and preparation.

[chadwimc]

Whats the big deal? Very few troops actually serve combat roles. Let the REMFs wear woodland camo. Outfit the grunts with desert camo. At least until supply catches up with 'em.

[xsrdx]

Very few troops actually serve combat roles

True, but this is an infantry division. Most of the troops in a division are combatants- you'll find the REMF's in support organizations outside our 10 combat divisions.

Finally, in modern war it's tough to define the "front" - everybody in a combat zone assumes considerable risk of getting into a fight with somebody, even if it's just a ragtag bunch of angry Kuwaiti punks - for example.

[jdege]

Most of the troops in a division are combatants

True, but there's a sizable collection of REMFs in every division. Something like 25% of the troops in a division are in DISCOM.

[Leisler]

Not a biggie. Like if they miss the tank but see the crew, I'd say they, the Iraqis, are cooked.

[Little Bill]

When I went to Nam we bought our lite weights at the PX, 1965.

[oldironsides]

Not a huge deal? They did the same thing to us and we spent months in the damn tropics with regular fatigues. We cut legs and sleeves off and wore them until we heard a chopper
was coming with a publicity hound politician or some brass.
They will send you into hell with cold weather supplies if they have to do it. We had to rely on relatives to send the
day to day supplies the military failed to supply or keep on hand. The military accepts females in forward areas and neglects their needs. Leaning into a chopper and asking the pilot to bring back Tampax his next trip is a pain in the arse.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

I am not saying that the uniform problem is ok, I am only saying that the camoflauge pattern, is probably not that big of a deal in the whole skeem of things. Besides how much lighter and cooler is the new tri-coler desert BDU over the lightweight Woodland pattern BDU? Yeah, is it a problem that we do not have enough desert cammo, Yes. But I think the MOPP suits are far more important, and on the issue of camoflauge, the MOPP suit doesn't exactly blend in, unless they have a new desert version.

[John H K]

Also the Iraqis have no intention of defending in the desert, and all the fighting will be in cities, or the Tigris-Euphrates valley, which is green anyway. (Iraqis, and 99% of all Arabs, despite populular conception, don't live in the desert.) I'd almost rather have green than Desert.