THE ARMY’S NEW CAR IS A “LEMON,” STRYKER PROGRAM - A BOONDOGGLE

MilitaryCorruption.Com ^ | August 16, 2003 | Lonnie T. Shoultz

[Don L]

When the Senate confirmed Eric Shinseki as the first Asian-American chief of Staff of the Army in June 1999, Bill Clinton’s “politically-correct” general had four years to leave his mark on the service. In a speech made on October 15 of that year, Shinseki stated. “In order to become more deployable and maintain lethality, the Army must field a prototype brigade-size force. The intent is to establish brigades in the next few months that will use off-the-shelf systems, as resources permit and as quickly as possible, to jumpstart development of concepts and doctrine, organizational design, and training.”

It appears that Shinseki began his task of “lightening” the Army will a willing spirit and a clean heart – then the money got to him.

But instead of buying “off-the-shelf” items for the Army’s new Brigade Task Force, as he stated he would, in many speeches to friendly audiences and both Houses of Congress, Shinseki worked with others to design a new, extremely expensive, overweight and less survivable vehicle than the M113A3 tracked armored vehicle of which the Army already owned over 11,000 chassis.

The M113A3’s could have been refurbished, had digital communications installed, and been field-tested for less than $400,000 each. The wheeled “Stryker” vehicle that Shinseki ultimately approved for purchase is a knockoff of the Swiss MOWAG design, manufactured mainly in Canada (a clear violation of the Berry Amendment that requires the Department of Defense to “Buy American”), costs the U.S. taxpayers $2.8 million dollars each, and is not as survivable as the tracked M113s already in the U.S. Army inventory. Here’s how he went so wrong . . .

[Don L]

Once again the Army tried to come in the back door because they cannot gain entry through the front...

[LibKill]

A bad deal all around.

[Thud]

ping

[Skybird]

Shinseki's lasting accomplishment, which capstoned a failure as Chief of Staff, was to put all soldiers into into the black Monica berets. Not only was it a slap in the face to every U.S. Army Ranger who earned them, but every soldier now has a hard to maintain and carry around cover.

He, too, got caught on this one, when the normal procurement and logistical process was bypassed and "Made in China" (slave labor) labels started showing up on them.

I wonder if the "Made in China" laborers slipped the hair-like RFID (radio frequency ID) threads into them like they're now doing with many consumer products??!! It would make it way too easy to track troop locations.

[AngrySpud]

Shinseki left two other marks on the Army ...

1. "COO" (Consideration of Others) Training, and
2. Black Berets for everybody

The intent being to "genteel" as many soldiers as possible and build up others' unearned "self-esteem".

[Freedom4US]

I can't comment on the Stryker vehicle specifically.. at all. BUT - I remember when the Humvee was first transitioned into the service - several experts wrote lengthy treatise on how it was a terrible vehicle, in particular too wide compared to the jeep, and the military had made a huge mistake with the Humvee, the sky will fall and we'll all rue the day we jettisoned the jeep.

That was a complete crock, the Humvee has been very successful and good tactical vehicle. Sometimes the gloom-and-doomers have to be taken with a grain of salt.

[Freedom4US]

The problem was, the machinery to construct a proper beret (without a seam down the middle, as per milspec) didn't exist anymore in this country.

China and others had bought them all up, apparently, except for one firm, in Arkansas. The Arkansas firm couldn't possibly handle the demand, so it was "outsourced" overseas, till cooler heads prevailed. I had a two year break in service, and the difference in the Army before and after during that time period was astonishing. 94/97ish

[joesnuffy]

If its a bad idea...this is the guy who would come up with it
Steal the black beret from the Rangers
And give it to the Aunt Jemimah brigade
You dont need to be the best...all you need is to dress like the best...
(and make sure you give the contract to the chi coms)

[Flyer]

[ffusco]

http://www.geocities.com/equipmentshop/betterm113a3s.htm


Italy has upgraded her M113s with more horses and a bigger gun. See Link.

[Old Sarge]

Folks, Shinseki-san will forever be loathed by all on Active Duty or in the Guard and Reserves.

"When in doubt - ACCESSORIZE!" Nice legacy, eh?

Shinseki-san was, and is, the epitomy of the PC General of the Decade of Fraud and Deceit.

[LS]

You are so right. I recall a "60 minutes" special on the BRADLEY and how terrible it was.

Early reports of the Strykers in action are pretty good. I'll reserve judgement.

[Tallguy]

If I recall, the principal complaint about the Hummer was its price tag. Certain versions of the old Jeep (the ones with independent front suspension) had a tendency to rollover & kill their occupants.

[Travis McGee]

Pro Ping

[norton]

Price and complexity, girth and weight, ... oh, yeah, and price. (It's got to be more stable however.)
Those 'certain' jeeps were a kick in the butt to drive.
Their bad reputation came from dumb driving as near as I could tell and I think modifications in early seventies fixed 'em pretty good.
PS: The link at #10 is pretty interesting & I'm sure they are better suited to handle cannon recoil etc.

[armymarinemom]

I have heard a few complaints from my youngest about this. His unit has been doing some opfor for them. 501st

[Rockpile]

And recall that the Arkansas made hats were actually cheaper than the Chinese ones. maybe Shinseki got some payola from the Reds.

[OldFriend]

Shinseki is poised to run for senate from Hawaii. He is Inouye's protege. Inouye is about to retire.

[Tallguy]

Saw an interview with Gen. Donald Starry on the Discovery Channel. Some time before he took on the job at TRADOC, he was a division commander in Europe. He said he lost 3 Jeeps during a single field problem. Gotta be some kind of record -- at least for a general!

[Rockpile]

I saw four separate M 151 rollovers {after they had happened}. Two of the wrecks were fatal.

Didn't drive a jeep much myself but I always tried to be careful, especially turning.

I think that the jeeps should have had some kind of detachable rollbar.

An interesting little unplanned advantage of a jeep is that you can actually get one inside an LVTP-7 Amtrac. When they would ship the tractors by rail or lowboy jeeps would go along sometimes.