13.9.03
US troops pay their own way
After all, its the capitalist way. Some of the costs of all that fancy body armor (mentioned two days ago on this blog) are being shifted to the wounded troops themselves, who apparently are now being billed for hospital meals. Or course, the red cross is also helping the military skirt responsibility to wounded soldiers by soliciting donations from the public.
OK, the military will spend $1600 (per soldier!) to outfit 100+ thousand American GIs with their body armor, but won't spend $8 for a meal for them once that fancy gear saves their lives.
On top of that, troops are apparently buying their own supplemental equipment because they don't feel like the army is giving them what they need. When the tracks wear out on a Bradley (every 60 days in Iraq - that American engineering know how [war profiteering] for you!), they replace them - at a cost of ~$30,000. When a soldier's uniform wears out, he has to buy another one. Its almost enough to make you feel sorry for them, until some asshole comes out and says something like this:
After all, its the capitalist way. Some of the costs of all that fancy body armor (mentioned two days ago on this blog) are being shifted to the wounded troops themselves, who apparently are now being billed for hospital meals. Or course, the red cross is also helping the military skirt responsibility to wounded soldiers by soliciting donations from the public.
OK, the military will spend $1600 (per soldier!) to outfit 100+ thousand American GIs with their body armor, but won't spend $8 for a meal for them once that fancy gear saves their lives.
On top of that, troops are apparently buying their own supplemental equipment because they don't feel like the army is giving them what they need. When the tracks wear out on a Bradley (every 60 days in Iraq - that American engineering know how [war profiteering] for you!), they replace them - at a cost of ~$30,000. When a soldier's uniform wears out, he has to buy another one. Its almost enough to make you feel sorry for them, until some asshole comes out and says something like this:
And there is one item many soldiers purchased and carried into the desert that wasn't part of the regular equipment.
"Another cool thing to bring with you is an American flag," Corcoran said. "Just in case you plan on conquering anything."
