Iraq and Afghanistan veterans call on the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold hearings on the still-unresolved issues regarding body armor for the Troops.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 9, 2005
CONTACT: Will Coghlan, (212)-982-9699,
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Call for Hearings on Body Armor Supply Problems
NEW YORK – The nation’s largest organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan called on the Senate Armed Services Committee today to launch an investigation into the deadly shortages of adequate body armor for our Troops in harms way.
This follows the stunning disclosure of a secret Pentagon study that found that scores of Troops may have survived if they had been wearing the latest body armor.
“What is it going to take for our leaders in Washington to finally commit to providing the best possible support for the Troops?” asked Paul Rieckhoff, an OIF veteran and the founder of IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). “The men and women of the military have long known that the body armor supply chain is seriously flawed, and three years into this war they’re still waiting for a solution. No American should tolerate this continuing example of bureaucracy at its worst.”
Rieckhoff, who led an Army infantry platoon in Baghdad, sent a letter today to the Senate Armed Services Committee calling for an investigation into the body armor supply problems.
“There should be no higher priority for our elected officials than protecting our Troops, but so far Congress has shown little interest in fixing the body armor supply problems,” Rieckhoff said today. “We’re not talking about building a bridge or rewriting the tax code. This is a matter of life and death, and bureaucratic excuses just won’t cut it.”
See the full text of Rieckhoff’s letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee below.
IAVA (www.iava.org) is America’s first and largest Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans Organization, representing Veterans in all fifty states. IAVA works to ensure the enactment of policies that properly provide for our Troops & Veterans, keep our military strong, and guarantee our national security for the purpose of a stronger America.
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January 9, 2006
The Honorable John Warner, Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services
289 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Warner,
On behalf of America’s Troops and Veterans, I urge you to convene hearings on the body armor supply problems that continue to place our Troops in unnecessary danger.
The men and women of the military have long known that the body armor supply chain is seriously flawed. Why, three years into this war, are they still waiting for a solution? No American should tolerate this continuing example of bureaucracy at its worst.
The Pentagon’s own research has shown that hundreds of American lives could have been saved if the Troops had been wearing the latest protective armor. This is not news. Since the opening days of the war, our Troops have been forced to rig makeshift armor to cover the gaps in old-style protective vests. There should be no higher priority for our elected officials than protecting our Troops, but so far Congress has shown little interest in solving the body armor supply problems. We must have accountability.
When our Troops are sent into battle, they do not grasp for excuses as to why they can’t execute their orders. Our leaders in Washington should follow that example. Modern body armor can save lives, and it is up to you and your fellow committee members to protect our Troops in every possible way.
It was a mistake to order our Troops into harms way without the best possible equipment. But it is a far greater tragedy to let that mistake continue. We must know why these problems still exist, we must know who is responsible, and most importantly, future generations of Troops must know that Congress and the Pentagon will not allow these problems to persist.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter, and for all that you do on behalf of America’s military.
