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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Marines Call New Body Armor Heavy, Impractical

The issue of body armor has been hotly debated over the past several years. Outcry over reported limitations of the vest and the countering concerns about additional weight and mobility limitations have combined into a confusing sea of indignation. The Catch-22 quality of all of this has been amplified by the fact that a number of the voices didn't really appear to have any actual field knowledge. Today, it appears that some who do - the Marines - are adding their voice to the discussion:

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By Jennifer Griffin

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Pentagon and Marine Corps authorized the purchase of 84,000 bulletproof vests in 2006 that not only are too heavy but are so impractical that some U.S. Marines are asking for their old vests back so they can remain agile enough to fight.

Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway wants to know who authorized the costly purchase of the nearly 30-pound flak jackets and has ordered the Marine procurement officers at the Quantico base in Virginia to halt the rest of an unfilled order, FOX News has learned.
The rest of the article is here.

Having never needed to rely on one of these vests, I haven't got enough of a frame of reference to opine on these vests. I can say, however, that I can't imagine having to choose between a higher level of protection, and necessary mobility. It seems to me that some techno-genius somewhere should be able to remove the need to do so. But of course, that takes money, and when we've got Congress debating the issue of de-funding the war, and at least one candidate for President who has expressed contempt for the military, I'm not real optimistic that the money for research and development to solve this issue is going to be there.

Until that point, it looks like our troops are still going to have to choose between improved protection or mobility, and just that doesn't sit well with me.

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MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS - Afghan National Security Forces conduct operations to disrupt the insurgents' ability to engage friendly forces from prepared fighting positions in Helmand Province of Afghanistan Jan. 20, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Gunn

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In Today's News - Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Quote of the Day
If men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail.

-- Ulysses S. Grant

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom

Gates to Turks: Wrap It Up
Turkish troops kill 77 Kurdish rebels
Turk envoy tells Iraq no timetable for troop pullout - Video

Operation Enduring Freedom
Kidnapped Aid Worker Feared Dead

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Venezuela helicopters fly to free Colombia hostages
Israel air strikes kill six Gaza militants: medics

Fallen Heroes
2 Polish soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Other Military News
India missile test to start arms race: Pakistan
New US submarines trade nukes for SEALs

Worldwide Wackos
Rice hints at movement on North Korea nuclear issue
New York Phil gets muted reaction in North Korea media - Video
Rice seeks Japan's help with North Korea
Heathrow protesters scale roof of British parliament
Major powers look at new ways to get Iran to talks

Politics / Government
Clinton, Obama TradeBlame in Final Face-Off - PHOTOS
IRS Probes Church Over Obama Speech
McCain Apologizes for Shock Jock's Remarks
Voters Recall Oregon Mayor Who Posed on Fire Truck in Underwear
Rice Tries to Soothe Japan Over Rape Case
90-Year-Old Senator Byrd Hospitalized After Fall
Clinton stumbles over new Russian leader's name
Obama, Clinton clash - Video
Clinton stumbles over Medvedev's name
Blog: Disney puts money on Dems
Full Coverage: Election 2008
Fed chief assessing economy's health
Wrong on Race: The Democratic Party's Buried Past Book Review
Foreclosure Prevention Act up for Senate Vote this Week
Sports execs to talk steroids in D.C.
Patched up U.S. embassy reopens in Belgrade
Kenya's opposition calls off street protests

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
FBI Says Fabrics Found in Aruban Crab Trap Not From Holloway
Clemens May Face Perjury Charges
NIU Basketball Helps Campus Cope After Shooting
Australia, NZ join Liechtenstein tax probe - Video
NY police did not ID themselves to groom: witness
Supreme Court to hear Exxon Valdez case
Maryland to Back Alaska in Oil Spill Suit Against Exxon
Warren Jeffs set to enter plea in Ariz.
Mischa Barton facing 4 misdemeanors

U.N. News
UN Re-Starts Stalled Repatriation of Sudanese Refugees From Western Ethiopia
Sierra Leone: UN Starts Initiative to Improve Monitoring of Prison Conditions

Science / Medicine and Health / Technology
EU Fines Microsoft Record $1.3 Billion
WHO rules out human transmission in bird flu deaths
AstraZeneca's Recentin fails lung cancer trial
Study sheds light on parental instinct
Beijing says torch can stay alight atop Everest
Samsung finalizing LCD line talks with Sony: source
NASA Announces Agency Quality Award Winners

Mother Nature
Python Stalked, Then Ate Family Dog in Front of Children

Other News of Note
Power Returns to South Florida - VIDEO - PHOTOS
Florida power blackout remains a puzzle

Fox News
FOXBusiness: Futures Lower Ahead of Oil Numbers
Paralyzed Sailor to Represent America in Paralympics
Jack Daniel's Master Distiller to Retire After 40 Years Making Whiskey

Reuters
Film and television writers approve contract - Video
Monochrome Lagerfeld reveals long skirts, tailoring - Video
Date set for McCartney divorce judgment
Toll Brothers posts quarterly loss after writedowns
HBOS hit as mortgage margins fall
StatoilHydro sweetens weak quarter with big dividend
UBS in shareholder plea for $12 bln cap injection
Carlyle founder sees strong industry, leverage back
Petroplus, private equity firms to acquire in U.S.
EA could go hostile with Take-Two bid: report
Oil hits new peak as commodities boom
Gold hits record high on tumbling dollar, firm oil
Little respite seen for record-low dollar for now
GDF beats profit forecasts and sees good 2008
Harrah's posts quarterly loss on charges
Henkel to sell Ecolab shares, cut jobs
Dollar hits record low vs euro
Futures fall on oil, dollar; Bernanke eyed
Nortel takes big charge, to slash 2,100 jobs
Betting on the greenback

AP World News
Starbucks promises customers perfection
Oil hits record $102 as dollar tumbles
Vandy knocks off another No. 1
Euro soars to record high $1.5057
Minus Yao, Rockets get 13th straight win

News Blaze
'Coalition vs. Iraqi National Police Soccer Game' B-Roll Available
PHOTO: MND-B leaders discuss economic growth for Fira Shia Market
Migiro Stresses Role of Philanthropy in Achieving Global Development Goals
Iraq News
Read about Operations in Iraq
FOB Warhorse Memorial Photos
Videos

CENTCOM: News Releases
Feb. 22 Statement from Multi-National Force - Iraq commending cease-fire extension
Successful operations target top Taliban leader
Civilians targeted in northern Iraq
Coalition forces identify terrorist killed in Feb. 17 operation

USJFCOM
SOCJFCOM continues to ready warfighters for global operations - podcast
More about SOCJFCOM
Phase one of Multinational Experiment 5 wraps up
More about Multinational Experiment 5
Joint Knowledge Online extends cultural awareness training for U.S. Forces Korea - podcast
Newsmaker Profile: Director of Joint Training Army Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya - podcast

Multi-National Force-Iraq
U.S. Army Doctors Begin Lifesaving Procedures on 8-Month-Old Iraqi Baby
Baghdad Governor Opens Bridge
Suicide bomber kills 9 at Iraqi Army checkpoint
Weapons cache destroyed in Arab Jabour
MND-B Soldiers capture special groups leader (Baghdad)
Iraqi Police find more than 500 munitions in cache (Jurf as Sakhr)
Coalition forces disrupt Special Groups criminal network, detain one suspect (Baghdad)
Coalition targets al-Qaeda in Iraq networks; one killed, nine detained
Suicide bomber kills 9 at Iraqi Army checkpoint
Weapons cache destroyed in Arab Jabour

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS
Cheney Hails Troops' Efforts in Iraq as 'Historic'
Vice President's Remarks at the Uncasing of the Colors for III Corps
Vice President's Remarks to Soldiers of the First Cavalry Division
1st Cav Soldiers Respond to Vice President's Welcome
Fourteen DoD Civilians Get Global War on Terror Medal
Gates Looks to Expand Relationship with India - Photos
Special Report: Travels with Gates
Forces Must Prepare to Fight Regional Extremist Networks


MILITARY NEWS
Army Remains Strong, But Stretched, Officials Say
Commissaries Remove Two Soups
VA Raises Limit on Free Health Care

IRAQ NEWS
Tenth Rotation of Salvadoran Soldiers Begins Duties
Troops Celebrate African-American Contributions
Coalition Forces Kill Seven Terrorists

AFGHANISTAN NEWS
General Discusses Upcoming Marine Deployment
Conflict Likely to See More Taliban Terror Killings
Airmen Mentor Afghan Army Logistics Troops

FACE OF DEFENSE
Marine Gives Gift of Life

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Billboards Build Gratitude for Troops

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Philippines
Baler Radar Site Catanduanes Radar Site Manila

South Korea
Cheju Upper/Radar Chonju Chunchon Inch'on Kunsan Masan Mokp'o
Osan Pusan Seoul Suwon Taegu Taejon Tonghae Radar Site Ulsan Yosu

The following USN personnel reported MIA (Killed / Body not recovered) when their UH2B crashed in water immediately following liftoff:
Huie, Litchfield P. (NC); UH2B crashed in water shortly after liftoffblown off carrier

Letchworth, Edward N. (MT)

Sause, Bernard J., Jr. (MD)

Zemple, Ronald L. (MN)

1968
Hartzheim, John F., USN (WI); OP2E shot down (w/Milius) - remains ID'd March, 1999

Milius, Paul L., USN (IA); OP2E shot down (w/Hartzheim)

Palmer, Gilbert S., USAF (AL); RF4C shot down (w/Wright)

Wright, Thomas T., USAF (IN); RF4C shot down (w/Palmer)

1971
Babcock, Ronald L., US Army (AZ); OH6A shot down (w/Mooney), KIA / body not recovered

Lewis, Larry G., USNR (NC); F4J crashed, Killed, body not recovered

Mooney, Fred, US Army (OH); OH6A shot down (w/Babcock), KIA, body not recovered

1975
Dillon, Michael; released March, 1975

Ayres, Vicki, Civilian; released March, 1975

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