Soldier says he, Rumsfeld talked about armor in '03

[3days]

When a fellow Tennessee National Guardsman raised a pointed question to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld this week, Iraq war veteran Brandon Sandrell was proud.

It wasn't the first time the defense chief had been personally quizzed by a Guardsman about the lack of armor for Guard vehicles in the war zone.
Sandrell said he did that in September 2003.

''He (Rumsfeld) was making his rounds and thanking me for my service, and he asked me, 'What do you guys need over there, what are you lacking?' I told him we needed up-armored Humvees,'' said Sandrell, who left the Guard on Oct. 1 after two years and nine months of service. He is 21 and lives in Culleoka in Maury County.

The former soldier said the secretary replied that he was working on it.
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/12/62712488.shtml?Element_ID=62712488

Doing all they can? Sure!

[texanshatingbush]

1. Oh, the Jesus statue for the dash isn't good enough!

[RC]

4. The Jesus statue must have been facing the wrong way.

[MyDogSpot]

2. Yet he would go back and do it again if he could

What soldier haven't I heard say that same thing? Why would they want to go back if their government won't even offer them basic protection despite being well aware of the problem?

Did I miss out on not having a military career? Is war fun?

[0007]

5. I've noticed that also. I was in during the Korea conflict and there

was never a day that went by that wasn't counted until I could leave the fucked up Army. Even when I was out I'd have dreams of still being in the Army and I'd wake in a cold sweat. I hated the service

[Alpharetta]

6. I've heard it too

Have had long talks w/ vets from 1st or 2nd Iraq War who know Iraq is a screwed up situation.

Some know they were exposed to chem weapons or DU during first Iraq war and got Gulf War syndrome. They know the "imminent threats" before 2nd Iraq war were lies.

But they miss the cameraderie and sense of purpose.

[bullimiami]

3. They never take responsibility

or fix anything.

This is the most arrogant, uncompromising, blind administration ever.

They take credit for anything that goes right and claim many things that have gone very wrong to have gone well.
They never take the blame, responsibility or fix ANYTHING. Always blaming someone else or some situation that is not theirs.

Obscene.

[Javaman]

7. yeah, it's hard work!!!

Seems as if rumsassfeld suffers from the same work ethic that * has.

[Straight Shooter]

8. This toon sums it up very well (but it makes me want to cry)

[struggle4progress]

9. kick

:kick:

[Bouncy Ball]

10. Surprised he didn't just tell

him to pray harder so the Holy Spirit could armor their cars and deflect bullets and bombs.

[cal04]

11. In May 04, too

Not The First Time
Q: ...the new...humvees they're bringing over...those doors are not as good as the ones on the up-armored humvees...

...we lost some soldiers due to them...

...The question is, are we going to get more up-armored humvees?...

GEN. RICHARD MYERS: ...You do not have all the up-armored humvees you need...

...Production is ramping up this month...We're trying to get them to you as fast as we can...

...It's not a matter of resources, it's a matter of how fast can we build these things and get them over here.

And I review that probably daily, the status of those machines and that equipment that can help...

...So we're trying. We're trying hard...I understand exactly everything you said, and we'll do our best.

And that's our responsibility.

That is not from Don Rumsfeld's town hall meeting with troops in Kuwait this past Wednesday.

It's from a Don Rumsfeld town hall meeting with troops in Baghdad this past May.

(It so happened that the Chair of the Joint Chiefs fielded the armored humvee question, but Rumsfeld was by his side.)
http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/120504.htm#121004
http://www.tnr.com/blog/iraqd?week=2004-05-07



Town Hall Meeting With U.S. Troops(May)
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040513-secdef0747.html