Ilocano wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
I rolled into Baghdad with canvas doors and a sand bag on the floor to 'protect' me from IEDs/land mines
Pfft. You guys are spoiled compared to what World War soldiers were equiped with.
I drove up to Baghdad in a vehicle that I had to uparmor myself. I had to go to the carpenters shop, mount a turret in the back, and then built a plywood double box around it to protect the gunner. Originally, the double box was going to be filled with sandbags but they were too heavy and when filled, the truck was literally sitting on the back tires. So, out came the sandbags and in went some pieces of rubber floor matting that probably didn't provide any more protection than the plywood did.
Yeah, I guess I was spoiled, but I kind of expected more from my government when it came to providing equipment to troops in the field. Maybe less aircraft carriers are the answer. It was the unfulfilled expectations that pissed us off more than anything else. Don't tell us from the first day of basic that we're going to be taken care of and then leave us with shoddy equipment when the time actually comes. If you treat us like the marines treat their troops and tell them they're going to get broken nasty equipment from day 1 then you don't build up expectations and you're happy with whatever you're handed.
Last edited by JohnG@lt (2011-03-02 12:11:00)