thedrifter
01-12-06, 08:21 AM
01.10.2006
From The Editor
An Endless Stream of Procurement Failures Are Preventing America's Best From Getting America's Best
SFTT
As many of our regulars readers are now aware, DeFenseWatch's reporting on the body armor scandal (yep, it's a full-fledged scandal, regardless of the spinmeisters' worst efforts), was recognized over the weekend by the national news media.
Beginning late Friday evening, the New York Times' Michael Moss posted his own latest and superb piece crediting SFTT for breaking the story on the Marine Corps study which validated that Marines died wearing inferior body armor.
Not to be outdone, the Washington Post then wrote an almost identical piece, crediting both Michael Moss' New York Times article and Nat's earlier posting on SFTT's web site in DefenseWatch.
Soon the national media pack was in full pursuit -- the baying of the news hounds was awesome!
Nat was on CBS Evening News Saturday night, and has had a succession of television and other news interviews since then.
Those of you who have read the series of articles that appeared in DefenseWatch can only share my amazement that it has taken this long for the national media to finally realize that here is a DoD procurement scandal that does not cause citizens' eyes to glaze over.
And, why not? Because we have proof, from the US Marine Corps study in this case, from the government's own files that the Perfumed Princes know now, and have known for substantial time, that America's Grunts have been sent into combat with inferior body armor -- that hundreds have died, who very likely would have been saved, had they been issued the best-available body armor!
This is not a procurement scandal along the lines of the $600 toilet seat that lit up the US Air Force like a bolt of lightening decades ago.
This is a procurement scandal where those most precious from our midst, those willing to fight and die for this great nation, have been knowingly, premeditatedly and cold-heartedly sent into harm's way with inferior equipment that literally meant the several hundred who could have/should have come home carrying their shields, where instead carried home upon those shields.
Is there a fire in hell hot enough for the callous, timid bureaucratic weasels -- both those in uniform and those in civilian dress -- who deprived our warriors of the best-available body armor? I think not.
Oh, and while I consign to the fires of Hades those who sat quietly while their defenders were consigned to roll the lethal dice with the Grim Reaper, let me not forget those in the US Congress who contributed by their willful dereliction of duty. Among this group, John Murtha stands out by virtue of the rank hypocrisy of his recent comments and actions.
To those with loved ones serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- pray fervently that some figure in authority will fix this disgraceful situation, because it is clear that DoD will not act until forced to by external political forces.
To Nat Helms -- Bravo Zulu!!!
SFTT President Roger Charles is an Annapolis graduate, a retired USMC Lt. Col. who commanded an infantry platoon in I Corps during the Vietnam War, is the winner of the prestigious Peabody Award for news coverage, and was a protégée's of the late Col. David H. Hackworth. Rog can be contacted at sfttpres@aol.com. Please send comments to DWFeedback@yahoo.com.
Ellie
From The Editor
An Endless Stream of Procurement Failures Are Preventing America's Best From Getting America's Best
SFTT
As many of our regulars readers are now aware, DeFenseWatch's reporting on the body armor scandal (yep, it's a full-fledged scandal, regardless of the spinmeisters' worst efforts), was recognized over the weekend by the national news media.
Beginning late Friday evening, the New York Times' Michael Moss posted his own latest and superb piece crediting SFTT for breaking the story on the Marine Corps study which validated that Marines died wearing inferior body armor.
Not to be outdone, the Washington Post then wrote an almost identical piece, crediting both Michael Moss' New York Times article and Nat's earlier posting on SFTT's web site in DefenseWatch.
Soon the national media pack was in full pursuit -- the baying of the news hounds was awesome!
Nat was on CBS Evening News Saturday night, and has had a succession of television and other news interviews since then.
Those of you who have read the series of articles that appeared in DefenseWatch can only share my amazement that it has taken this long for the national media to finally realize that here is a DoD procurement scandal that does not cause citizens' eyes to glaze over.
And, why not? Because we have proof, from the US Marine Corps study in this case, from the government's own files that the Perfumed Princes know now, and have known for substantial time, that America's Grunts have been sent into combat with inferior body armor -- that hundreds have died, who very likely would have been saved, had they been issued the best-available body armor!
This is not a procurement scandal along the lines of the $600 toilet seat that lit up the US Air Force like a bolt of lightening decades ago.
This is a procurement scandal where those most precious from our midst, those willing to fight and die for this great nation, have been knowingly, premeditatedly and cold-heartedly sent into harm's way with inferior equipment that literally meant the several hundred who could have/should have come home carrying their shields, where instead carried home upon those shields.
Is there a fire in hell hot enough for the callous, timid bureaucratic weasels -- both those in uniform and those in civilian dress -- who deprived our warriors of the best-available body armor? I think not.
Oh, and while I consign to the fires of Hades those who sat quietly while their defenders were consigned to roll the lethal dice with the Grim Reaper, let me not forget those in the US Congress who contributed by their willful dereliction of duty. Among this group, John Murtha stands out by virtue of the rank hypocrisy of his recent comments and actions.
To those with loved ones serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- pray fervently that some figure in authority will fix this disgraceful situation, because it is clear that DoD will not act until forced to by external political forces.
To Nat Helms -- Bravo Zulu!!!
SFTT President Roger Charles is an Annapolis graduate, a retired USMC Lt. Col. who commanded an infantry platoon in I Corps during the Vietnam War, is the winner of the prestigious Peabody Award for news coverage, and was a protégée's of the late Col. David H. Hackworth. Rog can be contacted at sfttpres@aol.com. Please send comments to DWFeedback@yahoo.com.
Ellie