thedrifter
01-04-07, 06:55 AM
Marines Mutiny Over Underwear Ban
Strategy page
January 4, 2007: U.S. Marines in Iraq are in a rebellious mood. It all began about a year ago, when the brass banned the use of polyester undergarments. These high-tech T-shirts employ fibers that wick sweat away from the body, cooling the wearer, or keeping them warmer in cold weather. Trouble is, polyester melts if exposed to flame, which often happens when a roadside bomb goes off, and you are in the way. The marines were told they could still wear the official, less effective, high-tech underwear they were issued. It took about six months before someone reminded the brass that the official stuff, called polypro, was also made of polyester. Oops. So polypro was also banned for use outside the wire (outside bases). The marines were not amused. The initial ban was widely attributed to some craven generals who had been frightened by some weasel PAO (Public Affairs Officer) who pointed out how harmful it would be to a commanders career if the media got hold of a story about a marine getting killed because his polyester T-shirt melted. The marines knew that the t-shirt was protected by the uniform blouse and body armor. If the flame got through all that, you were probably dead already. The marines, who have to fight in the cold and heat, wanted the brass to get out of their underwear. The army was apparently aware of all this, but has not banned polyester. Meanwhile, the air force has come up with a t-shirt that uses a fire-resistant, high tech ("meta-aramid") fibers, that performs like the banned polyester undergarments. As a result of all this, many marines risk a fine or demotion by wearing the polyester undergarments anyway. It's damn cold in Iraq in the Winter, especially at night, when many of the marines are outside the wire, hunting for bad guys. Marines are still steamed by earlier efforts to load them up with additional body armor, an effort that slows you down in combat, and gets you killed. Again, it was believed to be brass more concerned with bad reviews, than what combat marines actually needed.
Ellie
Strategy page
January 4, 2007: U.S. Marines in Iraq are in a rebellious mood. It all began about a year ago, when the brass banned the use of polyester undergarments. These high-tech T-shirts employ fibers that wick sweat away from the body, cooling the wearer, or keeping them warmer in cold weather. Trouble is, polyester melts if exposed to flame, which often happens when a roadside bomb goes off, and you are in the way. The marines were told they could still wear the official, less effective, high-tech underwear they were issued. It took about six months before someone reminded the brass that the official stuff, called polypro, was also made of polyester. Oops. So polypro was also banned for use outside the wire (outside bases). The marines were not amused. The initial ban was widely attributed to some craven generals who had been frightened by some weasel PAO (Public Affairs Officer) who pointed out how harmful it would be to a commanders career if the media got hold of a story about a marine getting killed because his polyester T-shirt melted. The marines knew that the t-shirt was protected by the uniform blouse and body armor. If the flame got through all that, you were probably dead already. The marines, who have to fight in the cold and heat, wanted the brass to get out of their underwear. The army was apparently aware of all this, but has not banned polyester. Meanwhile, the air force has come up with a t-shirt that uses a fire-resistant, high tech ("meta-aramid") fibers, that performs like the banned polyester undergarments. As a result of all this, many marines risk a fine or demotion by wearing the polyester undergarments anyway. It's damn cold in Iraq in the Winter, especially at night, when many of the marines are outside the wire, hunting for bad guys. Marines are still steamed by earlier efforts to load them up with additional body armor, an effort that slows you down in combat, and gets you killed. Again, it was believed to be brass more concerned with bad reviews, than what combat marines actually needed.
Ellie