Question: If the armor that soldiers purchase for themselves is superior to the armor given to them by the military then how is that bad?

Many war fighters told DefenseWatch they used their own money to buy superior body armor systems available on the open market despite DOD claims that the Interceptor body armor is the best money can buy. Those warriors reported the Interceptor body armor is frequently ill-fitting, falls apart with rugged use, decreases in protective capability with age, and leaves the wearer vulnerable to side and shoulder wounds that could prove fatal. The findings of the August 29 report supports every contention the agitated war fighters made. So did evidence introduced in several civilian court cases brought against all three of the Interceptor body armor manufacturers in unrelated lawsuits by disgruntled employees, civilian police agencies and the US Justice Department.

But if they die while wearing this armor their families may not receive the death benefits that are due to them. How a military family can be penalized for a soldiers attempt to preserve their life is obscene to me. I mean maybe if they were going into battle with insufficient armor contrary to military rules I might understand it. But these guys are trying to get superior armor. You have the right to do whatever you can to return to your family alive.

This is just another example of the absolute lack of respect for these brave men and for all Americans. To start this war of choice in the first place, and then to not plan to wage it effectively, and then to compound that by sending your fellow Americans into battle under equipped seems like the most unpatriotic thing that I can imagine. I hope that the soldiers are finally starting to see this president for what he is and are not just listening to his happy talk about successes in Iraq and the war on terror.

He just does not care about you and he never did! You are the means to an end. As an American I am ashamed of what we have done to these soldiers families and to the families of the civilians in Iraq.