Saturday, January 07, 2006
News RhetIraq: US Troops Did Not Get Body Armor
Source:http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.bold.gif
insert bold tags United Press International
Quotes: From article titled, "US troops didn't get armor to save lives"
A secret Pentagon study found that at least 80 percent of the Marines killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, U.S. military officials told the New York Times.
The Marine Corps did not begin buying additional plates to cover the sides of their troops until this September, when it ordered 28,800 sets, Marine Corps officials acknowledge.
U.S. Army procurement officials said the Army was still deciding between various sizes of plates to give its 130,000 soldiers; the officials said they hope to issue contracts this month.
Forensic studies by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's unit obtained by the New York Times indicated that about 340 American troops have died solely from torso wounds.
Excerpt from the Pentagon study;
Our preliminary research suggests that as many as 42% of the Marine casualties who died from isolated torso injuries could have been prevented with improved protection in the areas surrounding the plated areas of the vest. Nearly 23% might have benefited from protection along the mid-axillary line of the lateral chest.
insert bold tags United Press International
Quotes: From article titled, "US troops didn't get armor to save lives"
A secret Pentagon study found that at least 80 percent of the Marines killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, U.S. military officials told the New York Times.
The Marine Corps did not begin buying additional plates to cover the sides of their troops until this September, when it ordered 28,800 sets, Marine Corps officials acknowledge.
U.S. Army procurement officials said the Army was still deciding between various sizes of plates to give its 130,000 soldiers; the officials said they hope to issue contracts this month.
Forensic studies by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's unit obtained by the New York Times indicated that about 340 American troops have died solely from torso wounds.
Excerpt from the Pentagon study;
Our preliminary research suggests that as many as 42% of the Marine casualties who died from isolated torso injuries could have been prevented with improved protection in the areas surrounding the plated areas of the vest. Nearly 23% might have benefited from protection along the mid-axillary line of the lateral chest.
