UPDATE: I am passing this along so that you can all do your part to help our troops out. I doubt neither Mike nor Tim Bowman would agree with all of what I post on this part of the site so do not consider the following being placed here as their consent of my opinions in other subjects. This is me trying to spread the word out and hopefully do our troops a favor. Mike, if you want this pulled, go right ahead and ask and it will be done and I'll address this in another fashion.
What follows is the email I received from Mike Bowman (and his son's follows):
Many of you are aware of the situation with the new up-armored humvees that the Army is sending over to Iraq. Some of you have heard that our boys have a shortage of them, YOU ARE CORRECT. Below is an email that my son sent me about the current situation. Our boys are in danger and they are asking for our help.
I have been asked to send this to all families in Foxtrot so that they could write and call their Congressman, CNN, FoxNews, or anyone else that can make noise about this issue. Our boys will resume daily patrols next week. This needs action immediately (not my words, my son's and Sgt Miller's).
You can search for your Congressman at this link - http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html by address. It will list email and fax number as well as mailing address based on your address. Be sure to include our boys unit information if you decide to contact someone about this issue so they will know exactly where we are asking for help.
Thanks, Mike Bowman
Hey dad,
Here's the low down on the things Sgt. Miller would like you to bitch about, and you can use his name, he gives you permission.
We recently acquired 6 of the 1114 series humvees. Those are the up-armored humvees with the turbo and all the trimmings. The retail on one of these vehicles just to make it is $155,000. Sgt. Miller watched these 6 humvees for a period of 1 month and they were never used. When we attained them we discovered that many of them had deficiencies, which we fixed to our standard. We drove the vehicles for 1 week after fixing them, and then were asked to return them to their rightful place. We was asked if these vehicles were going to be used, and the answer was "probably not". The vehicles belong to the incoming general who is going to take over command. This general is not going to be here for another three weeks, and we were told that when he does get here they were still probably not going to use the humvees.
As you know Spc. Baldwin was recently sent home due to injuries received during an IED. His team was in an 1114 series that night and the vehicle itself sustained quite a bit of damage. Had it not been for the up-armor on the vehicle, at least 1 if not 2 of our soldiers would have came home in a body bag. Right before I returned from leave a vehicle from ALPHA battery was struck with an IED. All 4 soldiers in that truck would have been killed had they not been driving an 1114.
Our battery now only has 4 up-armored humvees, which is not enough for us to do our patrols and designated duties at the same time. While I was home a new rule was instated that said anybody leaving the wire must be in an 1114 series humvee, because the 1025 with added armor was unsafe. They have now bypassed that rule and our battery, is being ordered to conduct patrols in the 1025 series humvee. Had the soldiers that got hit by IED's been in 1025's they most likely would not be alive today, we would have at least two dead from our battery, and ALPHA battery would have lost everyone in the truck. Sgt. Miller would like you to do whatever you can with this issue, you can use his name for any of it, and I will definitely not be held responsible this time. I'm not sure what you have to do, but he would like a considerable amount of bitching to be done on his behalf.
Again I say, if we were in 1025's and not 1114's we would have more dead than our battalion does already.
So that's the low down.
Thanks, Tim
Thanks for bringing this up Tim.
Well, it wasn't hate mail (thankfully) but I did get a contrary note from a visitor who offered up a perspective I hadn't imagined. In case you were not aware of it, this is not a news site. I merely present stories I either think are important, poignant, missed from large-scale coverage or humorous and let you choose to either accept the stories as linked or go run around and try to find out more about it on your own time. I also get my fair share of links from our regular contributors like EvilNed and Mooney, so hey, give it a shot. As long as it's not propaganda I'll at least look it over.
I was also accused of not linking to FoxNews enough. I see them as biased and probably dangerously so, but I went and visited them anyway. Other than linking to an AP story I was already planning to link to (catch it again here just in case it flies off their radar), all I saw was some major spin put on stories concerning condemnation of the Swift Boat Vets ads (unlike every other news agency on the planet, apparently Fox thinks Bush was against their tactics all along). Then there are the ads to meet singles (on a news site?) and the requisite "what to do in case terrorists SPAWN FROM YOUR CLOSET AS IF YOU WERE PLAYING DOOM 3" scare tactic links. Alright, enough of that failed experiment.
News flash. We may have "miscalculated" on Iraq, says George. The larger article is here, wherein he states that people will vote for him because he doesn't change his mind. Look, being stubborn in the face of conflicting reality and facts makes you an idiot, not decisive. Mom taught me that while I was still in short pants. Plus, despite touting an improved economy (not like I've gotten a raise lately), reports show an increase in poverty and the uninsured. To make matters worse, the government released the report early to try to catch lawmakers on vacation. Hmm, concerned it makes all their rosy assessments just so much hot air? I think so.
An unfortunate story on how a father reacted to news of his son's death in Iraq. Our troops are not tin soldiers and their families are having a hard time dealing with the reality of this callous treatment by our government. They are not alone. Apparently two trends are evolving in Iraq. The armed forces are earnestly trying to get out the vote, and soldiers are not all planning to go straight GOP when they do vote.
The Bush campaign is planning to ignore the US Olympic Committee and still run it's ad that pimps the Olympics for political gain. Oh, just to be shallow, a mock loyalty oath. And yes, that's meant to be humorous. A Bush lawyer just happened to be involved with the Swift Boat Mafia and had to quit the campaign.
With the Republican National Convention about to be underway, we assess how NYC is working to stop protestors and not pimp the subject of September 11 too much.
Alright, I plan some fun - or at least less political - posts in the near future. If the powers that be quit screwing up so much where I can allow myself to do so.
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