[A-List] US Gvt fails to reimburse troops for armor, etc.

[Erik Freye <efreye@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&e=3&u=/ap/20050309/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/iraq_armor

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department hasn't developed a
plan to reimburse soldiers for equipment they've
bought to fight in Iraq (news - web sites) and
Afghanistan (news - web sites) despite requirements in
a law passed last year, a senator says.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (news, bio, voting
record), D-Conn., asked details on the Pentagon (news
- web sites)'s progress setting up the reimbursement
program and questioned why it was not in place yet.

"Very simply, this is either negligence on their part,
because they were not happy with this when it passed,
or it's incompetence," Dodd said. "It's pretty
outrageous when you have all their rhetoric about how
much we care about our people in uniform."

Pentagon spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said
Rumsfeld will respond to Dodd's letter after he has
reviewed it. She had no comment on the progress of
reimbursement regulations.

Soldiers serving in Iraq and their families have
reported buying everything from higher-quality
protective gear to armor for their Humvees, medical
supplies and even global positioning devices.

In response to the complaints, Congress last year
passed Dodd's amendment requiring the Pentagon to
reimburse members of the Armed Services for the cost
of any safety or health equipment that they bought or
someone else bought on their behalf.

Under the law, the Defense Department had until Feb.
25 to develop regulations on the reimbursement, which
is limited to $1,100 per item.

Dodd asked that Rumsfeld provide details on the
department's progress. But he also said it was unclear
what recourse he has, other than public embarrassment,
to force the Defense Department to act.

Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., who
repeatedly decried the lack of equipment during his
unsuccessful presidential campaign, said the Pentagon
needs to move quickly to give the troops their
reimbursement and armored Humvees.

"They should be living up to the letter of the law,"
Kerry said.

The latest emergency spending proposal for the war
totals $81.9 billion, including $74.9 billion for the
Defense Department. It includes $3.3 billion for extra
armor for trucks and other protective gear â??
underscoring a sensitivity to earlier complaints by
troops.



	
		
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