Pictures

[SuperScout]

Don't have any to post, but to comment on a newstory that I saw from an overseas TV service. When one of our Apaches was downed and the pilots were captured, the driver's license, military ID, and credit cards of one of the pilots were shown on TV. What's wrong with this picture? Command failure, for starters. Their commander should have insured that these guys were "sanitized" before sending them into a hostile fire area, by removing all means of giving any help to the enemy. Hell, they even had the unit's name stenciled on the Apache!

Given an opportunity, I would have had some commander standing at attention in front of my desk while I delivered the worst asschewin' he never hoped to receive, until he either fainted from invective, or I ran out of words.

There was another picture somebody posted of a beautiful little Iraqi girl, about 4-5 years old, with the most precious little smile, holding an American flag. This picture, to me, personifies the future, the hope, the freedom, and the potential of the Iraqi people. I can't remember who posted it, but would like to see it again, and then print a copy of it. Thanks in advance for your help!

[catman]

SS...the few times I was involved in combat in the 90's I always made sure that my guys were not carrying anything that would cause them grief or provide intel if we should end up in enemy hands. However I never was ordered to do this and we never had to "stand" inspection for such things.

After each new paint job the vehicles would be stenciled with new bumper numbers before they ever left the paint booth. Seems like that comes straight from the top, a problem for DA to take on not the local commander.

Trav

[SuperScout]

Agree that you did the right thing to sanitize your men prior to entry into indian territory. It seems so axiomatic that I thought it may have been distilled into a normal command function Army-wide, but alas, tis not the case! Hopefully, some Cav commanders in the states will see this event as a reminder to upgrade their SOP's.

Painting bumper numbers/unit designations does seem rather contradictory, now that you mention it. OK, now where did I file that email address for Donald Rumsfeld........??

[David]

I always thought the bumper number thing was odd too. Another note, just about every officer I saw had his rank on and not all of it was subdued.

[Jerry D]

I agree with the sanitizing your personel effects before combat all the stuff that Iraqui had in his possesion the only thing the GI needed in combat was the ID card for the old Name ,Rank and serial No. thing....