Injured Soldier Forced to Pay for Missing Body Armor Gets Refund

[LoungeMachine]

Injured Soldier Made to Pay for Body Armor

By ALLISON BARKER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 8, 2006; 6:11 PM

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A former soldier injured in Iraq is getting a refund after being forced to pay for his missing body armor vest, which medics destroyed because it was soaked with his blood, officials said Wednesday.

First Lt. William "Eddie" Rebrook IV, 25, had to leave the Army with a shrapnel injury to his arm. But before he could be discharged last week, he says he had to scrounge up cash from his buddies to pay $632 for the body armor and other gear he had lost.



First Lt. William "Eddie" Rebrook IV, 25, is shown at home in Charleston, W.Va., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006. Rebrook, who was injured in Iraq, says he was forced to pay $700 for a blood-soaked body armor vest that was destroyed after medics removed it to treat shrapnel wounds to his arm. Rebrook had to leave the Army because of his injuries, but before he could be discharged last week, he had to scrounge up cash from his buddies to pay for the body armor or face not being discharged for months. (AP Photo/Bob Bird) (Bob Bird - AP)
Rebrook, who graduated from West Point with honors, said he was billed because a supply officer failed to document that the vest was destroyed as a biohazard. He said a battalion commander refused to sign a waiver for the vest, saying Rebrook would have to supply witness statements to verify the vest was taken from him and burned.

"When that vest was removed from my bleeding body in Iraq, it was no longer my responsibility," Rebrook said Wednesday.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., questioned Gen. Peter Schoomaker, chief of staff of the Army, on Tuesday during a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing, and on Wednesday an Army official said Rebrook would get refunds for the $510 vest and its contents, worth about $50.

Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, said there have been at least 21 similar cases. "In all of those cases, not one soldier was held accountable for items lost in combat," he said.

Told of the refund, Rebrook said: "How kind of them."

He blamed the dispute on bureaucracy.

"It's the nature of the beast. ... I still love the Army, loved being a soldier and loved my unit. I'm not going to look back on my service with anything but pride," he said.

Rebrook was standing in the turret of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when a roadside bomb exploded Jan. 11, 2005, fracturing his arm and severing an artery. He said he still has movement problems and pain, despite seven operations.

[Nitro Express]

My friend who just got back from Iraq said what was maddening is the hired security contractors were being paid very well and the US soldiers were being paid peanuts. The contractors had the best body armor and equipment money could buy while the troops didn't.

[DrMaddVibe]

I'm waiting to hear all of the facts on this one.

I hate to break it to some of you, but the military has some low-lifes that would sell night vision goggles for a case of beer.

If they pulled a troops body armor off then it would be in a medical report. This officer could get the help of those that provided medical aid to him and they could back his story, but what if the guy wasn't wearing any body armor because it was a hot day?

I'll wait until I hear the whole story.

[DrMaddVibe]

Bumped for people that can't read!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
Bumped for people that can't read!

Did you read the part where he was wounded? I'm sure he got a great price for his bloody, swiss-cheese body armor...

[bastardog]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Did you read the part where he was wounded? I'm sure he got a great price for his bloody, swiss-cheese body armor...
So a body armor covers the arms in this days?

[thome]

He was probably issued a new set but needed to pay for it ,then he
was wounded.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by bastardog
So a body armor covers the arms in this days?

No. But generally, the Army doesn't reissue blood-soaked equipment...

[FORD]

Probably sold the armor to one of Dick Cheney's hunting buddies.

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine


He blamed the dispute on bureaucracy.

"It's the nature of the beast. ... I still love the Army, loved being a soldier and loved my unit. I'm not going to look back on my service with anything but pride," he said.



Exactly.

Army bureaucracy, nothing more. Would've happened under a Democratic Administration also, as much as the left-wing moonbats are trying to find another conspiracy. :cool:

[bastardog]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
No. But generally, the Army doesn't reissue blood-soaked equipment...

I was just following DrMaddVibe comment on if he was wearing it or not, and that the wound was in his arm so he possibly could be not using it.
Just exploring other side of the story

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
No. But generally, the Army doesn't reissue blood-soaked equipment...

and THAT is why it would be in a medical report!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Exactly.

Army bureaucracy, nothing more. Would've happened under a Democratic Administration also, as much as the left-wing moonbats are trying to find another conspiracy. :cool:

Nobody's blaming BUSH specifically on this, but it's another example of how the Army has kicked a guy when he's down, after being wounded, and contributed to a larger problem of damaged, unemployed vets...

The numbers are staggeringly high!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by bastardog
I was just following DrMaddVibe comment on if he was wearing it or not, and that the wound was in his arm so he possibly could be not using it.
Just exploring other side of the story

Actually, if he was wounded in his arm, the armor was probably sprayed with shrapnel protecting his torso (which is the typical "wound pattern" in Iraq, limbs get hammered while the torso remains somewhat protected). But the body armor rendered useless to anybody else...

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Nobody's blaming BUSH specifically on this,

FORD did in the dupe thread.

:gulp:

[Nickdfresh]

Who gives a fuck what FORD said in a dupe thread?

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Who gives a fuck what FORD said in a dupe thread?

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
"Nobody's blaming BUSH specifically on this"

:gulp:

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Who gives a fuck what FORD said in a dupe thread?


NEWSFLASH!!!!!


Nobody cares what either you or ford say...in any thread!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
NEWSFLASH!!!!!


Nobody cares what either you or ford say...in any thread!

Apparently, you do enough to post.:)

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
NEWSFLASH!!!!!


Nobody cares what either you or ford say...in any thread!

wow.

You speak for the entire board now?


Who knew?

:rolleyes:

[DrMaddVibe]

Fuck you too...moron!

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
Fuck you too...moron!

LMMFAO

Can't understand why you're not taken more seriously here. :D

[DrMaddVibe]

I can't understand why a person of your made up stature and mind numbing intelligence posts here to begin with?

If you're going to pass out sunglasses for the rest of us to keep the blinding radiance out of our eyes and that can't measure up to your form...save them for your daydream friends.

I'm not here to be serious. I'm here to be entertained!

[DrMaddVibe]

DANCE MONKEY DANCE!

[DrMaddVibe]

Marines Arrested in Military Gear Thefts
Feb 22 8:37 PM US/Eastern
Email this story

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO

Several Marines have been arrested on charges of working with a group that stole ballistic vests and other gear from Camp Pendleton and sold it on the Internet, authorities revealed Wednesday.

The investigation unfolded amid widespread criticism that U.S. troops in war zones lacked body armor.

Authorities have arrested nine people so far, including several Pendleton-based Marines, the Department of Homeland Security said in a press release. Additional arrests were expected.

The nine include Erika Jardine, who was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison by Judge Michael Baylson in U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania. The Vista resident and civilian pleaded guilty in November to one count of exporting arms without a license and one count of selling stolen U.S. government property.

The others worked at Pendleton, though it was unclear exactly how many were on military duty and how many were civilian employees at the base north of San Diego, said Dean Boyd, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of Homeland Security.

The Marines were arrested last year and were charged in military court with theft of government property, Boyd said.

According to prosecutors, Jardine sold light ceramic plates designed for use inside vests at a time when there were shortages of that part in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jardine has cooperated extensively with the government and "made great strides in attempting to right her wrongs," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

"(The) government does not believe that (the) defendant engaged in this activity out of any sinister intent to harm the United States; rather, her actions are more likely explained by the same motivation that fuels many _ greed," prosecutors wrote.

An ongoing investigation at Camp Pendleton by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has identified 12 Marines and several civilians as suspects, Homeland Security said. That number includes Marines who were already arrested.

ICE agents in Philadelphia launched an investigation of Jardine in June 2004 and discovered that she was selling illegal gear in Internet auctions on eBay, authorities said. Agents who posed as arms merchants based in Europe allegedly bought 18 ballistic vests from her.

Jardine, who had no previous connection to Pendleton, offered to buy surplus equipment in an ad she placed in a base newspaper, Boyd said. "Someone told her this was a way to potentially make some money," he said.

In one instance, Jardine agreed to send body armor plates to an undercover agent in eastern Pennsylvania with an understanding that the buyer would forward them to Europe, according to court records.

In addition to the vests that undercover agents bought, the investigation has resulted in the recovery of items worth more than $63,100, including 17 vests, 104 lightweight ceramic plates, seven Kevlar helmets, 74 M-16 magazines, two gas masks and 100,766 Iraqi dinars, authorities said.

[LoungeMachine]

Why are you cheering for the arrests of Marines?

[Nickdfresh]

Yeah, I think his point is that a bunch of Marines in Cali selling their shit for Jim Bean money is exactly the same as a guy that was wounded in IRAQ, while wearing his armor, then having to pay for it because it was peeled off by medics...

Yeah, it's obvious he sold his armor while in the hospital.:rolleyes:

He's cheering for making wounded soldiers pay for their equipment damaged by the enemy...

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
I'm waiting to hear all of the facts on this one.

I hate to break it to some of you, but the military has some low-lifes that would sell night vision goggles for a case of beer.

If they pulled a troops body armor off then it would be in a medical report. This officer could get the help of those that provided medical aid to him and they could back his story, but what if the guy wasn't wearing any body armor because it was a hot day?

I'll wait until I hear the whole story.


For nicker00 and douchemachine...I posted the other article because I called that shit for what it possibly could be.

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
For nicker00 and douchemachine...I posted the other article because I called that shit for what it possibly could be.


possibly could be.......

:rolleyes:


Yet it had nothing whatsoever to do with the FACTS of the thread, did it?

Or do you paint all Marines as thieves...

Why do you hate America so much, TrailerVIBE ?

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
possibly could be.......

:rolleyes:


Yet it had nothing whatsoever to do with the FACTS of the thread, did it?

Or do you paint all Marines as thieves...

Why do you hate America so much, TrailerVIBE ?


I can't understand why a person of your made up stature and mind numbing intelligence posts here to begin with?

If you're going to pass out sunglasses for the rest of us to keep the blinding radiance out of our eyes and that can't measure up to your form...save them for your daydream friends.

I'm not here to be serious. I'm here to be entertained!

[LoungeMachine]

regurgitating your own posts now, TrailerVIBE ?

Run out of material so soon?


I use the term "material" loosely here.

[DrMaddVibe]

Gee that's too bad...for you!

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
I can't understand why a person of your made up stature and mind numbing intelligence posts here to begin with?

If you're going to pass out sunglasses for the rest of us to keep the blinding radiance out of our eyes and that can't measure up to your form...save them for your daydream friends.

I'm not here to be serious. I'm here to be entertained!

Yeah right. Easy going Ms.ASSvibe...:D

Yeah, that's why your busy complaining to webbies half the time.

[DrMaddVibe]

What?

You're fucking mental!

[Nickdfresh]

Pot tea kettle Assvibe...;)

[DrMaddVibe]

Posting to a "webbie"?

Who said I sent them a post?

Hmmmm?

[Nickdfresh]

Who said anything about "posts?"

[DrMaddVibe]

Ok, what "webbie" said I talked with them?

[Nickdfresh]

;)

[DrMaddVibe]

That's what I thought.

You're just a liar.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
That's what I thought.

You're just a liar.

When did I say that? No actually, you're just a pussy that can try to dish it out, but you can't take it....

Run along to the American Idol Tvo...

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
When did I say that? No actually, you're just a pussy that can try to dish it out, but you can't take it....

Run along to the American Idol Tvo...


"Yeah, that's why your busy complaining to webbies half the time." Right there.

You're a liar. Face it.



;)

[Nickdfresh]

Buhuhuhuhahahahahahah...

Yeah right AssHump. I know this for a fact, you and your bitching and big gay PMs... And little obsession with me, sad, pathetic, can't take it....

Didn't you want me banned from this forum at one time?

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Buhuhuhuhahahahahahah...

Yeah right AssHump. I know this for a fact, you and your bitching and big gay PMs... And little obsession with me, sad, pathetic, can't take it....

Didn't you want me banned from this forum at one time?

LMMFAO

Poor TrailerVIBE

:D

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Buhuhuhuhahahahahahah...

Yeah right AssHump. I know this for a fact, you and your bitching and big gay PMs... And little obsession with me, sad, pathetic, can't take it....

Didn't you want me banned from this forum at one time?


More lies.

Get a life and stop making shit up.

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
LMMFAO

Poor TrailerVIBE

:D

Hi douchemachine!

[Nickdfresh]

Yeah. A liar calling out "lies." LMAO...

[DrMaddVibe]

You showed your ass here by saying I was talking to "webbies"...I wasn't. You lied.

Show me where I've lied on this site. I haven't.

You're a liar like ford is. Yeah, he thought I had multiple id's and was someone's alias...he couldn't offer any proof.

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
You showed your ass here by saying I was talking to "webbies"...I wasn't. You lied.

Show me where I've lied on this site. I haven't.

You're a liar like ford is. Yeah, he thought I had multiple id's and was someone's alias...he couldn't offer any proof.

LOL A douche tube that never offers any proof for his ludicrous statements telling me I need to offer "proof."

You 'lied' about your statements you made in the Tsunami donation thread (how you WERE ACTUALLY CHEERING PEOPLE'S DEATH, like wanting to see more photos of bloated cadavers --after you knew FORD deleted most of it.)

Dude, you're not worth the time, and I don't give up sources nor post PMs/e-mails. But suffice to say, a webbie always comes in after you throw one of your periodic bitch fits born of ineffectual frustration, webbies that never even bother with this forum, that just happen to post around you vaginal discharges. I CAN SHOW that! I've received info....

And yes, you're a complete mental case...

And you are a joke in this forum, way too immature to post here. For fuck sake, maybe FORD is right, you sure as hell don't act like you're 43...

Not to mention a blinding hypocrite, I guess it's okay for you to post threads showing servicemen as thieves, but God forbid anyone show that their commander in chief is a fool and that Iraq is a cluster fuck. Cheer on little cowboy...

[DrMaddVibe]

Once again...you make shit up and lie.

Are you trying to be popular by lying about others?

Are you that miserable with your own life that you have to lie about others?

If "I'm not worth the time" then why do you post lies about me?

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe
Once again...you make shit up and lie.

Are you trying to be popular by lying about others?

Are you that miserable with your own life that you have to lie about others?

If "I'm not worth the time" then why do you post lies about me?


Just here for the entertainment??

Buwahahahahaha:D

That's why you have your panties in a constant knot :rolleyes:


LMMFAO

Where is ASSProwler and his "projection" posts when you need him ;)

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh


And you are a joke in this forum, way too immature to post here. For fuck sake, maybe FORD is right, you sure as hell don't act like you're 43...



He does tend to make 4moreyears and thome sound bright. ;)

[DrMaddVibe]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
Just here for the entertainment??

Buwahahahahaha:D

That's why you have your panties in a constant knot :rolleyes:


LMMFAO

Where is ASSProwler and his "projection" posts when you need him ;)


Lying is a way of life for you too!

You can't or won't come clean with the fact that you can play an instrument!

Face it...you're not Kip. That fool is back in school!

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe

Face it...you're not Kip. That fool is back in school!



God you're funny :D

You just made JizzySTOOL look bright :D


[ if you really thought I was Kip Winger, then in all seriousness, you're even dumber than previously thought of in here ]

[LoungeMachine]

Originally posted by DrMaddVibe


You can't or won't come clean with the fact that you can play an instrument!




....said the frustrated bass player :D :D :D

Priceless :D

How's work going? Like your job?

LMMFAO

[DrMaddVibe]

"frustrated"? HAHAHAHAHAHA!

The job is going GREAT!