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Hanns_Schmidt said:
More than half the soldiers in the British Army
buy their own kit because the standard-issue
is inadequate, figures have revealed.
During the past year 55% of troops and 42%
of officers say they had to pay mail-order
services or army-surplus stores out of their
own pockets.
They mainly bought boots, combat trousers,
jackets, sleeping bags, torches and
load-carrying equipment including day sacks
and chest-webbing.
The Army says the standard-issue is fine but
soldiers, like many young men, just want the
best.
But the figures come
from the Army's own
official opinion poll,
published in its
magazine, Soldier.
And Liberal Democrat
defence spokesman Paul Keetch says troops
are "voting with their wallets" after being given
inferior kit.
He told the BBC's Today programme the
Ministry of Defence had criticised soldiers for
buying "Gucci-style" equipment but "Gucci
don't make desert boots".
Mr Keetch called on the government to ensure
all troops who might be sent to the Gulf in the
build-up to possible military action in Iraq are
given "top quality" equipment that could cope
with the sweltering temperatures of the
desert.
Following last year's Saif Sareea II exercise in
Oman, troops complained to the National Audit
Office (NAO) that their feet had rotted after
boots melted in temperatures of up to 55C.
The NAO also found uniforms made of
man-made fibres had caused heat stress
illnesses.
======================
On top of all this.
The rifle used by the army tends to jam
The tanks used by the British army can't cope with sand, unless upgraded
The radio communications don't work.
And they have brand new apache helicopters that no one can fly.
Hanns_Schmidt said:Probably because the US shot off about 99.5% more ammunition than the Brits/France and the rest of the miserable European token gesture in the gulf.
Hanns_Schmidt said:errr the team that lost half of its 'elite' troops?