As you can see above, the FMTV has a MG mount kit for its cab that can be on ALL VARIANTS! Get these for your trucks! Some of these trucks need MK-19 40mm belt-fed autogrenade launchers on them not just 7.62mm MMGs and .50 cal HMGs.

When you get your MGs mounted, you will see that the metal ammo can sits on a tray to feed the gun. Try Ranger Rick Tscherne's suggestion on pg.25 of his Ranger Digest III, and weld two ammo cans together to double your 7.62 ammo supply to 400 ready rounds instead of the one box of 200, since in a firefight you do not have time to duck down and reload. This technique may even work for .50 caliber ammo cans.

Ranger Rick Tscherne's Books Inc.
11 Poppy Lane
West Grove, PA 19390

IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY:

SF Soldiers in Desert Storm found a "way" to pedestal mount a .50 caliber M2 Heavy Machine Gun onto a Toyota pick-up truck:

BETTER WEAPONRY:

ASP-30mm autocannon

M242 Bushmaster 25mm autocannon

2. Add Belly Wheels or buy MATTRACKS

Image courtesy of CG˛ Inc. http://www.cg2.com..Thanks Tricia Garcia!

The HMMWV and all wheeled vehicles in general are notorious for getting stuck in soft mud since their belly can bottom out on the ground if its wheels sink. What we need is a set of belly wheels/rollers that are there to prevent the belly from sticking, like the Russian BRDM Scout cars have.

If you are going into combat and you are not going to internally load HMMWVs into CH-47Ds, then replace all 4 vulnerable tires/air-filled wheels with MATTRACKS.

mattracks.com

These are special track sets that bolt on in the place of the wheels. These will not go flat if bullets hit them, and provide x-country mobility to get away from the roads in the first place to avoid ambushes. While their rubber tracks are vulnerable still to being burned up in a fire, this could be solved by making the tracks out of kevlar for military use. ALL U.S. Army Light Divisions with "D" Company TOW ATGM and HMG MK-19/.50 cal hard-top HMMWVs with armor suffer from reduced mobility when using air-filled tires, and should replace their wheels with MATTRACKS. We must as an Army not become road bound or else suffer the consequences of what the enemy did to us in the Korean war or more recently in Somalia.

In fact, we believe that had the HMMWVs in Somalia October 3, 1993 had MATTRACKS on they would not have been left burning and destroyed that day in the fight for Task Force Ranger.

The heavily armored HMMWVs now entering service and the upcoming LOSAT HMMWV need MATTRACKS for x-xountry and adverse weather mobility.

An "ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure".

3. Centerline seats kits

Notice these Republic of China (ROC) Paratroops are in a SOFT top HMMWV yet are FULLY armed---a .50 cal HMG in right front seat, a rearward facing Medium Machine Gun----why can't we be similarly well armed and ready?

HOW MANY U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS HAVE TO DIE BEFORE WE WAKE THE HELL UP HERE?

We have the techniques to do this for our trucks outlined in FM 55-30 and FM 90-5 Jungle Operations, we just have to do it. Every Light unit that goes to NTC/JRTC should have to sandbag at least one truck before convoying anywhere as a METL task to insure they know how to do it, and understand the importance.

The FMTV and HMMWV should have centerline troop seat kits so the troops face outboards for better vigilance and instant return fire capability. The atrocious truck tailgate on the 5-ton that has to be unscrewed needs to be replaced with a quick release so troops can "de-bus" instantly. Again, another example of not thinking about and for war.

Since its likely hardening trucks will be ignored, FM 55-30 APPENDIX O is reprinted below in its entirety:

RDL Homepage

Table of Contents

Document Information

Download Instructions

APPENDIX O

VEHICLE HARDENING

O-1. HARDENED VEHICLES. A hardened vehicle is made less vulnerable to the effects of explosives and small arms fire by adding sandbags, armor plating, ballistic glass, and other protective devices. Hardening may make certain vehicle components and cargo less vulnerable. Its primary purpose, however, is to protect the truck's occupants. The protection afforded is significant and often means the difference between injury and death.

The vehicle hardening techniques described here include locally fabricated (improvised) armor kits and sandbags. When an enemy threat exists, consider the following factors in determining the method and extent of vehicle hardening:

• Flexibility. Harden vehicles to provide the degree of protection required while maintaining maximum flexibility in vehicle use. Harden the cargo beds of vehicles carrying troops with sandbags. Beds of vehicles carrying cargo are not normally hardened (depending on the cargo).
• Weight. All vehicle hardening adds weight to the vehicle. One effect of added weight is to reduce proportionally the amount of cargo that can be carried. Another potential effect is added vehicle maintenance and durability problems. Consider the vehicle's payload capacity when deciding the extent of hardening.
• Availability. If it is necessary or desirable to fabricate armor kits, consider the availability of suitable materials and the time needed to complete the project.
• Types of roads. To some extent, the roads traveled by motor transport unit vehicles can affect the protection required. Hardtop roads, for example, generally present less hazard from mines than dirt roads. However, do not discount the possibility of ambush along any route. Consult the S2 for the most current information on the situation.
• Maintenance. Vehicle hardening normally increases the amount of vehicle maintenance needed and can cause mechanical or structural damage. The sandbags themselves, when used to harden vehicles, also require periodic removal and replacement. If too much weight is added to the vehicle, it may reduce the vehicle's mobility and operational capabilities.

During Vietnam, the Army had three nonremovable armor kits for hardening 1/4-, 2 1/2-, and 5-ton trucks. These kits were later deleted from the inventory. Although no kits are currently available through the Army's supply system, several projects are under way to develop armor plating for use in hostile environments.

O-2. SANDBAGS. Sandbags are effective in reducing the effects of blasts, preventing fire from reaching the driver, and providing protection from small arms fire and fragmentation. Sandbags are usually readily available and do not permanently impair the flexibility of vehicles. Sandbags can easily be added or removed from the vehicle as the situation dictates. One drawback to using sandbags is that their weight limits the vehicle's capability to haul cargo.

All vehicles must be properly maintained according to the operator's -10 TM. Use the procedures below to prepare vehicles for convoy operations.

NOTES:
1. If the tools remain in the BII storage compartment and the vehicle detonates a mine, the tools may become secondary projectiles that can injure the driver. Also, if sandbags cannot be placed under the passenger seat because batteries are located there, then stack the sandbags on the seat. Never place sandbags directly on the batteries.
2. The cab of a 5-ton M923 cargo truck needs about 14 to 20 sandbags, while a 2 1/2-ton truck requires about 12 to 18 sandbags.

Figure O-1. Proper placement of sandbags in the cab

NOTE: Leaving the windshield in place protects against heavy and driving rain, incoming grenades, and decapitation of personnel from wire stretched across the road.

NOTE: Caution must be taken to ensure that the sandbags do not exceed the allowable weight of the vehicle bed. Double stacking the sandbags increases the possibility of exceeding the vehicle's payload capacity. The mission, coupled with the enemy threat, must determine the extent of hardening (single- or double- layer sandbags). The bottom line is to ensure soldier safety.

Figure O-2. Proper placement of sandbags under the windshield

Figure O-3. Support structure for the bed of the truck

Figure O-3. Support structure for the bed of the truck (continued)

Figure O-4. Sandbagged 5-ton M923 cargo truck

NOTES:
1. A 5-ton M923 cargo truck requires about five sandbags to provide top protection. Consider placing protective plating around the sides and bottom of the fuel tank to increase protection.
2. Older vehicles in the Army inventory may still be operating on MOGAS. If a tank filled with MOGAS is ruptured, the fuel may ignite and seriously burn operating personnel.
3. When putting sandbags or protective plating on or around the fuel tank, ensure that the hanger straps of the fuel tank do not crack or break.

O-3. TARPAULINS AND CAB TOPS. There are advantages and disadvantages to using canvas truck tops or tarpaulins, and these should be assessed. Advantages to keeping cargo covered include:

• Ensures that goods are not damaged by prevailing weather conditions.
• Denies intelligence information to the enemy concerning the type of cargo being transported.

Major disadvantages to installing truck tops or tarpaulins include:

• Required removal for loading and unloading operations.
• Interference with the driver's vision and assistant driver's ability to fire to the rear.

O-4. MAINTENANCE OF HARDENED VEHICLES. Hardening vehicles with armor plating places abnormal stresses on the vehicle that can result in early component failure. It is common for engine mounts, cab mount bushings, and bolts to loosen. For this reason, they should be checked, tightened, and replaced regularly. In the past the vehicle deadline rate for hardened vehicles was up to 20 percent greater than for nonhardened vehicles.

Sandbags become torn or punctured in day-to-day use. They also collect and hold water, causing metal surfaces to rust. Added maintenance is required to keep the sandbags in good condition and to prevent rust. Sandbags should be checked periodically and removed or replaced. When the sandbags are removed, the vehicle metal should be cleaned, painted (if necessary), and allowed to dry before the sandbags are replaced. Empty sandbags and ties should always be kept in the vehicle.

NOTE: When sandbags get wet, their weight increases significantly, thus putting added stress on the vehicle.

O-5. FUTURE HARDENING MATERIALS. The hardening materials described in this appendix are those currently available. Lighter, more durable materials are being developed, so the problems now associated with vehicle hardening may be alleviated in the future. Improvements will include: ballistic glass, redesigned seats, ceramic-faced composite steel doors, and armored deflective shields on the undercarriage of the vehicle (on wheel wells and under the cab).

O-6. GUN TRUCKS. Logistical convoys cannot always depend on military police support or added firepower. To provide more firepower for a convoy, units developed the gun truck. The purposes of a hardened gun truck are to--

• Provide a base-of-fire.
• Help counter enemy attacks.
• Increase survivability of the convoy.

The gun truck is equipped with a crew-served weapons system, preferably in a protective position. In Vietnam this principle worked well and provided convoys a means of self-defense.

Deploy the gun truck in the convoy where it can best provide the needed firepower. If adequate communications assets are available, they should be located with the gun truck and the convoy commander. This enables the convoy commander to call the gun truck forward when needed. (A predesignated signal is required to bring the gun truck forward and inform the crew-served weapon system personnel of the enemy location.) If communications assets are not adequate, pyrotechnics may be used to signal the gun truck to move forward.

The gun truck should not be pulled up right on top of the enemy location. The crew-served weapons on the gun truck can cover a significant distance. Therefore, the vehicle should be situated where it has a clear field of fire to engage the enemy with the maximum effective range of the weapon. If necessary and if available, multiple gun trucks can be used. When using multiple gun trucks in a convoy, overlapping fields of fire greatly increases the convoy's chance of survival.

NOTES:
1. Based on availability, types of weapon systems, and size of the convoy, the placement and number of gun trucks may vary. With company-size and larger convoys, a minimum of two gun trucks should be used to provide overlapping fire. One gun truck for every eight vehicles in the convoy is recommended.
2. Consider using the MK19 or M203 to penetrate prepared defensive positions since small arms fire may not be capable of destroying enemy positions.

Figure O-5 is an example of the gun truck used in Vietnam. It shows the armor plating used for the windshield and doors of the vehicle. It also depicts the layout of the weapon systems mounted on the vehicle with identified firing ports and specific areas of responsibility.

Figure O-5. Gun truck used in Vietnam

Figure O-6 shows how M2 machine guns were mounted on the gun truck using locally fabricated materials.

O-7. BALLISTIC TEST RESULTS. It is critical that the most protective material available be used to harden a vehicle. Ballistic tests show that sand is about twice as effective as clay in hardening vehicles. At a maximum velocity of 3,250 feet per second at a range of zero feet, it takes about .6 feet of sand and 1.2 feet of clay to stop a 5.56-mm round. At a maximum velocity of 2,750 feet per second, it takes about .9 feet of sand or 1.7 feet of clay to stop a 7.62-mm round. Finally, at the maximum velocity, it takes about 1.4 feet of sand or 2.6 feet of clay to stop a 50-caliber round. Using the most protective substance could mean the difference between life and death for our most precious resource--our Soldiers.

Table O-1, shows the results of mine tests conducted using a variety of C4 explosive charges. It offers insight to the devastating effects and damage that mines can cause.

Figure O-6. M2 machine gun mounted on gun truck

O-8. CAMOUFLAGE AND CONCEALMENT. Camouflage and concealment techniques can be used to make it more difficult for the enemy to spot the convoy. The type of cargo being transported can be disguised or concealed by a tarpaulin. Other effective measures include the following:

• Camouflaging or covering shiny surfaces before convoy departure.
• Painting vehicles in a pattern to blend in with the terrain and break the outline.
• Training operators to look for other means of concealment to break the outline of the vehicle.
• Covering vehicle bumper markings. The vehicle bumper markings can provide a great deal of intelligence information to the enemy.

Table O-1. Mine test table

Table O-1. Mine test table (continued)

O-9. MINES AND BOOBY TRAPS. Forces engaging in ambush frequently use mines and booby traps. Command-detonated mines are often used to initiate an ambush. Mines may also be planted along the shoulder of the road to harass and interdict. A booby trap system may be used against personnel and equipment. Convoys have employed the following guidelines to effectively limit damage from mines:

• Track the vehicle in front.
• Avoid driving on the shoulder of the road.
• Whenever possible, do not run over foreign objects on the road.
• Avoid potholes and fresh earth on the road.
• Watch local national traffic and the reactions of people on foot (they will often give away the location of any mines or booby traps).
• When possible, arrange for the engineers to sweep the road ahead before the convoy moves over it.
• Use a 2 1/2-ton or larger truck as the lead vehicle instead of a HMMWV. Hard vehicles such as tanks are useful in exploding small mines in front of the convoy.
• Harden vehicles.

• Use the following personal safety measures:

• Slow the vehicle's speed to reduce the potential of accidents. Adjust the speed based on the situation.
• Disperse vehicles and maintain intervals.

NOTE: In Somalia, around Mogadishu, the Army experienced command-detonated mines of 30, 50, and 60 pounds. These devices were placed in one of the many potholes in the road and wired for command-detonation. To avoid such obstacles and/or minimize damage, implement the above techniques.

Some indicators that have proven effective in identifying the location of potential mines are--

• Damaged vehicles.
• Signs of digging, holes in the road, potholes, concrete removal, or puddles.
• Boxes along the roadside.
• Wires on the road surface.
• Evidence of vegetation disturbance.
• Disturbances in previous tire tracks.
• Differences in plant growth, such as wilting or dead foliage.
• Irregularities in color or texture of the ground.
• Signs warning local populace.

The enemy is likely to place mines on--

• Frequently used roadways leading to and from construction sites.
• Brush and other traffic obstructions placed on roadways.
• Bridge bypasses.
• Obvious turnarounds and shoulders.

SPECIAL TIP!

Protective materials that are lighter than sand bags like kevlar are expensive$. However the Army has in the past bought some kevlar materials.

Red River Arsenal has some old M113 Gavin "TOW CAP" armor kevlar 8' x 10' blankets that can be used to line vehicle floors and sides in a lighter form than sandbags:

"MAINSTREAM" ARMY ACCEPTANCE OF VEHICLE HARDENING SELF-HELP?

YES (+)

Some evidence that PARTS OF the U.S. Army does indeed have the spirit, ingenuity, and ability to adapt to circumstances. Note the hypocrisy that Butler is allowed to armor HMMWVs but the reservists from Missouri are not.

www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5467

Ingenuity, elbow grease improves Humvee protection

By Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson

Capt. Darryl M. Butler, facility engineer for the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade, Task Force 1st Armored Division, inspects a new Modified Protection for un-Armored Humvees kit, or MPAH, before it is lowered onto a Humvee. Butler, the kits designer, personally oversees the installation of each kit. Spc. Chad D. Wilkerson

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 3, 2003) Ingenuity and improvisation have been hallmarks of the U.S. Army since its inception. Whether it is making something faster, easier, deadlier or safer, Soldiers always find a way to improve upon what they are issued.

An improvising reservist has been using his engineering skills to help provide better protection to Soldiers riding around Iraq in unarmored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles.

Capt. Darryl M. Butler, a facility engineer for Task Force 1st Armored Divisions 354th Civil Affairs Brigade, an Army Reserve unit from Riverdale, Md., is the type of Soldier who is never satisfied with equipment that is simply adequate.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee in his civilian job, Butler refers to himself as an engineer through-and-through.

Butlers outlook: if he believes that he can come up with a project that will allow his fellow Soldiers to accomplish their mission quicker, safer or more effectively, it is his duty to do so.

Currently, Butler is working with a growing team of Iraqi engineers, including metal workers, sprayers and welders, piecing together his new brainchild: the Modified Protection for un-Armored Humvees.

More than 900 pounds of steel in a 25-piece kit make up what has been dubbed The Butler Mobile, a custom, modular armor plating system designed to be an addition to soft-top Humvees.

The kit includes door pieces, floor plates and a bolt-on fortress for the rear and roof, all of which put a layer of heavy steel between Soldiers and whatever the enemy throws at them, Butler said.

The entire project, Butler said, fits right into the scheme of what civil affairs Soldiers are trying to accomplish in Iraq. Protecting Soldiers while they are traveling to and from their mission locations boosts mission effectiveness and their confidence. And, employing Iraqis to help contributes to improvement of life and economic growth in the area.

With all that Butler has accomplished, with dozens of kits installed and hundreds on order, he is still looking at possible ways to improve upon his improvements.

There are munitions that the MPAH is still susceptible to, Butler said. We are ready and willing to beef the kit up even more, if need be.

The bottom line for Butler is not recognition from his command or adoration from his peers, he said. Although he has received an Army Commendation Medal for his efforts, Butler stands firm that he and his team are in the business of saving lives and getting Soldiers home safely.

This was done out of necessity, Butler said. With the number of Coalition vehicles hit by improvised explosive devices, we had the opportunity to do something to prevent Soldiers from being hurt and/or killed, and this thing does work.

(Editors note: Spc. Chad. D Wilkerson is assigned to the 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

NO! (-)

Army denying Soldier's right to protect themselves

This violates FM 55-30 Appendix O which says you can do this.

FM 55-30, ARMY MOTOR TRANSPORT UNITS AND OPERATIONS is the Army's "Bible" for hardening vehicles: www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/55-30/toc.htm specifically: checkout Appendix O at the Reimer Library: www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/55-30/appo.htm

The military wants you to stay-in-your-lane, eat a feces sandwhich and like it.

Again, why we say supply them light tracked M113 Gavin AFVs so ***holes cannot deny them armor protection.

That Pentagon spokesman is a liar, the Army isn;'t doing feces to protect these men, even when the up-armored HMMWV/kits arrive in 2005 they will not stop RPGs.

Hypocrisy and callous disregard for Soldier's lives is what this is. MISSION and PEOPLE FIRST. 1st TSG (A) editorial comments in [ ] brackets.

www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/7523317.htm

Posted on Thu, Dec. 18, 2003

AP Exclusive: Army questioning Soldiers' plan to armor vehicles

DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Fearing roadside bombs and sniper bullets, the members of the Army Reserves' 428th Transportation Co. turned to a local steel fabricator to fashion extra armor for their 5-ton trucks and Humvees before beginning their journey to Iraq earlier this month.

But their armor might not make it into the war, because the Soldiers didn't get Pentagon "approval" for their homemade protection.

The Army, which is still developing its own add-on armor kits for vehicles, doesn't typically allow any equipment that is not Army-tested-and-approved [like Stryker?], Maj. Gary Tallman, a Pentagon spokesman [liar] for Army weapons and technology issues, said Thursday.

"It's important that other units out there that are getting ready to mobilize understand that we are doing things" to protect them, Tallman said, "but there's policy you have to consider before you go out on your own try to do something." {EDITOR: typical lying bureaucratic bullshit]

The possibility that Soldiers could be denied extra protection because of an Army policy has outraged some of the friends and neighbors who tried to help the Missouri reserve unit.

"I think it's the stupidest thing I ever heard of," said Virgil Kirkweg, owner of the Jefferson City steel company that rushed to meet the local reserve unit's armor request. "I just hope the government is not dumb enough to make them go out there without something that's going to protect them somewhat."

The 72 vehicles operated by the 428th Transportation Co. aren't designed for battle and so have thin metal floorboards and, in some cases, a canvas covering for doors. But Iraqi guerrilla groups have been targeting all types of military vehicles with homemade bombs and small-caliber weapons.

E-mails from Soldiers already deployed in Iraq urged the Missouri reservists to get extra armor if possible, said 1st Sgt. Tim Beydler of the Jefferson City-based transportation unit. So the Soldiers approached a local funeral home director active in community affairs, who paid the roughly $4,000 tab for 13,000 pounds of one-quarter inch steel. Industrial Enterprises Inc. donated the fabricating work, valued at nearly another $4,000, so the steel could be fitted under vehicle floorboards and on the inside of doors.

The Soldiers drove off in convoy Dec. 12 for Fort Riley, Kan., planning to fasten the specially made steel to their vehicles when they got to Iraq.

"We're doing what we can to protect our Soldiers. That's the bottom line," Beydler said last week while news of the donated steel was being praised locally as an example of grass-roots support for the troops. "It not only boosts morale of the Soldiers, but also of the Soldiers' family members, who know their Soldiers will be afforded some extra protection."

Fort Riley spokeswoman Deb Skidmore said Thursday that the Army reserve unit will be allowed to take their steel with them to Iraq, but she said Central Command will decide later whether the troops will be "allowed" to use it.

The Army's concern, Tallman said, is that "unapproved" steel-plating could somehow cripple the vehicles or cause them not to perform the way they were designed. For example, a Humvee armor kit recently tested at the Army's Aberdeen (Md.) Proving Ground was so heavy that it caused the vehicle to break, he said.

Tallman and spokesmen at several Army bases said they were unaware of any other units trying to craft their own armor before leaving for Iraq. But Tallman said the Army had discouraged several families of individual Soldiers from trying to obtain their own bulletproof vests, citing the same reason for Army "testing" of equipment.

Kirkweg said the Missouri Soldiers didn't have time to wait weeks, months or years for the Army to test and approve a steel-plating project that he could complete in three days. Among those deploying with the transportation unit was Kirkweg's neighbor, a mother of a 5-month-old child.

"We thought this is a very important project here - we're talking about possibility of saving people's lives," he said. "So without hesitation we went ahead and proceeded with the thing."

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=war&Story=6086747

Dec 29, 10:14 PM EST
Democrat Urges Homemade Armor in Iraq

By DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press Writer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee urged the Army's top civilian official Monday to seriously consider allowing an Army Reserve unit to outfit its vehicles with homemade armor while serving in Iraq.

Army policy generally prohibits troops from using equipment that has not been tested and approved by the military.

But fearing roadside bombs and snipers, the 428th Transportation Company turned to local businessmen to fund and fabricate special steel plates for their five-ton trucks and Humvees, which have thin metal floorboards and, in some cases, a canvas covering for doors.

The Army has made no decision yet on whether the soldiers will be allowed to use the armor.

Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the House Armed Services Committee's senior Democrat, sent a letter Monday urging Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee to encourage the Army to "give every consideration to the efforts of the 428th."

"The Army should commend the Soldiers of the 428th Transportation Company for their innovation and old fashioned American ingenuity," Skelton wrote.

Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said policy prohibits the Army from commenting on letters between congressmen and senior Army leaders. But Smith added the Army has asked the steel fabricator to submit a sample of the armor for testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Brownlee told the Senate Armed Services Committee in November that the Army was examining ways to add armor to vehicles, but he said it could take until summer 2005 to have armor on all the Humvees in Iraq.

A spokeswoman at Fort Riley, Kan., where the Missouri-based troops are preparing to depart for Iraq, said the unit will be able to take the steel with them, but that the Central Command will decide later whether it can be used.

Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

MAYBE: Soldier armors own HMMWV, saves his own life in Iraq

www.thewgalchannel.com/news/2711175/detail.html

Iraqi Explosion Injures Local Soldier

POSTED: 12:39 PM EST December 17, 2003
UPDATED: 6:26 PM EST December 17, 2003

A Lancaster County Soldier serving in Iraq was wounded by a roadside bomb.

Sgt. Jordon Ketner, (pictured, left) 20, is with the 82nd Airborne Division.

The Manheim Township graduate was riding in a Humvee near Falluja Sunday when a blast from a roadside bomb sent shrapnel into his legs and chest. Fortunately, he was wearing a flack jacket, so his chest was protected. The blast shattered his ankle and melted his boots into the Humvee floor.

Ketner had worried that the Humvee would not be enough protection in the event of an explosion, so he had recently asked some Iraqis to help make it safer.

"Jordon had just asked some Iraqis to put some sheet metal on, and they were helping. He was worried about its safety, the way it was made. They put some sheet metal on the doors and the sides, bolted it on, and that saved his life," said Sandy Katner, Jordon's mother.

He underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

MAYBE NOT: Armored Door fails to save CPT Blanco's life in Iraq.

From a Soldier in Iraq who could not save CPT Blanco after he was hit in the face by an exploding Iraqi command-detonated land mine. His HMMWV truck had an improvised steel door but it wasn't made with face protection:

"I am sending two pix, one of a HMMWV with steel plate mods done right, and the other is our HMMWV. If we'd had the right pattern, CPT Blanco might be alive. The problem is no standardization in the Haji contacting and no oversight for all of the patterns. I think it is an honest attempt to do the right thing but in a "check the block" frame of mind. Also included is the last picture of CPT Blanco, if you want to advertise the atrocity"

MAYBE GOOD ENOUGH

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

WHO PAID FOR THE ARMY'S MISTAKE: CPT BLANCO

DoD SPIN:

http://www.dod.mil/releases/2003/nr20031230-0823.html

United States Department of Defense
News Release On the web: var a = self.location document.writeln('' + a
+ '');http://www.dod.mil/releases/2003/nr20031230-0823.html Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131
Public contact: http://www.dod.mil/faq/comment.html or +1 (703) 428- 0711

No. 992-03
IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 30, 2003

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Capt. Ernesto M. Blanco, 28, of Texas, was killed on Dec. 28, in Qaryat Ash Shababi, Iraq. Blanco was conducting a support mission when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle. Blanco was assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, N.C.

This incident is under investigation.

GROUND TRUTH FROM IRAQ:

Forwarded Message:
Subj: Tragedy
Date: 12/30/2003 1:02:29 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dear all,

I am writing now from Kuwait, awaiting the final orders whether to proceed home or back to Iraq. I am tentatively escorting home the body of my XXXXXXXXXXXXX friend, Captain Ernesto Blanco, who was killed before my eyes in XXXXXXXXXXXX, Iraq, on Sunday, 28 December 2003 at 1245 HRS, approximately 3 hours after my last email to you.

We were returning from a "routine" vehicle recovery mission when an IED went off right next to his Humvee. He took the force of the blast in his face. He had lost so much blood there was nothing we could do, though we sped as quickly as possible to the Medical Detachment at the nearest base camp. He was still hanging on, but soon thereafter the docs were performing CPR. After about 30 minutes, it was over.

What makes me angry is we saw the little Haji bastards who did it; they couldn't have been older than 10. They were 400 meters away and running right to left at an oblique, and so they escaped. Our rounds missed them. Old enough to pull the trigger, old enough to pay the price, I say, but they got away to do it again some other day.

Ernie Blanco was an upstanding Christian man, one of the best officers I have ever had the privelidge of working with. He was a friend I could confide in "off line." He will be sorely missed.

His roommate, CPT XXXXXXX, is also enroute to Kuwait, possibly to take over for me and so I would then return to FOB XXXXXXX. I am praying that I would still be given the honor and privelidge of taking him home. God's Will Be Done.

XXXXXXXX

Subj: Re: Preventing Future Tragedies
Date: 12/30/2003 9:21:34 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXXXXX
Sent from the Internet (Details)

We have contracted for steel hardening of the HMMWVs. CPT Blanco was hit in the face, above the armor plating. The rest of his body was unscathed. There is only so much one can do. We are still trying to contract for the LMTV armor, but it is in the works. Depending on how long I am home, I'll give you a call.

---

The real tragedy in all this is we don't have to be driving and making desperation mods to HMMWVs at all--thousands of M113 Gavin light tracked AFVs are sitting in storage with 1.5" thich hulls, metal road wheels and steel tracks with rubber pads.

The U.S. Army is self-destructing.

The wheeled rubber-tired truck or armored car-with-a-computer madness to steer weak, All Volunteer Force (AVF) co-dependants around a map graphic linear battlefield fantasy that doesn't exist is a miserable failure in the physical world we live in populated by RPGs, land mines and an "AK47" in every third world household. So while our men are getting killed and maimed in wheeled vehicles that can never adequately protect them, the Army tries to bribe them with $10,000 re-enlistment bonuses to stay in Iraq for one more year. If you are DEAD you can't spend it. However, if these monies were instead pooled together, say the money that would have been given to 8 Soldiers ($80,000) a M113A3 Gavin light tracked Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) sitting in storage could be supplied with RPG-resistant armor, underbelly countermine armor and gunshields to enable these same 8 Soldiers to fight alert, and heads-out to prevail in 360 non-linear combat, so they can return home ALIVE and intact.

Tragically, current Army leaders refuse to do what's right to accomplish the mission and save their men; they have bought into the discredited sociologists Tofflerian world-view that anything that is physical is no longer important; all that matters is that we slap a computer in to do mental gymnastics to create a virtual, WWII-style linear battlefield that does not exist, where everybody stays in their inferior social position in the Army, relying on higher headquarters to micromanage them and save them when they beg for outside fire support when overwhelmed by enemy AK47s, RPGs and IEDs. A homogenized, one-size-fits-all, "medium" weight Army on hope-to-pinch-pennies-wheels too light to fight and too heavy to fly, restricted to easily ambushed roads/trails. The Army's Generals can then brag that they have been such "visionaries" bringing in a mythical "new age" of warfare; a "Revolution in Military Affairs" (RMA) where local units are physically weak and unable to take initiative like the science fiction movie, "Demolition Man". Providing ALL Army units with 22,000 pound light tracked M113A3 Gavin AFVs instead of impotent rubber-tired 22,000 pound FMTV-type trucks would provide local units physical, armored/air/ amphibious/cross-country mobility, firepower and supply superiority to take the fight to the enemy anywhere in the world using small-unit initiative, imagination and daring. The IDF has up-armored M113 light tracked AFVs and doesn't lose a man a day like we are in Iraq....

We certainly can't have that!

This is why its time the American people and the Soldiers of the Army itself work through the Congress to take back control of the Army which belongs to them---NOT the senior officers who are on ego trips and waiting for high-paid jobs after retirement from corrupt contractors building crap equipment for our troops like General Dynamics Land Systems and their borrowed Canadian Stryker armored car/deathtrap design.

If you REALLY care about our troops dying and being maimed in combat, contact your Congressman/Senator and insist that up-armored M113 Gavin light tracked AFVs be sent immediately to replace ALL unarmored HMMWV and FMTV trucks in Iraq:

Contact Congress

Day Late & Dollar Short: Army re-discovers sandbagging vehicles for recruit training: WHO IS GOING TO INSURE TROOPS IN IRAQ SAND BAG THEIR VEHICLES? How long before this training is stopped and forgotten?

USATODAY.com - Army updates training (about time, too late for 500 KIA)

www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-01-06-army-training_x.htm

Posted 1/5/2004 11:48 PM Updated 1/6/2004 5:21 AM

Army updates training By Dave Moniz, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - The Army is overhauling its basic training to help recruits survive the particular dangers of missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

PIC: A U.S. Soldier patrols a street Dec. 24 near Samarra, Iraq. By Mario Tama, Getty Images

The changes add or beef up instruction on skills that include traveling in convoys and fighting in cities. (Related story: Army to forbid some to leave)The program begins this month and will be in use at all basic training installations by spring. The changes are some of the biggest since the Vietnam War, says Col. William Gallagher, who commands the basic combat training brigade at Fort Benning in Georgia. He is in the group that devised the new instruction. The military made similar changes to basic training during the Vietnam War. Starting in the 1960s, recruits were taught how to avoid booby traps and how to search villages where Viet Cong guerrillas might be hiding.

Army basic training, a rite of passage for generations of Soldiers, is designed to transform civilians into fighters by teaching them to march, shoot rifles and kill the enemy. Every recruit attends basic training for a minimum of nine weeks. "When Soldiers arrive in Baghdad and get off the planes and into Humvees, they are immediately thrust into combat operations," Gallagher says. "They have to go in with a mind-set that they will engage and kill the enemy on their first day in country."

Among the changes the Army is making:

• More weapons training. Recruits will be taught to fire weapons other than the M-16, the standard rifle for foot Soldiers. New troops will learn how to fire other weapons commonly found in the U.S. arsenal, including a variety of machine guns.

• New training on how to identify and counter remote-controlled bombs known as IEDs, or improvised explosive devices. Those bombs have killed dozens of Soldiers in Iraq and are a weapon of choice for guerrilla fighters.

• Convoy tactics. For the first time, recruits will ride in convoys and face simulated ambushes. They will learn how to place sandbags inside vehicles to protect against bombs, grenades and machine guns.

• Urban combat. Soldiers will learn tactics for fighting enemies who blend in with civilians.

• Increased first-aid training. Officials say it is important for all Soldiers to have better lifesaving skills, because troops are traveling in smaller groups and can be ambushed without a medic or doctor nearby.

The changes added lessons will not lengthen basic training, but recruits will drill more on Sundays, which has been traditionally a light training day. The last major change in basic training was in 1997, when the Army began teaching values such as courage and honesty. It came after a scandal at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, where drill sergeants forced female trainees to have sex with them. Sgt. 1st Class Donovan Manley, a Fort Benning drill sergeant, says the new program will make a big difference in preparing young Soldiers for guerrilla warfare."We don't have the luxury of time right now. We graduate Soldiers, and a short time later they are deploying," he says. "This will save lives."

From strategypage.com:

Easy Stick Add-On Armor?

February 3, 2004: When American troops in Iraq first encountered ambushes and roadside bombs, they realized that their unarmored trucks and hummers were particularly vulnerable. While many rushed to attach armor plates to the vehicles, some of the reserve troops who were cops back home knew of better solutions. At least two firms were selling light weight bulletproof composites that could be quickly attacked to police cars (doors, hood and so on). One type, Aztik 100, consisted of light weight, bendable panels. One side had glue on it, protected by paper that was peeled away when you wanted to attach a panel to a police car, or hummer, door or hood. Another product, RhinoPak, quickly developed a set of rigid lightweight bulletproof panels built to fit right on a hummer, including the top. Bullet proof glass is also provided for the windshield. The composite armor will stop a heavy machine-gun bullet (.50 caliber or 14.5mm. These panels would also stop most fragments from a bomb exploding nearby. As a result of recent reforms, units had money, and authority, available to get these armor kits, and many did.

www.armorsystemsint.com/aztik100.htm

As a Leader in the application of ceramic and inorganic polymer materials, Armor Systems International has developed Aztik 100(tm).

Aztik 100(tm) is a lightweight, semi-flexible composite protective armor system unique to the market. It is capable of withstanding armor piercing rounds up to the common NATO 7.62 AP round. this modifiable armor can stop a 0.50 caliber armor piercing bullet at 40 feet.

The Aztik 100(tm) Peel & Stick Armoring System(c) quickly applies to any smooth curved or flat surface within a military, law enforcement or private vehicle or aircraft for instant threat protection. This revolutionary patent pending armoring system incorporates a unique construction of multi-layer fabrics and adhesives that provides threat protection against NIJ STD-0108.01 Level II, IIA, III, IIIA and IV and has passed Ballistic tests for multi-hit capability. Aztik 100's(tm) integration of low weight and Ballistic characteristics makes it the armor of choice in personnel protection.

For more information on Aztik 100(tm), Aztik 200 Marine(tm) or Aztik Spall Liner(tm), contact Armor Systems International toll free (866) 993-5181.

110 Columbia Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
phone: (360) 993-5181
toll free: (866) 993-5181
fax: (360) 737-0743 info@armorsystemsint.com
www.armorsystemsint.com

******************

www.labock.com/english/sv_pak_hmmwv.htm

Labock Technologies has developed a Portable Armor Kit for the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), also known as "Humvee" and "Hummer". With the RhinoPAK for the HMMWV we are able to offer a field deployable and low cost up-armoring solution for large military fleets.

The durability and reusability of the armor panels brings even more value to this product since it can be moved to new vehicles once the original carrier of the kit has to be decommissioned.

With armies performing U.N. peacekeeping missions or deployed abroad in dangerous regions fighting off terrorism in its nests, it is clear the need of countries to protect their troops against high level threats anywhere and at any moment notice. Once the threat disapears or the vehicles are called off from the theater of operations, the portable armor kits can be quickly removed and stored for future use.

Headquarters
Labock Technologies, Inc.
1495 North Park Drive
Weston 33326 FL

Tel #: (954) 335-3535
Fax #: (954) 335 3525

4. Hard Body Armor

All Soldiers riding in ANY vehicle should be wearing head and HARD body armor. Their BDUs should be the aircrew type made of nomex for fire protection.

Interceptor (hard) Bod