They say that one of the reasons that America has fought as well as it does, is because of the great care with which we equip their individual soldiers. Take WWII. German engineering was waaaay better than American. Look at the panzer tanks for example. In fact, when we conquered the Germans, a lot of our future wartime technology was plagarized in mass. However, we outproduced them, and American soldiers that were better supplied carried the day. However.........
When my grandfather went to war, you carried your gear in a duffel bag.
When my father went to war, it was about two duffel bags.
When I go to war, my mandatory personal equipment will be three duffel bags worth of gear, a rucksack, an assault pack, a computer case, a footlocker, and wearing 60 lbs of personal protective equipment, including, but by no means limited to, a flack vest full of armored plate, neck protectors, groin protectors, side protectors, biceps protectors, and armpit protectors, etc., not to mention attachments. And eye protection. Eye protection that scratches if you look through it crosseyed and becomes almost opaque in about two weeks. Sigh....................
I swear, I put all that crap on, and I feel like Ralphie when he's all swaddled up in a Christmas story. When under attack, I might be able to shrug my shoulders. Almost. Do the infantry wear all that shit? How the hell do they run during a fire fight? Especially in Iraq when it's a 120 degrees. It's all I can do to walk at a decent pace on a cool day in Washington. (just flack vest, helmet, assault pack, weapon, camelback, etc.)
It's all good though. When I have a son and he goes to war someday, I know that he'll be safely protected within a 5000 lb block of titanium (or frozen carbonite for you diehard Star Wars geeks), which will be driven by a contractor on a forklift towards the enemy at a high rate of speed. Whammo!!!! Of course, he won't have oxygen tanks, because that would be a safety hazard, but hey, breathing's a crutch anyways, am I right?
Oy. If I get any more safe, I won't be able to move an inch.
Yours truly,
nbs