It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
In all, the Marine Corps accepted about 19,000 Interceptor outer tactical vests from Point Blank Body Armor Inc. that failed government tests due to “multiple complete penetrations” of 9mm pistol rounds, failing scores on other ballistic or quality-assurance tests, or a combination of the two.
“Since these are lifesaving pieces of equipment and are being used in support of the Iraq war, I urge immediate action since this technical office has little confidence in the performance of the items to provide the contracted levels of protection as defined in the performance specification,” wrote ballistics expert James MacKiewicz in a memorandum rejecting two lots of vests on July 19, 2004.
A second government agency, the Defense Contract Management Agency, backed Natick’s conclusion and also recommended against the waivers.
“I did not ignore warnings or advice from my staff. I simply looked at all the factors involved as the program manager and made the decision that I needed to make based on all the information that I had,” Patricio said in a May 3 telephone interview. “The decision was mine and within my immediate authority as program manager” to waiver and accept the rejected vests. Patricio recently retired from the Corps and now works as an independent acquisitions consultant.
While each vest has a unique serial number on it, Point Blank would not provide a list of serial numbers from the lots Natick said should be rejected. Point Blank said that information was “proprietary.”
Corps officials initially would not provide lot or serial number data to Marine Corps Times; when Patricio was asked in the May 3 interview if he could locate the vests and recall them if ordered to do so, a Corps spokesman abruptly ended the interview and hung up.
You have voted mythatsabigprobe for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.
US Quartermaster Corps
. . . the American Revolution where a similar catastrophe completely undid a less capable British commander. "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne found himself isolated at the end of a fractured supply line. Faced with a starve-or-fight situation at the battle of Saratoga, NY, he wound up surrendering his entire force to the American patriots.
Smirking chimp
The main companies that were awarded billions of dollars worth of contracts in Iraq have paid more than $300 million in fines since 2000, to resolve allegations of fraud, bid rigging, delivery of faulty military equipment, and environmental damage.
For example, according to a review of documents conducted by the Associated Press, American tax payers are paying more than $780 million to one British firm that was convicted of fraud on 3 separate federal construction projects and was banned from US government work as recent as 2002.
English Militia
Militia assessments were also resented. Everyone was assessed for a contribution of weapons in accordance with their income but rates were often unfairly apportioned and cheating was common. Those assessed often supplied faulty weapons and lame horses and those who served sometimes made off with militia equipment.
This is completely unacceptable. What's even more shocking is that within the documents obtained from the FOIA, Marine managers responsible for the protection of our marines signed waivers stating that they understand the vest are faulty, yet they would still like to use them.
Report for Congress March 2005
As of March 4, 2005, according to DOD officials, approximately 144,875 U.S. forces are in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). There are currently 100,291 active duty, 33,030 National Guard, and 11,554 Reserve forces deployed in Iraq.1 Also, approximately 23,900 non-U.S. coalition forces from 25 countries are in Iraq contributing to stabilization operations.
Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
Follow the money on this one. Let's find out who profited from selling this crap and who authorized a waiver so that our soldiers could get killed all nice and legal like. Then put them in one of their vests and shoot the bastards.
they've received over $120,000,000 in contracts for the "interceptor" vests and supplied 19,000 of them - approx $6,500 per item.
In all, the Marine Corps accepted about 19,000 Interceptor outer tactical vests from Point Blank Body Armor Inc. that failed government tests