Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Spc. Peter Bland
Military commanders have instructed soldiers in parts of Iraq and Afghanistan to take off their body armor when meeting with local civilians so they come across as less threatening. But the tactic has left American personnel vulnerable to attacks, including those from roadside bombs.
Soldiers from Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks’ 3rd Brigade Combat Team found out the hard way what happens when they venture out in Iraq minus their protective gear. On July 12, 2009, an improvised explosive device caused a nine-inch gash in the back of one American and left another “partially eviscerated.”
“It’s really a miracle no one was killed, honestly,” Specialist Peter Bland told the Honolulu Advertiser. Bland and some other soldiers said their commanders pressured them to not wear body armor and helmets, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
Ashleigh Conway, the wife of one of the injured soldiers, said: “If some guys are just so in love with the Iraqis that they want to show their trust, then I guess if they are crazy enough to do that, then go for it. But I just can’t believe that they would require them not to wear it.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Soldiers Criticize Advice by Hawaii Unit to Doff Body Armor in Iraq (by William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser)
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