Report: Military errors held up armor in Iraq

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, March, 2006 | by Joseph Tanfani

Miscalculations and problems in the military supply pipeline created delays in armoring the Army's truck fleet in Iraq, leaving soldiers at greater risk from lethal explosions, according to a new government study.

When insurgents started targeting U.S. troop convoys with hidden bombs, commanders asked for more armor for humvees and larger trucks, including the Medium Tactical Vehicles used to transport and supply soldiers.

Instead of setting out to armor the entire truck fleet at once, the Army ordered armored cabs and kits in a series of small contracts, and did not always supply the required funds quickly, the Governmental Accountability Office said in a report released yesterday.

Armor production lines sometimes shut down for two months or more - then had...