LONGTIME READERS OF THIS SITE WILL RECALL THAT CPT PATTI SPENT $1000 ON SUCH STUFF BEFORE LEAVING FOR IRAQ.

The U.S. soldiers who invaded Iraq went into battle with the most modern and lethal equipment ever carried by an armed force. In some cases, they paid for it themselves.

Combat soldiers interviewed by an Army investigative team after the capture of Baghdad reported that they dipped into their own pockets to buy such accessories as pistol holsters, rucksacks, boot soles, underwear, rifle sights, global-positioning-system handsets and field radios, rather than use Army-issue versions.

The whole story is here.

Meanwhile, here is a related story...and some of the stuff is better now...but some can still use improving.

The Army has surveyed its foot soldiers for years to find out how equipment is working in battle. But only recently have Congress and the Pentagon managed to change bureaucracy-heavy procurement rules so the Army can translate what it learns into action.

Embarrassed by the specter of soldiers dipping into their modest pay to equip themselves, the Army has responded with a "rapid fielding initiative" to get improved equipment to the battlefront as quickly as possible. Over the next four years, the Army is considering spending about $400 million on improvements so soldiers won't have to spend their own money.

A similar survey of soldiers deployed to Afghanistan spurred the Army to accelerate distribution of body armor, Wiley X sunglasses, Rhino GPS units and a special multitool device that is sort of a super pocketknife. The .50-caliber XM-107 sniper rifle, which saw some use in Afghanistan, was used more widely in Iraq, where it was regarded as the single most useful weapon in urban warfare. Snipers were convinced that the rifle's firepower intimidated Iraqis who saw its devastating effects.

I think it comes down to what value one places on being as comfortable as possible in a hostile environment.

It's one thing from a taxpayer's point of view. It's another thing altogether when it is you, or your own soldier.

I know there is nothing I wouldn't buy for CPT Patti right now to make her more comfortable.