by James Glaser
January 10, 2006

Ms. Elaine Brower of New York City bought her son James a very good set of body armor this Christmas. James is in the United States Marine Corps, and is stationed in Iraq.

After doing one tour in Afghanistan James Brower came home and became a New York City police officer, but now he has been redeployed with his reserve unit, and is fighting in George Bush's war in Iraq. His mother wanted to get him the protection our government had failed to provide.

How many speeches have you heard in which President Bush talked about getting our fighting men and women all the equipment they needed to do their job? Well, President Bush was just "shinning you on." American troops still don't have the body armor or the armored vehicles the president promised the American people he would get them, and troops are being killed and maimed almost every day because of it.

Elaine Bower wasn't going to wait for this President to keep his word, so she shelled out three thousand dollars and bought James the equipment he needed. Ms. Brower received the best advice she could get on body armor, because you see, James worked with Marines and soldiers who had lost limbs in Iraq. These wounded veterans were running the New York City Marathon, and they suggested that his mom kick in an extra eight hundred dollars and get leg armor, something to protect the femoral artery.

Congress knew the President was just spinning his words when he talked about protecting our troops, so they passed a law so parents like Elaine Bower can claim up to a maximum of $1,100 from the "Claim for Reimbursement and Payment Voucher for Privately Purchased Protective, Safety or Health Equipment Used in Combat." Still this loving mother had to come up with the whole three thousand up front, then pay shipping, and she will still be out the nineteen hundred dollars Washington will not cover.

James Bower says everything fits and is comfortable. Nice Christmas gift huh?

Original story reported by United Press International Jan. 8th, 2006

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