Lawmakers want explanation for China-made boots

Two members of Congress plan to urge the Defense Department to ensure U.S. troops wear only American-made uniforms and gear after Air Force Times revealed this summer that an airman deployed to Afghanistan was given Chinese-made boots by his unit.

Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and Michael H. Michaud, D-Maine, are asking fellow lawmakers to sign a letter that asks the Defense Department to comply with the “letter and the spirit of the Berry Amendment,” which requires the food, clothing, fabrics and other textiles the Pentagon buys to be grown or made in the U.S.

“A recent news report highlighted an Air Force Master Sergeant who was twice issued boots made in China. When he asked how he could exchange them for American-made boots, he was told ‘good luck.’”

In June, Air Force Times reported that Master Sgt. Steve Adachi had difficulties trying to get a pair of boots that were not made in China. At the time, an Air Force spokeswoman said the Berry Amendment did not apply because the law can be waived for purchases under $150,000.

Hunter said lawmakers became aware of the issue from Air Force Times’ story on Adachi. The letter to the Defense Department is the beginning of a broader effort by Congress to the department to buy more American goods.

“We think, probably, this is the tip of the iceberg — there’s probably a lot of materiel and a lot of transactions taking place that are simply waived by DoD because it’s easy to waive them, not because it’s the right thing to do and not because there aren’t American manufacturers of those goods that DoD needs to buy,” Hunter told Air Force Times.

With the country at war and the economy still weak, it is “more important than ever” that the department comply with the Berry Amendment, the lawmakers wrote.

“We should not rely on other countries, particularly those who may have competing global interests, to supply our forces with basic items,” the letter says. “This is especially true when there are millions of Americans looking for work. More importantly, our soldiers deserve to fight in uniforms, including footwear, that are made in the U.S.A.”

So far, 17 members of Congress have signed the letter, said Ed Gilman, a spokesman for Michaud. The two lawmakers have not yet decided when to send the letter.

The Defense Department declined to comment on the matter.

“We’ll wait until we get any communication from members of Congress and then respond appropriately to them,” Defense Department spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said in an email.

After the Air Force Times story was published, Adachi received a pair of American-made boots from the company from which his unit bought the other boots.

The incident made him so incensed that he wrote his congresswoman, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, who later received a letter from the Air Force that reiterated that the Berry Amendment did not apply to the purchase of the two-pair of boots.

However, the Air Force acknowledged that Adachi’s unit violated another law, the Buy American Act, which applies to purchases greater than $3,000.

“After significant research and a comprehensive legal review, it appears the sage green boots Sergeant Adachi received prior to his deployment were purchased with the intent to be used in the United States, and thus violated the ‘Buy American Act,’” wrote Lt. Col. Douglas F. McCobb, of the office of legislative liaison, in a letter to Hanabusa.

The issue of what troops wear is an important one to Michaud, whose district includes factories that make footwear. He has introduced a bill that would stop the Defense Department from issuing troops cash allowances to buy their own athletic shoes.

“We all remember the outrage this summer when it was discovered that our Olympic athletes were wearing uniforms made in China,” Michaud said in a news release. “Well I think we should be as equally outraged about the fact that our troops are not wearing 100 percent American-made uniforms. Our soldiers put their lives on the line for us, and they should fight in uniforms they can trust — uniforms made in the U.S.A.”

US Military - 9mm For The Masses

U.S. Army has ordered another 100,000 M9 9mm pistols, each costing $640. The U.S. military (mostly the army) already has over 600,000 M9s. The U.S. military adopted the 9mm pistol in 1985, largely to standardize ammunition with NATO and to replace the M911 .45 caliber (11.4mm) pistol with something smaller and lighter. All other NATO states used 9mm for pistols. The U.S. also noted that most 9mm pistols were carried by officers and support personnel, who rarely used them, in combat or otherwise. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) came into being a few years later and immediately began planning to bring back .45 pistols for its commandos. Actually, many Special Forces and SEAL operators never gave up using the .45, as it was the ideal pistol for many commando operations.

The M9 is a 914 g (2.1 pound empty), 217mm (8.5 inch) long weapon that has a 125mm (4.9 inch) barrel and a magazine that holds 15 rounds. It replaced the M1911 .45 (11.4mm) caliber ACP. This is a 1.1 kg (2.44 pound empty), 210mm (8.25 inch) long weapon with a 127mm (5 inch) barrel and a 7 round magazine. Both pistols were only accurate at up to about 50 meters. The M1911 had more hitting power, while the M9 was a bit more accurate. Loaded, each pistol weighs about 230 g (half a pound) more.

Meanwhile SOCOM (Special Operations Command) has been allowed to adopt a number of .45 caliber pistols for its personnel. The U.S. Marine Corps recently ordered 12,000 .45 caliber pistols (for $1,900 each), mainly for use by its SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and recon troops. These MARSOC (Marine Special Operations Command) troops have, like the army, navy, and air force components of SOCOM, quietly replaced most of their 9mm pistols with .45s. For the last few years the marines have been supplying their special operations troops with older M1911 model .45s, refurbished (or built from scrounged up parts) in a marine-run facility.

There are several improved .45s available because of demand from police departments and government agencies (like the FBI). In the 1990s SOCOM adopted the Heckler and Koch Mk 23 SOCOM model. This is a 1.47 kg (3.2 pound) .45 pistol with a 12-round magazine and the ability to carry a silencer. It is expensive, at $2400 each. Loaded with a silencer and laser aiming device the Mk23 weighs 2.29 kg (5 pounds). The Mk23 is a precision weapon, capable of accurate fire at 50 meters (51mm/two inch shot groups). The Mk 23 is for offensive operations while the lighter and cheaper USP Tactical model was later introduced for personal protection and other duties not requiring the heavier Mk 23.

Over the last decade American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan discovered, through combat experience, what types of weapons worked best at close range to take down the enemy. It was the same with SWAT teams and commandos all over the world. When conducting a raid and finding yourself up close and personal with someone trying to kill you, there is a need for a heavy caliber pistol or a shotgun (firing 00 shot or slugs). The premier pistol for ensuring you take down someone is still the .45 caliber (11.4mm) or .40 caliber (10mm, but only with a heavy bullet) pistols. These weapons are light and handy, compared to assault rifles or shotguns, and have a long history of quickly taking down an armed and determined foe.

As the U.S. Army Special Forces discovered, if you are well trained and know what you are doing, you should carry a pistol, in addition to your rifle. Not the official issue M9 9mm pistol but something with a bit more stopping power. The Special Forces prefer new model .45 caliber pistols, although 10mm weapons are also popular. The reason for this is that you are most likely to be using the pistol indoors, where your target is going to be really close. You want to knock him down quickly, before he can get at you with a knife or even his hands. Many troops are getting their own pistols and most commanders have been lenient on this issue. The same applies to shotguns. Although the army and marines have bought a lot of them (the Benelli M4 Combat Shotgun is a particular favorite), there never seem to be enough of them for some units (that spend a lot of time raiding buildings in hostile neighborhoods).