I’m shocked and saddened to see the picture of my friend, Bob Woodruff taken just before the explosion. His helmet and body armor is the kind of stuff that busy street cops wear in the United States. This is light duty gear and woefully inadequate for a combat zone where military operations are in progress. Street cops don't face bombs and rockets. Now I know why Woodruff and Vogt were so badly hurt.ABC NEWS had a duty to provide and require acceptable protective wear for these journalists and failed to make it happen.
Update Febuary 4, 2006: I went to the Supply Sergeant surples store in Santa Monica this morning and found a real U.S military flack jacket size 42 (That would fit Woodruff just fine) and a genuine U.S. military Kevlar helmet. With tax it’s all out the door for $400.00. That’s a cheap price to pay considering what it would have prevented.
The bad news is they would not let me shoot video of the stuff. But there are lots other places to go where these can be obtained cheaper and you'll find a better selection. Catch a reasonable storeowner and video would never be a problem.
Some personal injury lawyer could really clean up on this one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame he was the big Flagship anchor for a New York minute.
ReplyDeleteI feel for the Woodruff and Vogt families. I hope the networks learn fom this to armor up their people.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the vest you saw was an interceptor with the plates. They go for a lot more on the market. The previous generation of vests (worn in the 80's/90's) was less effective than modern police body armor. All that said, the first thing I thought when I saw ABC news the other night was, "Holy Shit"! I couldn't believe they sent him out there with such inadequate protection. I met him in Afghanistan several years ago for about half an hour. I had just come down from a few months in the Hindu Kush and I looked up my college roommate who was an Army Public Affairs Officer in Kabul. He introduced me to Woodruff. He was a gentleman and a professional. He spent the whole time picking my brain for background info on hunt for UBL & AQ. He was very well informed and definitely looked at the issue from outside the box. He and his family are in my prayers.
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