60 MINUTES to Feature Iowa Army National Guard

60 MINUTES will be devoting its entire Memorial Day weekend broadcast to the 1st Battalion of the 133rd Infantry of the Iowa National Guard serving in Iraq. Scott Pelley and 60 MINUTES cameras spent nearly two years following the unit’s members and their families for the story, a revealing and emotional chronicle of their lives that will be aired this Sunday, May 27 (7PM ET/PT on CBS).

There will be more information on their Web site, CBS.

Army Stands Behind Interceptor Body Armor

After a May 17 NBC News report challenged the Army's use of Interceptor body armor instead of newer Dragon Skin armor developed by Pinnacle Armor Inc., an Army official said U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan still use the best available body armor.

At a May 21 Pentagon press conference, Brig. Gen. R. Mark Brown released test results that ruled out Dragon Skin a year ago.

The Army subjected Dragon Skin armor to the same endurance tests as Interceptor body armor at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., May 16 to 19, 2006.

Of eight Dragon Skin vests tested, four failed, with 13 rounds penetrating completely on the first or second shot, General Brown said. After the first complete penetration, the vests technically failed the test, but he said the Army continued the testing to ensure fairness.

Other tests included subjecting Dragon Skin vests to extreme temperature variations, from minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which would reflect the cold temperature experienced during airplane transport to the war zone and the hot Middle East climate.

Temperature tests caused the adhesive holding the Dragon Skin's protective discs together to fail, and the discs gathered at the bottom of the vest, leaving gaps in protection.

General Brown also noted that extra large Dragon Skin vests are 47.5 pounds and 1.7 to 1.9 inches thick; large size Interceptor vests, which offer equivalent coverage, weigh 28 pounds and are 1.3 inches thick.

Congress is requesting that the Government Accountability Office look into the matter further.

Calling all Military Dudes and Gals

I have approached to inform you that you are of interest to the Discovery Channel and the Military Channel here at home! Check this out:

My name is Corrie Zielinski, and I’m contacting you because I think your readers/visitors might be interested in a project that I’m working on in conjunction with the Military Channel (which is part of the Discovery Channel networks) – an Open Call for Video Submissions from Military Personnel deployed around the globe (this is in conjunction with the DOD). The Military Channel is accepting all types of video and the selected clips will air on the Military Channel beginning in mid-February. The program will be similar to the concept in My War Diary, but the footage won’t be edited. If you think that this is something your readers might be interested in, please let me know and I will pass along the actual submission information (including a link to the DOD News article).

Thanks so much for your time,

Corrie

Please be nice Corrie and send him/her your very best. We have to let the people know just how great I already know you are. We have to make them understand that this a war for our lives, yours' especially, but you are doing such great things that people at home will not get to see unless you show them. So get busy and show them! Love ya. Have a great day, and Godspeed.

PS. I understand that I am a month late in delivering this message, but I do believe the offer still stands. I actually thought I had already written an article concerning this issue. As soon as I found I had not, I decided to go ahead and write one now. Please forgive my tardiness.