Home » Archives » "Despite its flaws, troops prefer Stryker"

Despite its flaws, troops prefer Stryker

May-22-2005 » Filed Under: 1/25 SBCT , Stryker Vehicle

Link to Full Article
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq — In spite of its flaws, there is no other vehicle Stryker Brigade Combat Team soldiers say they would rather be in.

Some soldiers say the Stryker’s safety factor outweighs the litany of shortcomings outlined last year in an internal study by the Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

“It’s a lot safer than a Humvee and we have more mobility than a tank that is so cumbersome,” said 1st Lt. Drew Godwin of Delta/52 Infantry Company. “Being a wheeled vehicle makes it more maneuverable. I wouldn’t want to be in anything else.”

The CALL study reported problems that included a tendency for rollovers caused by the weight of add-on armor, a lack of protection against rocket-propelled grenades, computers overheating, and wheels that need constant attention.

Some of the findings are over dramatized, soldiers say. But in instances where the vehicles fall short, soldiers are forced to adapt.

The article goes on to discuss the various modifications.


Advertisements