Kent Conrad: “I think we all know there were deficiencies in terms of resources provided to our troops going into Iraq and…”

“I think we all know there were deficiencies in terms of resources provided to our troops going into Iraq and Afghanistan. We have all read the stories repeatedly of soldiers not having the body armor they needed. We have all heard of people actually raising money back home in order to get the body armor for our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. That should not be. We shouldn't have a circumstance where American soldiers don't have the best equipment to keep them safe when we have sent them into harm's way. I think we have all read the stories of our Humvees not being properly armored to protect soldiers against these bombs that have been going off. I remember very well going to Walter Reed Army Hospital visiting young men who had been badly injured in Iraq. I remember very well visiting with one young soldier who had been in a Humvee that had not been properly armored. One of the roadside bombs had gone off, and that young soldier was terribly injured--blind in one eye, lost a leg, an arm. He was badly wounded.”