"I and other Members of Congress continue to receive reports from soldiers regarding basic equipment that is not being provided to them in Iraq," said Strickland.  "These reports raise a bigger question about what the Pentagon is doing to be responsive to the equipment needs of our troops."

Since the beginning of the Iraq war, Congressman Strickland has written the Defense Secretary five times regarding the lack of protective body armor for U.S. troops in Iraq, and about the Pentagon's slow decision to maximize production of uparmored Humvees.

Today's letter from Strickland was prompted by an e-mail circulated last week from a Kentucky National Guardsman who was complaining about the lack of available armor for transportation vehicles in his unit.

In the e-mail, the soldier complains of having to use "hillbilly armor" as a stop-gap to protect their vehicles.

"I received similar complaints from soldiers who recently returned to Ohio," noted Strickland.  "This is obviously not a new issue for the Pentagon, but the Pentagon is reacting to the situation in its typically slow manner."

In his letter, Strickland points out that, "I have written you many times in the past two years regarding the Pentagon's empty response to the lack of sufficient body armor and uparmored vehicles.  As if to underscore this point, the Pentagon announced last week that it missed its self-imposed deadline of April 1st for fielding adequate numbers of uparmored Humvees to protect all US troops.  Your spokesmen have now extended that deadline to June."

Strickland went on to write that, "I am left with the conclusion that fundamental systems and upper-level officials in the Pentagon are continuing to fail our soldiers."

Strickland's letter asks the Secretary to personally answer six questions about the Pentagon's system for determining the equipment needs of America's soldiers as the war in Iraq evolved from a full-scale invasion to a battle with guerilla insurgents.

"The continued reports of equipment shortfalls point to a systematic failure by the Pentagon to properly equip our troops," Strickland noted.  "Secretary Rumsfeld's responses to my questions should be considered not only answers to my concerns, but a statement to troops about what this Administration is doing to ensure that they receive all the support they need to carry out and complete their mission, and return home safely."