Unbelievable:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,245718,00.html

Sick...now that is a prime example of how one would not support the troops in conjuction with their non support of the war.

While I do not support the war...I would have no problem sending them mats for free if I was the owner of the company...

Wouldn't ya know it my computer web sensed the link.

I completely agree with you, well said.

Quick summary of the article for you since you can't get to it: Soldier stationed in Iraq writes to mattress company via their website, asking if they will ship to an APO box because he wants to order mats because they are currently sleeping on the cold bug-infested ground. Says he is shopping around, trying to find companies that will ship to APO addresses before placing order. Mattress company responds saying no they don't ship to APO boxes but even if they did, they would NEVER ship to Iraq. He goes on to say "If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq." Mattress company located in Wisconsin, and the website is registered to American Muslim of Pakistani origin.

Why our soldiers go unequipped is the real tragedy. Whether you agree or disagree with the war itself, the troops are doing their job and should not be treated this way.

It's crazy how our country spends so much money on war, and our soldiers still don't have basic items. I read an article a few months back about how the troops don't have enough batteries...batteries! There is a non-profit that was started just to send the much needed batteries to the troops. How our government and corporate America (hello Energizer, Duracell, anyone?) can sit back and let these guys go without their basic needs is beyond me.

My ex was running a division of "operation shoebox", it is amazing what they do not have over there. I made a nice kit for a female soldier.

My grandfather tells stories about sleeping on nothing but his rain coat in Korea. He used his helmet for a pillow and had a blanket...that was all.

Honestly, how does this happen?

The US military should not want for much of anything, especially the basics for safety and comfort on the battleground.

My cousin just landed in Kuwait last week and I am waiting for his email address so we can converse. I will update everyone on the conditions he faces while there.

Doesn't it demonstrate how little the administration cares about the actual troops? Considering they have no regard for lives lost, I guess it's not surprising that they wouldn't care for the troops safety, let alone comfort.

OK, so don't totally go off on me here on this one, because recall I too am not happy with this war/mission and do not think we should be there in the first place, and we should have been better equiping these guys all along, but....

Its war, not club med folks....these men and women should not be expecting, nor do I think they do expect, all of the creature comforts of home. Sleeping conditions are uncomfortable...so be it...this is what you signed up for, not just the free tuition.

Ok, bring it on, but gently please...I know I am gonna hear it.

I understand your point to a certain extent bbs, but it's not like these people are there for a few months. These troops are there for a year or more, and they have made multiple trips to and from Iraq. If you expect these troops to fight for YEARS, then yes I think they deserve a little comfort and at the very least some sanitation. Without some basics, these troops could die of illness and infection before they even see combat.

These troops are not just mindless robots sent to fight war. They are mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, etc. They deserve to know that they are appreciated and cherished.

When my husband was there, I sent him at least a package a week. I sent care packages for his fellow soldiers as well. Yes, it is war, it is not pretty, but you cannot tell me that they do not deserve comforts from home. If he wanted brownies and Combos snacks, by all means he got them.
(I wouldn't consider a floor mat this type of comfort btw, more like something the military should supply)

This next deployment I will make sure he has everything he could need regardless of which area of that horrid sandbox they decide to send him to. I will make sure he has things he doensn't really need, but that make him smile, make the troops smile and feel a little closer to home.

This also isn't WWII; the weapons are more advanced, the troops better trained, why shouldn't they have better living conditions (within reason, given a war zone)?

When my ex was in Kuwaitt he said they needed basic stuff like toilet paper sent. I couldn't believe they would just run out of that. He also told me though that in some places they had playstations and xboxes set up for soldiers to use. I think money for that, unless donated by companies, could be better spent on every day necessities. My family and our church sent packages weekly to our men and women over there. I think it does make them feel more comfortable and a little closer to home.

Doesn't seem to me that they're asking for Sleep Number beds or fluffy down pillows and comforters, just a freakin' mat to sleep on.

This guy had every right to tell them no and voice his opinion, but just because he has the right to doesn't mean it's right.

I can't imagine how his response made that soldier feel. I think that the soldiers are doing their jobs, and while they aren't on a vacation they should still have something to sleep on.

I think this man's response was a fairly isolated occurrence. By and large, my husband, and all the other military personnel I know, have been treated with kindness and appreciation. Although many take the opportunity to tell me how much they do not support the war, I have never heard a single person be disrespectful of my husband, or the work he is trying to do.

And by the way, he has requested and received many donations from companies all over the US, who have given generously to the injured soldiers. One company, for example, donated 500 shirts for the soldiers to be shipped out in, since their uniforms were often ruined from bloodstains or shredded from IED blasts. They had nothing to wear on the planes except hospital gowns.

Quick reality check, and I'm leaving out the part about the owners of the mattress company, and their comment.

If a company wanted to sell the soldier some mats, it's not as simple as 'what's your credit card number? Here you go.' To sell something to someone in Iraq, you need a special license from the Dept. of Treasury (little thing called OFAC, maybe you've heard of it.)

OK, on another note, what is the mattress company? I would like to know where not to buy from in my own home state. I can't believe anyone would talk to a soldier at war like that.

LOL, I am sure that information would have been included in the initial inquiry and response if the order was handled like a normal inquiry.

However, I appreciate that you support the manner of the company's response. Why am I not surprised?

An APO can be anywhere outside the U.S. Not only Iraq. My son is in South Korea and uses an APO. The military guy asked the mattress company if they shipped to an APO.

I'm not sure how OFAC comes in to play by using an APO but if all packages sent to an APO have to have an OFAC check, my guess is that there are lots of boxes of goodies out of compliance.

I didn't say anything that can even be remotely interpreted that way.

Yes, I know APO's are located everywhere. The specific codes (both the APO number itself and the zip code used) tell you where the APO actually is. OFAC would get involved in the actual sale process. You cannot sell to an entity in Iraq without an OFAC license.