I read with great interest “Army Modernization in an Era of Persistent Conflict” by Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Speakes and Col. Gregory M. Martin (January). While the Army may have fielded 94 new systems since 9/11, it has not done enough for the soldier in fielding improved small arms and ammunition. With few exceptions, we fight today with what our fathers did during the Vietnam War. Nearly all other equipment has been replaced with more modern, incrementally better items except, most importantly, our small arms, third in importance to the soldier behind water and rations.

Many notable incremental improvements in small arms technology are available from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sources today and are fielded with U.S. special units, foreign friendly nations and potential foes, yet our own Army refuses thus far to conduct comprehensive comparative tests of superior COTS weaponry and instead continues to procure decades-old small arms technology built to outdated specifications from seemingly endless, overpriced sole-source contracts. U.S. special operations forces (SOF) are fielding and fighting with superior small arms, yet the Army has turned its back on these incrementally superior weapons, holding out for so-called leap ahead technologies.

Sadly, this is yet another chapter from the book Misfire by William Hallahan. All of our troops are certainly worthy of what best serves our SOF units. Regardless of what shoulder patch one wears, closing with and destroying the enemy with a rifle is the same. For the good of the American warfighter, it is time that AUSA take part in this dialogue.

JIM SCHATZ
Lovettsville, Va.


“Christmas Eve In War Zone D, Vietnam”

A number of ARMY Magazine readers responded to Maj. Gen. Guy S. Meloy’s article in the December issue, “Christmas Eve in War Zone D, Vietnam.” Here are excerpts from some of the letters.

“Thanks so much for that wonderful Christmas story—it gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes.”
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“One of the guys (at a recent mini-reunion he attended) found the article about Christmas Eve ‘70 at Jupiter … a night I shall never forget … It reflects so vividly Gen. Meloy’s concern and respect for the troops … After reading it, I forwarded it to countless people because it was so wonderfully, so warmly written … I often try to explain to nonmilitary people what a ‘live battalion’ was like in RVN [Republic of Vietnam] … This article makes them feel as if they were actually there.”
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“Enjoyed the Christmas Eve in War Zone D article … ARMY did a beautiful color layout, too … Gen. Meloy’s articles are real troop stories, and this one hit the mark as well.”
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“We read Gen. Meloy’s article in ARMY Magazine to our family after Christmas dinner … There were eight young men between the ages of 13 and 23—believe me, you could have heard a pin drop. They need to hear messages like that.”
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“What a marvelous Christmas/human interest story. The relating of that event was so vivid I could nearly close my eyes and imagine I was there.”
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“I really enjoyed Gen. Meloy’s article ‘Christmas Eve in War Zone D, Vietnam.’ Although I had been alerted that the article was coming, it still touched me. I have read it several times just imagining Gen. Meloy and CSM Reeder standing there listening to our soldiers as they sang the most beautiful Christmas song of all. What makes it so special is that I know the players—Gen. Meloy, CSM Reeder and several of the soldiers. … I would not trade my days in the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, for anything.”