While they can apparently submit a form to cover it, this is insane. Are they planning on reissuing the uniforms to new soldiers? Don’t the bureaucrats know that war is hell and the people fighting them might muss their clothing? Are we that broke that we have to recover uniform costs from soldiers to pay the cost overruns on weapon systems even the Pentagon doesn’t want? On the other hand, given the huge paychecks soldiers receive means they are wallowing in cash.

Imagine fighting for your country in Iraq, risking life and limb, only to be billed for your lost or damaged uniform. That’s what is happening to some soldiers returning from Iraq.

The Eyewitness News Investigators has been looking into this for some time.

They served bravely and are now being slapped with a bill from Uncle Sam. The men you are about to hear from are being charged for the uniforms they served in — one of them damaged on the battlefield, others lost in the confusion of war.
[…]
This soldier got a bill for about $500 dollars for lost gear. Another soldier had to pay nearly $800 dollars for items such as trousers, a coat, a helmet which he lost during a year spent in some of Iraq’s most dangerous towns.

“Maybe you were lying down with a coat behind your head and you come under fire. Your first reaction isn’t to grab coat fold it neatly and make sure it’s properly stowed when you’re being shot at,” another soldier said.
[…]
“You can sometimes get him to sign a waiver, but he’s often swamped with things that are much more important,” the soldier said.

These soldiers paid their bills rather than getting bogged down in bureaucracy. They still love the military, even though the respect seemed less than mutual.