King of the road? Soldiers dig the MRAP

A convoy of new Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles drives along a dirt road at Camp Liberty in Baghdad after a training class.


King of the road? Soldiers dig the MRAP
By Scott Schonauer, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, November 18, 2007


BAGHDAD — As the convoy rumbles down the dust-and-gravel road on Camp Liberty, heads turn and cars stop. Some people whip out digital cameras to steal a snapshot, while others strain their necks to get a glimpse.

Among military machines, the new MRAP — a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle — is a celebrity and everybody wants a look.

“When we go by, it’s like everybody comes out,” said Dimethus Thompson, a former soldier who is now training soldiers to drive the vehicles. “You have to watch out for them.”

It’s true this is no ordinary truck. It’s massive, safer than an “up-armored” Humvee and brand-new. It’s also expensive, has its share of critics and remains a hot political issue in Washington.

For soldiers in Iraq, there is little debate. All who venture outside the base wire want the behemoth of rolling armor for their unit.

Safety is the main reason. Roadside bombs have been the biggest killer in Iraq, and the MRAPs were designed to protect troops from them. So far, nobody driving an MRAP in Iraq has been killed by a makeshift bomb.

Sgt. David Morris, a member of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry, was among a group of soldiers going through an MRAP driving course last week. The added protection is important, he said, but he also digs the versatility.


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