Wounded Soldier Billed for Bloodied Body Armor

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Feb. 8) - A former U.S. soldier injured in Iraq says he was forced to pay $700 for a blood-soaked body armor vest that was destroyed after medics removed it to treat shrapnel wounds to his arm.

First Lt. Rebrook, seen here during a 2004 gun battle in Najaf, had to pay $700 for his Kevlar vest destroyed by medics when he was injured.

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First Lt. William "Eddie" Rebrook IV, 25, had to leave the Army because of his injuries. But before he could be discharged last week, he had to scrounge up cash from his buddies to pay for the body armor or face not being discharged for months. Rebrook was billed because a supply officer failed to document that the vest had been destroyed more than a year ago as a biohazard.

"I last saw the (body armor) when it was pulled off my bleeding body while I was being evacuated in a helicopter," Rebrook told his hometown newspaper, The Charleston Gazette. "They took it off me and burned it."



Rebrook's mother, Beckie Drumheler, said soldiers who serve their country and put their lives on the line deserve better. "My son loved the Army and was proud of serving his country. For any soldier to be treated like this is outrageous," she said.

Rebrook was standing in the turret of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when a roadside bomb exploded Jan. 11, 2005. The explosion fractured his arm and severed an artery. His arm never completely recovered despite seven operations. He still has range-of- motion problems and pain.

Rebrook said he tried to get a battalion commander to sign a waiver for the Kevlar vest, but the officer declined. He was told he would have to supply statements from witnesses to verify the body armor was taken from him and burned.

His story has prompted donations from residents. A local radio station raised $700 within 90 minutes Tuesday, and one woman dropped off a $200 check by his mother's home.

"I thought that was pretty nice that people care," said Rebrook's stepfather, Charles Drumheler.

Rebrook's father, Ed Rebrook, a Charleston lawyer, said while the donations were appreciated, his son did not plan to accept them.

I don't want to make any political rant here, I just want to say "shame"

[Busyman]

I don't think this can be politically related tbh.

It is a shame that the soldier would steal a Kevlar vest.

[DanB]

that sucks.

Our boys had to buy their own desert boots though

[DorisInsinuate]

Glag, bureaucracy.

[zapjb]

US leaders cry we must defend freedom. But this is just 1 more example of where they treat the soldiers shabbily to say the least. If US leaders all had to send at least 1 of their kids to war. This war would be over.

[MagicNakor]

I recall reading an article not too long ago that was talking about how if a US soldier used a different suit of bodyarmour (I believe it was Dragonhide? Dragonsomething, at any rate) than what was issued, despite the Dragonhide being a better piece of equipment, they lost death benefits from their insurance.