GOP lawmakers demand safety for military veterans

More than 100 lawmakers from both parties signed a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis demanding that the military make “the most cost-effective and appropriate use of taxpayer dollars” to equip all military members with lightweight, high-tech safety footwear, including safety boots.

“This is the time for Congress to step up to the plate and help ensure that the men and women of the armed forces who are our brothers and sisters can walk safely on our battlefields and protect our communities,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter comes as the Trump administration has been pushing the military to improve its use of military footwear.

Mattis recently told Congress that the Department of Defense is “committed to creating the safest and most effective footwear available to our soldiers,” but he has not outlined how the department plans to do that.

The lawmakers’ letter cites the example of a Marine who was shot and killed by an Iraqi security force while trying to defend himself and his fellow soldiers.

The soldiers’ “life-saving, highly lethal” boots could have saved his life.

The senators also asked the Pentagon to “develop the most effective and cost-efficient footwear for the Army and Marine Corps.”

Mattis’ office has said it is in the process of developing a safety plan for the armed services, which is currently under construction.

“The Department of the Army is committed to the development of the most cost effective and appropriate footwear available for the Soldiers who serve in our armed forces, and we are working closely with the DOD to address the challenges posed by the growing prevalence of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the armed service,” Mattis said in a statement last week.

“Our goal is to ensure that our Soldiers are protected, equipped and ready for duty in the field and on the battlefield.

Our Soldiers will be the first to suffer if we don’t address this challenge head on.”

The lawmakers wrote that they expect to receive a response from the Pentagon within two weeks, but they called on the Pentagon “to provide a roadmap for the development and production of the boots within 90 days of their issuance.”

The letter came after Trump ordered the Pentagon on Monday to “evaluate and improve the safety of military personnel” in light of the rise in cases of the potentially fatal coronavirus.

The Pentagon is also working to develop a new “safety plan” for military personnel, but it has not yet issued a new directive on the matter.

The military is already grappling with an increase in infections among soldiers, and officials are worried about the “increased number of cases and deaths” that have prompted the Pentagon’s new guidance.