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Congressional Record—Senate S9601

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Congressional Record—Senate S9601 July 19, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9601 brother J.T., who is also currently MRAP 207 to 247 would still be alive today if serving in Iraq; and the rest of the Mr. BIDEN. Madam President, I want they had been in MRAPs. We need to Smallwood family during this trying to explain an amendment I hope to get make sure that for the second half of time. adopted when we return to the Defense 2007, those MRAPs are there and those SERGEANT ROBB ROLFING authorization bill and that I have filed lives are saved. Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I today. What about the threat from these mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Let me be very frank. This is a very shaped charges that come in from the Rob Rolfing. Robb died on June 30 expensive amendment. It is also, lit- side, the EFP? The Army’s Rapid while engaging enemy insurgents in erally, priceless. It makes good on this Equipping Force and the Joint Impro- Baghdad. He was the 23rd South Dako- commitment: So long as a single Amer- vised Explosive Device Defeat Organi- tan to make the ultimate sacrifice in ican soldier or marine remains in Iraq, zation started working on that last the war on terror. My deepest sym- we will provide him or her with the year. In conjunction with industry, pathies go out to Robb’s family, in par- best protection this country can pro- they produced a vehicle nicknamed ticular, his mother Margie, his father vide. ‘‘the Bull’’ and officially called the Rex, his brother TJ, and his sister Tif- Let me start with the basics. There Highly Survivable Urban Vehicle Bal- fany. With Robb’s tragic death, South are two critical issues facing our sol- listic Protection Experiment Program. Dakota has lost one of its finest sons diers and marines today: improvised This vehicle was tested and shown to and the Army has lost a dedicated pro- explosive devices, or IEDs, and explo- defeat EFPs and also tested against the fessional. sively formed penetrators, or EFPs. first level of MRAP requirements. That Robb was from Sioux Falls and grad- IEDs are planted in roads and on the testing was completed in March of this uated from O’Gorman High School in side of roads to hit the bottom of vehi- year. For some reason, the military 1996. His love of science and ingenuity cles with powerful explosives. EFPs are has not asked for another vehicle to do was inspired by television’s MacGyver. shaped charges that come into the side the MRAP level two tests. So we do not Those who remember Robb from high armor of vehicles at high speeds. actually know how capable this vehicle school like to recount how Robb was We know that IEDs now cause about might be for all threats, but we know never without duct tape or a Swiss 70 percent of all American fatalities. it works against EFPs. Instead of try- Army knife. Another of their favorite Since 2003, in any given month, IEDs ing to get ahead of the enemy and get stories is how Robb rigged up a make- have caused between 30 and 76 percent this technology into the field, the mili- shift parachute for his graduation cap of American fatalities. For every tary seems to be sitting on its hands so that when he threw it in the air it death, there are usually 2 to 10 Ameri- while the EFP threat has increased. glided back down to the ground. cans wounded. Over the past year, we As Robb grew it was clear that he Why wouldn’t you field something you have also seen a growing threat from was a gifted scholar, athlete, leader, know works? EFPs. They are not yet everywhere in The perfect vehicle would be a com- and coach. He dedicated himself to the Iraq, but they are spreading and they plete MRAP with EFP protection, but pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his life. He was a passionate soccer are very lethal. that appears to be many months away, The military has a strategy for deal- player who excelled on and off the field although some MRAP producers tell ing with both. First, they seek to dis- at Vassar College. He finished his colle- me that their vehicles have survived rupt the organizations that produce giate career with a degree in Astro- EFP hits in the field. So again, we do IEDs and EFPs. They go after the peo- physics and was twice named the cap- not have the complete picture. We have ple and the supplies. Second, they at- tain of the Vassar soccer team, scored also been told that Frag-Kit-6 armor tempt to use tactics and technology to the winning goal to advance his team can defeat EFPs, but it is too heavy for prevent IEDs and EFPs from being ac- to Vassar’s first ever national tour- MRAPs. So vehicles must be redesigned nament, and was the team’s second all- tivated when American personnel are and retested. This will take time. I un- time leader in goals, assists, and close enough to be harmed. Third, they derstand that and support that effort, points. Following graduation from col- attempt to survive a direct hit. It is but Americans are dying today. Again, lege, Robb coached soccer at Rollins the third area where we could and as with the MRAP, we have a tech- College in Florida and Curry College in should have done much more to make a nology that could keep them alive, and Massachusetts. difference years ago but where still we should be using it while we work to When the United States was attacked today we can and must make a dif- perfect it. on September 11, 2001, Robb pursued ference. I do not know if all of my colleagues another of his dreams. He joined the The military has tested, both at test- saw the USA Today article that ap- U.S. Army and became a member of the ing centers and in the field, the Mine peared on Monday detailing some of Green Berets, the Army’s elite experts Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, the history surrounding the MRAP. I in unconventional warfare. Based on also called an MRAP. The MRAP pro- will summarize a few points but will Robb’s dedication to excellence and his vides dramatically improved protec- ask to have the entire article printed mechanical ingenuity it came as no tion against IEDs. The military has in the RECORD. surprise that Robb served as the spe- said that it is four to five times as good This article details efforts to get cial forces engineer for his unit, Bravo as an up-armored HMMWV. More im- MRAPs going back to 2003. It also de- Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special portant, military commanders tell us tails the reasons for delay, and that is Forces Group, airborne. Special forces that it will reduce deaths and casual- what I want to point out to my col- engineers are skilled at construction ties from IEDs by 67 to 80 percent. The leagues. projects, building field fortifications, Brookings Institution found that 1,400 First, apparently, the leadership at and using explosive demolitions. Look- Americans died in Iraq due to IEDs the Pentagon did not expect this war ing back over Robb’s life, it seems that from March of 2003 through June of to last this long. Well, that is no sur- his whole experience was designed to 2007. If we had had MRAPs in the field prise. We all remember the ‘‘Mission culminate in gaining the coveted Army from the start—and we could and Accomplished’’ speech and the promise Green Beret that is recognized the should have—938 to 1,120 Americans of roses in the streets. We remember world over. would be alive today. Vice President CHENEY telling us that Green Berets are commonly called And let me just clarify for my col- the insurgency was in its death throes. quiet professionals and referred to as a leagues that this is not new tech- We remember Secretary Rumsfeld tell- special breed of man. Robb was both nology. It has been used successfully in ing us that crime in Baghdad was not these things and truly lived the Green Africa, by nations much poorer than any worse than that in Washington, Beret motto, De Oppresso Liber, To ours, since the 1970s. I don’t want to DC. I remember all of that. Sadly, none Liberate the Oppressed. get bogged down in history, but this is of those leaders remember the hearings Mr. President, I truly mourn the loss not rocket science. Every day we delay, that Senator LUGAR and I held before of SGT Robb Rolfing and I extend my another soldier or marine is killed or the war began that predicted the need thoughts, prayers, and best wishes to injured by an IED. If we just look at for a long-term American presence and his family, friends, and loved ones. this year, IEDs killed 309 Americans; engagement. They don’t remember VerDate Aug 31 2005 07:37 Jul 20, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19JY6.005 S19JYPT1 cnoel on PRODPC60 with SENATE_CN S9602 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 19, 2007 some of us, starting before the war, re- hind. I was happy to see the Secretary No one from the Pentagon has been peatedly urged the President to level of the Army, Peter Geren, state clearly able to explain it to me.
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