Sen. Joni Ernst has raised concerns after a government report revealed that the Defense Department (DOD) sent outdated and damaged military equipment, including body armor covered in mildew, to Taiwan. The Pentagon inspector general found that the U.S. had dispatched 'wet and moldy body armor' to Taiwan in an effort to bolster its defenses against a potential invasion from China. Subsequently, $730,000 was spent in an attempt to rectify the error.
More than 340 out of 504 pallets of equipment stored at Travis Air Force Base in California sustained water damage due to inadequate storage facilities. The U.S. Army delayed the delivery of the equipment to Taiwan for two months, during which time the pallets were exposed to adverse weather conditions.
Of the damaged pallets, 120 were sent to Taiwan, containing over 3,000 mildewed body armor plates and 500 wet and moldy tactical vests. The inspector general's office noted that the equipment exhibited visible mold spores and had been wrapped in plastic that trapped water, leading to further deterioration.
U.S. personnel spent $619,000 on labor and materials to clean and dry the damaged armor, in addition to $113,000 to replace some of the equipment before it was sent to Taiwan. The DOD inspector general concluded that the Pentagon had failed to adhere to guidelines on delivering equipment through the presidential drawdown authority, resulting in the dispatch of substandard equipment to Taiwan.
The report highlighted a breakdown in communication regarding the responsibility for arranging delivery flights to Taiwan and recommended the implementation of a standard procedure by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to clarify responsibilities, timelines, and quality control checks for future deliveries.
Furthermore, the shipment to Taiwan included 2.7 million rounds of ammunition manufactured in 1983, some of which were poorly packaged or expired. The report also mentioned that six M240B machine guns from the National Guard in Clovis, New Mexico, were inadequately packaged in cardboard boxes.
Sen. Ernst has demanded answers regarding the steps taken to address these issues, improve oversight, expedite equipment replacement, and identify the funding source for the $730,000 used to address the problem. The report cautioned that such mistakes could undermine Taiwan's confidence in the U.S. at a critical juncture when China poses a looming threat of invasion.
China's announcement of live fire drills in the Taiwan Strait has further escalated tensions, particularly following the re-election of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party. Taiwan's premier expressed concerns over the drills, emphasizing the need to avoid unnecessary tension in the region.
