APPENDIX E


LIFE ABOARD THE BRADLEY


The Bradley's main mission is to deliver seven infantrymen to the fight. The squad of infantry rides in the back and enters and exits from the rear ramp. It carries a number of different weapon systems including AT-4 antitank missiles, Javelin antitank missiles, M240 7.62-mm. machine guns, M249 5.56-mm. machine guns, and M4 rifles. Each infantryman also has a pair of night vision goggles (NVGs), either the passive vision sight (PVS)-14 or PVS-7. This allowed us to operate in the infrared spectrum, enabling the use of infrared lasers (invisible to the naked eye) on weapons to identify and destroy targets. The night vision devices make chemical lights (small glow sticks that illuminate from a chemical reaction) look like large spotlights, and the NVGs diminish the necessity to use flashlights mounted on the rifles.

While you can seat seven soldiers in the back of a Bradley, it becomes quite crowded when you consider all the additional equipment. We strapped much of this to the outside of the vehicles, which caused them to look somewhat like gypsy wagons early on. Initially, we had to carry all of our water and MREs (meals ready to eat, basic camping meals that have improved significantly over time with regard to quality, taste, and variety but can still stop movement in even the most aggressive digestive tracts). As time went on, we reevaluated and adjusted our load plans. We were able to store the personal gear and most of the chemical detection equipment and suits, freeing up a significant amount of space. Bradley commanders (BCs) had a vested interest in keeping the clutter down to a minimum since the long bench seat in the back served as their bed while the short one belonged to the gunner, according to Bradley etiquette. The infantry squad slept outside.

The Bradley is armed with a 25-mm. chain gun that fires both high-explosive (HE) and armor-penetrating rounds. We favored the HE round for its burst radius, and we always used it for reconnaissance by fire in the thick orchard areas and trash heaps. After being ambushed, we conducted reconnaissance by fire to force the enemy to react. This normally caused the enemy to hide or do something incredibly stupid that we would often cite as having won the Darwin award. The HE round proved quite effective both physically and psychologically due to its burst radius and associated noise. The Bradley


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is also armed with a 7.62-mm. coaxial machine gun mounted to the right of the main gun, which we used in most of our engagements in urban areas. The gunner has the option of "punching up" sabot, HE, or coax for a given engagement. He can also select one of the two TOW antitank missiles for long-distance tank engagements or to knock down walls and disable fleeing vehicles.

The crew of a Bradley consists of a driver, gunner, and Bradley commander. The driver sits in the front left of the Bradley, next to the engine compartment. He is normally a new soldier and has the responsibility of maintaining the track, road wheels, and suspension system, as well as basic engine repairs. He has the dubious honor of sitting isolated in the hottest portion of the Bradley. We always made the drivers drive with their hatches closed outside the forward operating bases because they were very susceptible to small-arms fire with the hatches open. This, of course, created a convection oven up front for the driver and the repetitive question, "Sir, can I open my hatch?" It proved a very unenviable job until the weather cooled off.

The gunner is a more experienced soldier, and he resides in the turret with the BC. He is responsible for the turret, gun, and radios. He controls the turret from his hand station. The gunner has a multitude of buttons and switches that allow him to select ammunition, rate of fire, and type of sight and to control lasers to determine both distances and target grids. He has a good deal of high-tech equipment to ensure he hits the target the first time he fires.

The Bradley commander is in overall charge. He normally rides with his head sticking out of the hatch to identify targets, maneuver the Bradley, and coordinate with adjacent Bradleys during movement. He also has a hand station to override the gunner's, and it enables him to engage targets from his position. While the crew talks on an internal commo net, the BC is responsible for external communications through a radio system. Some of the newer Bradleys have digital systems and computers (Blue Force Tracker or Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade and Below [FBCB2]) that connect them digitally to one another, providing a myriad of additional capabilities. These capabilities, while extremely useful at times, also take up much needed space in the vehicle, leading to a substantial amount of complaining and scars affectionately called Bradley Bites-small cuts and bruises sustained by crew members while working on various pieces of equipment in very confined spaces.


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The Bradley Fighting Vehicle represents the combinations of a multitude of capabilities and plans to design an all-purpose delivery system for mechanized infantry. The plethora of add-on capabilities and designs led to the satirical comedy Pentagon Wars. While there is certainly truth in our humor, the Bradley continues to represent the vehicle of choice in the Iraqi theater. The Bradley's ability to sustain hits from rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices, mortars, and small arms saved many lives. It also shocked all of us on the number of miles we were able to cover with the limited amount of maintenance we were able to perform. When coupled with infantry on the ground, the Bradley's performance in street fighting proved unparalleled, and it continues as the weapon system of choice in the Sunni Triangle.