Among the intense debate over the war in Iraq, one salient point is agreed upon by nearly all sides: Troops need more protection from roadside explosive devices. Help is on the way, in the shape of heavily armored, specially constructed MRAP - Mine Resistant Ambush Protected - vehicles, which will replace many of the Humvees now in use for patrol. The Marine Corps is selecting several companies to rush-produce MRAPs and get them into the field to protect the troops. This issue of Semper Fi, the Magazine of the Marine Corps League, which we publish for the Marine Corps League, reports on the vehicles under consideration and how they work.
Also in this issue, Semper Fi commemorates Camp Pendleton's 65th anniversary as a Marine Corps base by looking at its colorful history as a Spanish-owned rancho that covered more than a quarter-million acres. As in every issue, Semper Fi also reports on the activities of the Marine Corps League in supporting the elite fighting force and its veterans.
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