Sequestration and the USAF

Cessna, obviously... but my first mental image was the Douglas A-4 version... ha

 

Well brother, I'll take the 60s-90s any day over the crap we put up with now. We're getting into other topics, but for our military budget compared to the cold war era we're getting the anal probe from the armed forces. We are spending more every year crapping around in the ME than star wars(SDI) was supposed to cost in total. And, we never spent all that money because the Soviets folded.

You can't be serious that we should continue to borrow 38 cents from foreign interests so that we can play world cop? I say cuts for everyone. I am willing to take my haircut with fewer towered airports, and less weather services in the aviation field -- now, everyone else line up and get your haircut too. That includes the military.

Military Spending -- The Department of Waste

The Pentagon and Wasteful Defense Spending | New Republic

I'm no fan of the liberal left, but on defense spending, they sure have a point. Sadly, when it comes time to take an ax to much of it, no left leaning pol will swing the blade. It's always someone else's district, or someone else's project that has to be cut.

We don't need MORE reaching across the aisle in congress, we need a lot LESS. If each pol would just say no to everything not related to their own interest, none of these spending bills would get passed, and we would be out of most of the ME, and focus on what's really important, like border security.

And I apologize for going off the aviation theme in advance, but this gets me really steamed. For any that might think otherwise, I served 4 years in the Army, and more than a year in the Marines.

 

What did he say that is wrong?

 

I love an eloquent rebuttal. Seen one?

Really I can't blame the armed forces for all of it. Congress in many cases forces systems on them that they don't want or need. But when a general grade officer says 'I can't do my job without more billions' I just want to call in his repl and hand the whiner his retirement papers. Buh bye.

 

I some how think it is better for us to be the world cop instead of China, just saying.

PS Doc, please tell us your experience/education/qualification to make such profound statements about the USAF, thanks in advance.

 

We were told that we would be notified of WPAFB sequestration cuts in MAy, to start in June, and continuing through fiscal year 13. This is less than originally plan, and starting later as it seems to many here the AF is gambling that the incompetant Congress will pull its head out of its bottom and do its primary job.
The no new hires is in effect, with a dribble of waivers. We are thinking that we will be cut one day's work per two week pay period instead of two. I hope this is true - not so much for me but for the lower end GS. One does not really get sequestration unless they know what it feels like to be looking at a real 10 - 20% pay cut on a small salary because someone else did not do their job. If there are across the board pay cuts, let it start on Capitol Hill and in the White House staffs. The pols need to seee a face to whom they are mistreating.

 

What conflicts out side of China are the Chinese involved in these days?

Buying resources is very different then getting your self into expensive conflicts all over the world?

And assuming doc is just a civilian: There is absolutely nothing wrong with civilians commenting on our countries military activities. Most of the founding fathers, at least the better known ones, were non-military too..........

 

As someone on the civilian side of the "military-industrial complex", let's see what impact this all has on those of us who provide the materiel to the warfighters......

 

I don't mind being questioned by those with a different point of view provided they have some useful commentary. If anyone wants my CV they can come visit me, just contact by PM and I'll be glad to match academic letters and maybe even compare DD214s. My op-ed is worth exactly what you all pay for it.

This discussion about the sequestration as it applies to the AF is a microcosm of what's happening to the country. We all want to be the BMOC for the planet but to do that we have to keep borrowing our kids future. That goes for welfare, health care, DOD, including the AF.

The old saw about success having many parents but failure being an orphan is very true when it comes to budget cuts. The USAF reports to the DOD, and DOD reports to the CinC. If he wants to reach down into the USAF and change the rules, he sure as hell can. If he thinks(mistakenly) that the cuts are ok, then that's his prerogative too. Apparently, the exec thinks that the cuts in the military are suitable or he would do something about it. This idea that revenue in the govt not being fungible is a lot of hogwash.

We just go the bill for aid next year and it comes in at 52 BILLION dollars! Of which we will borrow about $20 billion from other countries. Does this make sense to you? What kind of world are people living in that we would indebt our kids like this to give money to Syrian rebels, and Afghan warlords so they don't attack our delivery trucks which are delivering aid to the very people the warlords are controlling. It is asinine, and still no one likes us over there. Sure they cash the check, but is that what passes for diplomacy now?

The problems of the USAF, which just got a brand new fancy plane to play with amount to the pus from a pimple on the ass of an elephant in the grand scheme of things. In case you all didn't notice, being the world cop for the past 40-50 years has left us broke. Broke, broke, broke, broke. Sometime in 2016 our debt will exceed our GDP permanently if we stay on this path.

I tried to keep this just focused on the USAF, but the whining each time there's a cut just gives me indegestion. Suck it up people. It's going to get bad. The spending will end. There is no mathematical model which will provide for the continued spending levels. Sorry.

 

Being world cop is different than being world #1 superpower. You have to use your resources wisely. This has not been the case for 20 years. China will surpass us as largest economy in 3 years at current pace and they are in many ways much more modern. They have been spending at home working as a team, we have been squandering our wealth and internally divided.

Almost everyone who makes decisions is non-military. We are not a junta ruled banana republic. as long as someone is well-read and up on the subject matter than their opinion should matter. As far as that goes, imo we have not had a good military leader since Schwarzkopf left active duty.

It doesn't have to get bad, just a slight tweak is needed. The Mack Penny plan would be the best move, but even with the pathetic leadership in Washington we are going to be saved by the energy revolution, it's already happening.

And how many here actually call congressmen to let yourselves be heard?

 

unfortunately most of our representatives in government are not the "sharpest knives in the drawer"... they are not in government for service to their constituents or their country but to glean whatever they can for themselves... they only respond to things that gets them re-elected...fueled by the entitlements they use to buy votes... it is the best pauper to prosperity job one can have... it's a matter of public record if one cares to look... the cliche "...it is the best government one / money can buy..." applies especially in current times

 

Let take a little common sense here. The US military is way too big, but reducing it will mean hardship for those still serving. The real question is what we should or can do in this world. I suspect it's less than we want to do, but that probably true for most of us.

Taz, give us your solution here, if you will.

Art

 

Just walked in from Nellis.

Booze is really cheap.

You could hear a pin drop.

 

The current WIC class here should finish up but the next is a bit uncertain, they might start but be forced to go on hold before graduation. Pretty big bummer to start all that work knowing it might be for naught.

 

Cheapest booze I have ever seen anywhere in the entire defense establishment is at the Coast Guard station in Old San Juan Puerto Rico. The CG exchange officer I work with says it's widely known for that. Worth stopping by if you are ever in PR, it's also an excellent place if you want a secure place to park right down close to a lot of stuff.