An Exercise in Defense Spending

[GQ_jumper 4]

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We need to get rid of the NAVY.... unneeded

We need to get rid of the Air Farce...unneeded

We need to get rid of ALL women in the military.... unneeded

Captain America and his merry band of door kickers can take care of ALL of our military needs.

I never said any of the above.... That was all you.

She was firing that one at me buddy, don't know why she dragged you into the fight. Typically someone gets that riled up when something hits a bit close to home, yet the truth hurts sometimes.

She thinks my statement about pregnant women is sexist, despite me having no issues with women in the military. However, when my girlfriend working at the aid station here in Iraq tells me that 1 in 5 women in a given regiment admitted to intentionally getting pregnant to go home early, its hard not to hate a bit. Those soldiers aren't replaced, they leave their work for somebody else to pick up. Gen. McChrystal had it right, punish them AND the male soldier who rendered them combat ineffective.

And of course nobody likes to hear that the job they used to have is useless, but like I've said before, the military was built to fight wars, get in the fight or GTFO.

Again though, what would I know, 11+ years of experience(still going strong), and five trips to combat zones obviously gives me zero insight into the military, silly me.

Take care
Dan

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

[Amazon 7]

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We need to get rid of the NAVY.... unneeded

We need to get rid of the Air Farce...unneeded

We need to get rid of ALL women in the military.... unneeded

Captain America and his merry band of door kickers can take care of ALL of our military needs.

I never said any of the above.... That was all you.

She was firing that one at me buddy, don't know why she dragged you into the fight. Typically someone gets that riled up when something hits a bit close to home, yet the truth hurts sometimes.

She thinks my statement about pregnant women is sexist, despite me having no issues with women in the military. However, when my girlfriend working at the aid station here in Iraq tells me that 1 in 5 women in a given regiment admitted to intentionally getting pregnant to go home early, its hard not to hate a bit. Those soldiers aren't replaced, they leave their work for somebody else to pick up. Gen. McChrystal had it right, punish them AND the male soldier who rendered them combat ineffective.

And of course nobody likes to hear that the job they used to have is useless, but like I've said before, the military was built to fight wars, get in the fight or GTFO.

Again though, what would I know, 11+ years of experience(still going strong), and five trips to combat zones obviously gives me zero insight into the military, silly me.

Take care
Dan

IT might give you insight into your VERY limited view.. but last time I checked... there was a bit more to our military than YOUR MOS...

I know you like to run down anyone who is not a door kicker hence my comments about send everyone else home since you dont need em.. ( In your rather myopic ability to see the big picture),,,, but Congress takes a dim view of losing one of those college boys that a WHOLE lot more money is spent on who fly airplanes than your run of the mill door kicker. Even the door kickers are given training last time I checked on how to Return with Honor. Guess who gets more training... and that takes people who can actually TEACH others how to do that... no matter how much YOU wish to denigrate their service.

[GQ_jumper 4]

know you like to run down anyone who is not a door kicker hence my comments about send everyone else home since you dont need em.. ( In your rather myopic ability to see the big picture),,,, but Congress takes a dim view of losing one of those college boys that a WHOLE lot more money is spent on who fly airplanes than your run of the mill door kicker. Even the door kickers are given training last time I checked on how to Return with Honor. Guess who gets more training... and that takes people who can actually TEACH others how to do that... no matter how much YOU wish to denigrate their service.
***

Never once said get rid of anyone who isn't a shooter, just said lets trim the fat and look at things realistically. The military's job is to support the infantry, that includes my job, in my career field, I support their big picture movement. Never once said everyone bows down to me.

As for who trains us in SERE. Fellow door kickers who are taking a three year break from the fight to spend family time at home then getting back into it. Not career teachers.

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

[Amazon 7]

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know you like to run down anyone who is not a door kicker hence my comments about send everyone else home since you dont need em.. ( In your rather myopic ability to see the big picture),,,, but Congress takes a dim view of losing one of those college boys that a WHOLE lot more money is spent on who fly airplanes than your run of the mill door kicker. Even the door kickers are given training last time I checked on how to Return with Honor. Guess who gets more training... and that takes people who can actually TEACH others how to do that... no matter how much YOU wish to denigrate their service.
***

Never once said get rid of anyone who isn't a shooter, just said lets trim the fat and look at things realistically. The military's job is to support the infantry, that includes my job, in my career field, I support their big picture movement. Never once said everyone bows down to me.

As for who trains us in SERE. Fellow door kickers who are taking a three year break from the fight to spend family time at home then getting back into it. Not career teachers.

You really do not have a clue how aircrew are trained do you....its been 30+ years ... but I had a pretty firm grasp on what a downed airman in the north was facing or in other places around the world. I would say its not so different for a pilot that might be down in the mountains of the Hindu Kush. If he is down out of the element he has trained for... he is ALONE Oh thats right.. they are all useless to you... your disdain came across loud and clear for the way they are . the traiing they get.. is different as night and day from YOUR traiing... when they go down.. they are poorly if armed at all.... ALONE... FAR from help HOPING that someone is going to come get them... SOON.... You do not fight alone... and I would venture you are not sent into combat.. unarmed.
The bottom line Captain America.. is YOU are not qualified to teach USAF SERE.

[mnealtx 0]

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The military's job is to support the infantry, that includes my job, in my career field, I support their big picture movement.

If by 'the military' you actually mean 'the Army', then I agree with the basic point. Of course, that tends to tie back into the logistics tail that was mentioned earlier - the 'bullets and beans' don't show up at the FOB by magic.

While the AF and the Navy perform missions in support of the Army (like providing those bullets and beans, as well as CSAR and fire support), it's not the be all/end all of their existence.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[nanook 1]

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Carrier Battle groups. they can be moved to the hot spots

Umm. . .You need overseas bases for those battle groups to be able to go into hotspots.

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"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[Andy9o8 0]

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Carrier Battle groups. they can be moved to the hot spots

Umm. . .You need overseas bases for those battle groups to be able to go into hotspots.

I'm all in favor of the US having enough carrier battle groups and overseas bases as are genuinely necessary to protect its national security. But anything more than that are a luxury that we cannot afford, and have been bought at the expense of depriving the US of a universal health care program, while every other industrialized country in the world has had one for the past 2 generations.

[DaVinci 0]

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Umm. . .You need overseas bases for those battle groups to be able to go into hotspots.

Read up on the idea of a mobile offshore base (MOB).

And we already send carriers into places to act as bases, and have for 50+ years.

[mnealtx 0]

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Umm. . .You need overseas bases for those battle groups to be able to go into hotspots.

Read up on the idea of a mobile offshore base (MOB).

And what is the cost/upkeep of one of those vs. a "land" base?

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And we already send carriers into places to act as bases, and have for 50+ years.

No.

Battle groups go to areas to perform operations. You can only do *so* much with unreps, you still need ports.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[DaVinci 0]

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And what is the cost/upkeep of one of those vs. a "land" base?

What is the cost to keep up a few of those over 100 land bases?

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Battle groups go to areas to perform operations

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/12/c_13773896.htm

Also:
The carriers have also provided aid after natural disasters; in 2005, Lincoln supported Operation Unified Assistance in Indonesia after the December 2004 tsunami, and Truman provided aid after Hurricane Katrina later in 2005. The Reagan Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines in June 2008 after Typhoon Fengshen, which killed hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon.In January 2010 Vinson operated off Haiti, providing aid and drinking water to earthquake survivors as part of the US led Operation Unified Response, alongside other major warships and hospital ship Comfort.

As I said, they are already being used as bases.

[mnealtx 0]

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And what is the cost/upkeep of one of those vs. a "land" base?

What is the cost to keep up a few of those over 100 land bases?

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Battle groups go to areas to perform operations

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/12/c_13773896.htm

Also:
The carriers have also provided aid after natural disasters; in 2005, Lincoln supported Operation Unified Assistance in Indonesia after the December 2004 tsunami, and Truman provided aid after Hurricane Katrina later in 2005. The Reagan Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines in June 2008 after Typhoon Fengshen, which killed hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon.In January 2010 Vinson operated off Haiti, providing aid and drinking water to earthquake survivors as part of the US led Operation Unified Response, alongside other major warships and hospital ship Comfort.

As I said, they are already being used as bases.

Operations include things OTHER than battle, DV. Carriers still aren't 'bases' to anything but their aircraft contingent.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[nanook 1]

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Read up on the idea of a mobile offshore base (MOB).

Nope. It's called something completely different. You may have got the "politically correct" and very limited public info about this. So, tell me how these so called "MOB's" are logistically provided for? Why do we need C2 Greyhounds?

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"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[nanook 1]

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What is the cost to keep up a few of those over 100 land bases?

approx 75 billion for a complete outfitted carrier, 18 billion for aircraft, a few billion for one sub, 5+billion for escort ships, Pay for 10000+ sailors, Fuel missiles bombs, a few oilers. approx $1 million every three days for fuel . . . These are just prices of equipment. Operating it now. . .

Quite a bit of land bases are far cheaper.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[kelpdiver 2]

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Quite a bit of land bases are far cheaper.

also less prone to sinking or tsunamis.

[nanook 1]

true to sinking. But the tsunami. . .the Navy didn't lose a single ship at sea riding out the last two major tsunamis in the area.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[Butters 0]

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The amount of extra work it would take to get support to our operators if everything had to come all the way from the US would make us incapable of doing our mission continuously and largely ineffective.

Okay, so do less missions (and save more money) ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[matthewcline 0]

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Lay out what you think we should have or what we should focus on.

A good start is to cut every program that the military didn't want but had forced upon it by Congress.

Just this act alone could be the Billions in cuts Defense needs to make. Letting Sec Def Gates continue as Sec Def and continue his directive of cuts is the second step.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!