Pentagon bloat, etc. thread

[O Really]

Interesting article here about military personnel being booted for misconduct... http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-misc ... 34065.html

This may be at least a part of the problem...
"I wouldn't say lack of character was tolerated in (war) theater, but the fact of the last 10 or 12 years of repeated deployments, of the high op-tempo — we might have lost focus on this issue," Gen. Ray Odierno, the Army's top officer, told the AP last week. "Sometimes in the past we've overlooked character issues because of competence and commitment."

[O Really]

It's probably not quantifiable but I wonder what impact the lack of a comprehensible and/or publicly supported mission has had.

I think since WWII, the only "comprehensible and/or publicly supported missions" have been Gulf War I and immediately post 9/11 Afghanistan. It did occur to me that although I don't support a draft, that with a draft you get more of a cross-section of US middle-to-lower class people, while with an all-volunteer group you might be more likely to get those who are either badasses or who can't get a job somewhere else. Not necessarily among the national guard, I guess. I don't have an answer, and I don't even know if more US warriors are going off the rez now than in the past. Might just be better publicity.

[neoplacebo]

I read about the Navy's new aircraft carrier today; the Gerald Ford Class. First, I want to say I hope it doesn't fall down....but it supposedly started today two years of trials for all the various new systems, one of which is a new electromagnetic catapult system, which has been a steam powered device since the 1940's. Also a bunch of new radar stuff, etc. They said it was almost 13 billion dollars, but the first of any class of ship is always quite expensive; the following ones less so. Go Navy, I guess. .....update.....Dick Cheney wants to send it to striking distance of Crimea as soon as possible after sea trials......

[rstrong]

America's military owns more than 170 golf courses and manages enough land to host 93 Los Angeleses.

Mother Jones: Can't Touch This

[rstrong]

Our New Stealth Jet Can’t Land

U.S. Marine aviation boss Brig. Gen. Matthew Glavy has said that there are no plans for the F-35B to perform vertical landings (VLs) in the UK, because the program has not finished testing the matting that’s needed to protect the runway from exhaust heat.

This problem was an issue a couple years ago, for US aircraft carriers. Apparently the heat was going to damage the deck. And the prototype X-35B was doing vertical takeoffs on land well over a decade ago, so they'll have known about the problem then. The F-35B was doing vertical take-offs four years ago.

Heck, even amateurs like Armadillo Aerospace with their rockets were trying to find a solution to the problem almost a decade ago, the best cements not holding up.

A more likely explanation: While the US Marines already have the F-35, a February 2013 Time article revealed that Marine pilots are not allowed to perform a vertical landing—the maneuver is deemed too dangerous, and it is reserved only for Lockheed test pilots.

[JTA]

Texas guys truck ends up in Syria:



http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/ ... 86b02.html

TEXAS CITY — A local plumber is being flooded with phone calls — and some threats — after a picture of one of his old company vehicles being used by Islamist militants in Syria was posted on Twitter.

[neoplacebo]

Texas guys truck ends up in Syria:



http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/ ... 86b02.html

TEXAS CITY — A local plumber is being flooded with phone calls — and some threats — after a picture of one of his old company vehicles being used by Islamist militants in Syria was posted on Twitter.

That appears to be a MK-1 super drain cleaner mounted on the back of that truck.

[JTA]

Texas guys truck ends up in Syria:



http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/ ... 86b02.html

TEXAS CITY — A local plumber is being flooded with phone calls — and some threats — after a picture of one of his old company vehicles being used by Islamist militants in Syria was posted on Twitter.

That appears to be a MK-1 super drain cleaner mounted on the back of that truck.

That will teach folks not to make "plumber's crack" jokes.

I think the important question we should be asking is why did that plumber in Texas own a pickup truck with an anti aircraft gun attached to the truck bed? I need one of these to protect against home intruders.

[neoplacebo]

I think another important question is if you and I paid for that gun, how they got it, and from where.

[rstrong]

I think another important question is if you and I paid for that gun, how they got it, and from where.

And for traditionalists, when they delivered the truck and gun, did they ship drugs into the US on the return flight.

[neoplacebo]

I think the important question we should be asking is why did that plumber in Texas own a pickup truck with an anti aircraft gun attached to the truck bed? ...

Competition from Mexican plumbers?

Graft from Iraqi coward soldiers?

[JTA]

I think the important question we should be asking is why did that plumber in Texas own a pickup truck with an anti aircraft gun attached to the truck bed? ...

Competition from Mexican plumbers?

"Maam looks like a pipe in your crawl space has sprung a leak. Best thing to do is to replace all your plumbing. Brb lemme grab my anti aircraft gun."

[neoplacebo]

Usted puede tener el trabajo, Senor cañón antiaéreo.

I don't know what that says at the start, Mr. anti aircraft gun.

[Wneglia]

(U.S. Army War College) Study: 'U.S. Army officers lie' routinely

Not only lie, but are sometimes trained how to lie. During the decade I was on active duty, I was the lead medical officer for the Army's RAMT (Radiological Advisory Medical Team) We were tasked with response to "Broken Arrow" incidents as well as other accidents involving potential exposure to radiation. While we never had any incidents (other than being available for advise during the Three Mile Island accident), we had many training exercises including giving mock medical care to a "contaminated" patient, creating a hot line for decontamination, while wearing Hazmat suits and respirators in 120 degree heat at White Sands, New Mexico. Other training exercises/lectures involved how to mislead and outright lie to the public about the dangers of the radiation exposure (in the name of national security) potentially putting some at risk. Fortunately I never had to put my lying skills to use.

[O Really]

Military personnel - even officers (gasp!) lie?? I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

[O Really]

From the article "But Army officers are faced with an increasing number of requirements and bureaucratic hoops, according to the study, and rather than work with a rigid military brass to reform a burdensome bureaucracy, officers will simply sidestep those requirements, lying on forms and often rationalizing their answers."

T'was always so. Maybe it's worse now or on more important things like covering up sexual assaults, but the culture created the lying habit. Forgiveness is often easier to get than permission.

[O Really]

. . . important things like covering up sexual assaults . . .

. . . and controlling nuclear weapons.

Well, there's that...

[Mr.B]

Military copter crashes with 11 aboard in Florida training

All are presumed dead...

It's a shame they gave their lives while "whoring" for their country; don't you think Vrede?

[O Really]

"Gave their lives"? They got into a tragic accident. To "give ones life" I think you have to willingly face a known probability of getting killed. The guy who falls on the grenade to save his mates "gives his life." The guy who drowns trying to save somebody else "gave his life." In both of these examples, a person fully recognized (even in an instant) that he was more than likely to get killed and did it anyway. Every one of those killed may very well be heroes in their own right, and, in different circumstances might very well be willing to "give their life." But they're not heroes because of getting killed in a helicopter accident any more than if they had gotten killed in an auto accident on the way to the helicopter.

[Mr.B]

"That whiny illiteracy/lie again?"
This response expected

"We don't know that any of the dead soldiers have rejected their oath to God, country and Constitution like you have, or that they think it's only valid if they are getting a paycheck....... "You lie again, I plainly said that only those whose oaths to God, country and the Constitution are dependent on getting paid and who reject them once most of the gravy train ends, like you have, are whores."
According to you, there is no God anyway, only a sky fairy. Therefore, your is just that... lies.

"So many of these discussions are about Mr.B prolonging a losing argument with the English language."
Squirm and try to some more.

"You dishonor vets by pretending that your whoring represents all of them. Shame."
Squirm, bastardize, and attempt more . Typical of your condescending nature.

"You lie again, the entire whoring discussion is about your abrogation of your oath, not your Vietnam-dodging service....
So many of these discussions are about Mr.B prolonging a losing argument with the English language."
You sure squirm and dance a lot. Were you the one that invented "Twist and Shout"?
Twist, squirm, and lie some more; try to man up and admitting your stupid, insensitive slur on military veterans.

"The only question now is whether Mr.B really is that illiterate or whether he is just that much of a lying crybaby when busted....
Either way, it's a near certainty that he won't have the cojones to admit that he screwed up. He doesn't have it in him".
No...but there is no question that you are a condescending illiterate, and you are that much of a whining crybaby.
BTW...this exchange is between you and myself; who are you trying to impress by speaking as if someone else is in on the exchange?
Are you that insecure that you have to imagine you have an audience?