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2009-04-07 Home Front: WoT
Gates Proposal Reveals His Alienation From Procurement System
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Posted by Steve White 2009-04-07 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ]  Top

#1 Gates just killed the prez helicopter, he killed ARH, he fixed MRAP. He understands the contractor gravy train and is killing it. Good for him.
Posted by 49 Pan 2009-04-07 01:05||   2009-04-07 01:05|| Front Page Top

#2 I know some people who's going to be happy.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2009-04-07 04:55||   2009-04-07 04:55|| Front Page Top

#3 That's biggest fault that Rumfeld had IMO. He was cluess that US could put in field several diferent armored vehicles in WW2 every year but with today billions could not replace a mere HMMVV...

One of big problems of USA is red tape and mentality. You guys changed from a people of doer's to beaurocrats enamourated of processes.
Posted by Large Snerong7311 2009-04-07 05:56||   2009-04-07 05:56|| Front Page Top

#4 Yes indeed that evil Pentagon acquisitions crowd rewarding their constituents and voters with military contract pork, unneeded C-130J, Osprey and the like. [snark off]
Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-07 07:47||   2009-04-07 07:47|| Front Page Top

#5 ...and don't forget the intrusive procedures and requirements that Congress dictates requiring loads of expense and time to procure. You just can't go down to Sears and pick up a Craftsman hammer [even though it would make both physical and financial sense to do so in some instances]. Add to that, the institutional unwillingness to ruthlessly make examples of those who do abuse the system "pour encourager les autres", that results in more paper, more regulation, more time consumed. 'Ah, it's our fault because we didn't protect the poor darling from himself'. Bah!
Posted by Procopius2k 2009-04-07 10:03||   2009-04-07 10:03|| Front Page Top

#6 The truth of the Defense budget is that it is going to lead the way with budget cuts. The Pentagon saw this from a mile away, and has been planning for it for at least a year. The Barney Frank estimate is a 25% reduction in the budget. But long term, more likely 50%.

Operations & Maintenance ($180B) - Pull US forces from as many overseas missions as possible.

Military Personnel ($125B) - Military pay will be stripped, with married personnel being RIF'd. Most enlisted will work for just a small stipend, room & board and medical. And not that unhappy, as national unemployment could reach 50%.

Procurement ($104B) and R&D ($80B) - Also get hit, except for critical systems and paper design.

However, this being said, Defense will do better than the other big 3 budget items. Social Security is likely dead within 2 years. Medicare and Medicaid in around that same time frame or a little longer.
Posted by Anonymoose 2009-04-07 10:44||   2009-04-07 10:44|| Front Page Top

#7 Yeps, not only that, Social Security and Medicare Part D are the biggest creators of deficit in the U.S. currently. These very well could be cut which is a terrifying thought for those who are affected. The U.S. is going to go back to a dark age in our history unless some real reforms take place.
Posted by GirlThursday 2009-04-07 11:06||   2009-04-07 11:06|| Front Page Top

#8 Anyone not familiar with the wonderment of the US Defense Acquisition system should look at DoDI 5000.02 Operation of the Defense Acquisition System. http://www.theriac.org/pdfs/DoDI%205000-02%20(Official%20Signed%20Version)%202%20Dec%202008.pdf
Posted by rwv 2009-04-07 12:50||   2009-04-07 12:50|| Front Page Top

#9 Military pay will be stripped, with married personnel being RIF'd.

Were you at lunch when you wrote that, Perfesser?
Posted by Pappy 2009-04-07 14:25||   2009-04-07 14:25|| Front Page Top

#10 Pappy, I think he was coming out of the bar following multiple shots.
Posted by remoteman 2009-04-07 20:32||   2009-04-07 20:32|| Front Page Top

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