Military spending: Do we really need this?

[RandallFlagg]

There is a massive amount of waste in the military. As well as the federal government in general. I heard someone describe the military as a quasi "welfare state" into itself, where a person can sign up at age 18, become a cook or mechanic or any number of countless non-combat or intel related jobs, and basically do a civilian job in uniform, and retire at age 38 with full benefits and retirement pay for life.

Uh.....I retired in 1988. You really don't know a damn thing about the military, do you Nancy??

 

[PaulS1950]

The mechanical mule is a step in the process of making drone soldiers. You learn the mechanics involved and then put together soldiers that can fight less expensively than people.

 

[aaronleland]

I'd be curious to know how many righties want to keep this bit of spending in the DOD budget. They've already spent millions developing this robot mule to carry things for the troops. Now, it can throw cinder blocks! Wow! I'll bet that scares the terrorist's to death!


DARPA?s BigDog robot can throw cinder blocks farther than you - SlashGear

So long as there's foolishness like this buried in the DOD budget, don't tell me we can't cut defense spending.

Note to DOD: What the hell would be wrong with a real mules? They're a whole lot cheaper.

Are you serious? We have robots that can lob cinder blocks at people? That's actually pretty badass. I'm all for cutting military spending in a lot of areas, but for the love of God please let us keep the cinder block throwing robot.

 

[DiamondDave]

Can the defense budget be cut?? Of course.. we all know there is waste there, as well as overspending in many areas... BUT, while it SHOULD be approached for cuts AS WELL, there are MANY MORE areas that should not only be cut IMMENSELY, but ELIMINATED ENTIRELY.. Dept of Edu, Entitlements (both personal and corporate), etc

 

[PaulS1950]

The TSA could easily be completely cut.
There is no real sense to it and it violates our civil rights.

 

[Oldguy]

Two freaking per cent. If the DOD is hysterical about a 2% cut in spending maybe they should lay off a few of those fat assed generals in the Pentagon.

I certainly won't argue with that!

 

[Oldguy]

I'd be curious to know how many righties want to keep this bit of spending in the DOD budget. They've already spent millions developing this robot mule to carry things for the troops. Now, it can throw cinder blocks! Wow! I'll bet that scares the terrorist's to death!


DARPA?s BigDog robot can throw cinder blocks farther than you - SlashGear

So long as there's foolishness like this buried in the DOD budget, don't tell me we can't cut defense spending.

Note to DOD: What the hell would be wrong with a real mules? They're a whole lot cheaper.

Have you ever heard the saying 'it is better say nothing and be thought a fool, than open your mouth and confirm it'?

Thought not.

Wise words.

Why do you say that? What did I say that's foolish?

 

[Oldguy]

I'd be curious to know how many righties want to keep this bit of spending in the DOD budget. They've already spent millions developing this robot mule to carry things for the troops. Now, it can throw cinder blocks! Wow! I'll bet that scares the terrorist's to death!


DARPA?s BigDog robot can throw cinder blocks farther than you - SlashGear

So long as there's foolishness like this buried in the DOD budget, don't tell me we can't cut defense spending.

Note to DOD: What the hell would be wrong with a real mules? They're a whole lot cheaper.

You and I are on the same side here Brother. Both of us being vets, we know of the massive waste that goes on. However, with the possible exception of the Armor Engineer Board, What do you cut? R&D is STILL a necessary evil within the DOD.

I, for one, have believed since 1993 that we could EASILY afford to bring troops home from "most" of Europe. Heidleberg and Berlin are redundant. That would, no doubt, be a huge savings. I really don't understand why they, since the fall of the wall, haven't made this move; other than the perceived Russian threat. All the "reforger " type activities have been curtailed and mounted training has been suspended.

I WOULD NOT, however, even remotely consider cuts in troop strength in Korea. No way. As I understand it, (but it's been awhile) there have been cuts in over 30 combat brigades (CONUS). Some have even been shut down.

Now we turn to the Air Force and the Navy. I heard somewhere (Navy Times?) that we have the smallest fleet since WWI. I have also heard that the fleet of B-52s MUST be phased out. They are shot. I believe the raptor was shot down and the Air Force retention has been cut back, yet again - as was the Navy.

So, from one vet to another, what are your ideas?

Well, you can bet the first thing I'd do is kill this stupid program. If the troops need something to carry their burdens, there are two possible, and much cheaper solutions: Real mules, or cut down on the shit they're required to carry. If I were the Platoon Leader in combat and had one of these high-tech mules, I know what would happen. I'd lay a thermite grenade on it and say, "Oops! Combat loss!"

If I had unfettered control of the DOD budget?

First, I'd drastically reduce the number of flag officer slots. We've got WAAAAY too many generals and admirals.

Secondly, I'd close down all the service academies. We're getting role-playing managers out of them, not combat leaders, and ROTC works just as well and for a whole lot less money. Plus, it would have the effect of killing off the "Ring-Knocker" clubs which control the services. In the Army, it's called the WPPA--West Point Protective Association and, though it's not official, it's damn sure real. They look out for one another. I'm assuming the Navy and Air Force have something similar.

Third, I'd beef up the active duty fleet to at least 15 carrier battle groups and swarms of smaller, more lethal littoral ships. The Navy is the base service. Without it, nobody else can operate and it's a vast, vast ocean out there. We need more ships.

Fourth, I'd completely eliminate the Marine Corps. It's a redundant and unnecessary ground force we can't afford.

Fifth, I'd reduce the size of the active duty Army, but greatly increase and strengthen the Guard and Reserves, including assigning some units as 1st tier deployable units (within a week), more as 2nd tier (within a month) and 3rd tier (anything longer than that) and I'd rotate them on and off status monthly. Active Army units would be designed to deploy within 24 hours. I'd also require officers and NCO's to rotate in and out of the reserve components as a necessary part of their career advancement.

Sixth. The Air Force combat wings would mostly be reserve and guard, except for those forward positioned overseas. But, the heavy airlift capabilities would be greatly expanded so that the Air Force would have the aircraft to lift 3 division-sized units anywhere, simultaneously. Homeland defense would be guard units, as it is now.

Seventh, the Coast Guard would be taken back from Homeland Security and rolled into the active duty Navy. No need to have two, separate and distinct sea services.

The 200+ former bases we have in Europe, which we are still spending millions to maintain even though they are empty, would be summarily handed over to the locals.

We'd retain forward deployment bases we have now in Germany, Italy, the Persian Gulf, the western Pacific, the Horn of Africa, Singapore, Korea, Japan and Australia, but some of them would be manned by guard and reserve units on 6 month deployments. Other facilities would be retained or closed on a case by case basis.

I'd permanently end the revolving door between DOD and defense contractors by including a stipulation in enlistment and officer contracts that they must agree to NEVER work for a defense contractor after leaving the service. Don't like it? You can't join.

There's a lot more I could go into like R&D, procurement, personnel matters, family benefit and services, but I won't. If I don't stop here, this post will turn into a New York Times best seller book.

Suffice it to say that I'm convinced we could get a lot more bang for a lot less bucks.

 

[Oldguy]

The mechanical mule is a step in the process of making drone soldiers. You learn the mechanics involved and then put together soldiers that can fight less expensively than people.

Nobody has ever been able to replace the human ground-pounder and they never will. You're not the first to predict the end of the Infantryman and you won't be the last. But, like all those before and after you, you'll still be wrong.

 

[aaronleland]

This is what happens when people around my age who grew up playing Megaman video games come into power.

 

[OriginalShroom]

Someone mentioned about re-aligning the military.

If given the power, I would go much further than that.

1 - Close all Embassies except in England, The Hague, Australia, Japan. Put Satelitte offices in Germany and Italy.

2 - Close all military bases over seas except in England, Australia, Japan. These are Joint bases, used by all branches. They would have to have shoreline for Navy Ships.

3 - NATO has to pick up all utilities for the bases as well as any infrastructure improvements needed to initially set up the bases.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I'd be curious to know how many righties want to keep this bit of spending in the DOD budget. They've already spent millions developing this robot mule to carry things for the troops. Now, it can throw cinder blocks! Wow! I'll bet that scares the terrorist's to death!


DARPA?s BigDog robot can throw cinder blocks farther than you - SlashGear

So long as there's foolishness like this buried in the DOD budget, don't tell me we can't cut defense spending.

Note to DOD: What the hell would be wrong with a real mules? They're a whole lot cheaper.

Mules need food and veterinary care, which is extremely expensive, and why the military doesn't use them.

 

[bripat9643]

You do realize that some of the cheapest foods are among the worst foods - nutritionally speaking. And that an obese child can be a malnourished child because even though they are taking in a lot of calories, they aren't taking in nutrients.

That's the liberal spin on the issue, and it's pure bullshit. Junk food is expensive, but that's the kind these obese children are stuffing down their throats: Cheetos, Ding Dongs, Oreos and potato chips.

You can buy a whole chicken friar, some fresh carrots and rice to make a healthy dinner to feed four people for under $10.00

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

I'd be curious to know how many righties want to keep this bit of spending in the DOD budget. They've already spent millions developing this robot mule to carry things for the troops. Now, it can throw cinder blocks! Wow! I'll bet that scares the terrorist's to death!


DARPA?s BigDog robot can throw cinder blocks farther than you - SlashGear

So long as there's foolishness like this buried in the DOD budget, don't tell me we can't cut defense spending.

Note to DOD: What the hell would be wrong with a real mules? They're a whole lot cheaper.

Have you ever heard the saying 'it is better say nothing and be thought a fool, than open your mouth and confirm it'?

Thought not.

Wise words.

Why do you say that? What did I say that's foolish?

Nothing.