RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,142938,00.html

I always thought the troops were responsible for the officer's safety and protection.
Who started the crap with 'outsourcing' for the military.
For that matter, let the CBs do their job, that's why they are around, are we going to build new homes for the Iraqis while americans go homeless and hungry? Where's Bush the Second's sense or priority?

About friggin time.

I think the "outsourcing" was basically started by LadyBird Johnson, during Vietnam, and a little company of hers named SeaLand.

I'd say the title of this thread suggests they are looking for kickbacks....

This is just the beginning of the liberal bull sheet. Stand the fu#@ by. The Dems will want to contract out making our navy ships to China soon.

quote:

Originally posted by 6486143:
I'd say the title of this thread suggests they are looking for kickbacks....

Glad to see you Snipe ... but I think it unlikely that Amway's brother-in-law, Eric Prince, who runs Blackwater, is likely to change the habits of a lifetime and contribute to anyone without cast-iron conservative credentials (nearly a quarter of a million in personal donations to the GOP, starting when he was 19).

Thats gonna be a tall order. The military doesnt have enough people to do the rebuilding. Unless, we close all our bases and send everyone to Iraq to do urban renewal projects.
Or, we could nationalize Haliburton, Blackwater and all the other administrative sponsored/owned companies that are already in Iraq.
They have more people there than we have GI's there. Use the war powers act and sign em up. Most of them are prior service, they're already trained. It would probably reduce our expenditures by nearly half and the army could get lots of trained soldiers, ready to rumble.

You think maybe they'd seek to rein in themselves?

quote:

The Senate's nine freshman Democrats, including Virginia's Jim Webb, announced a new effort Wednesday to rein in the Bush administration's use of private contractors to rebuild Iraq and to do an array of war-related jobs normally assigned to the military.

Where were the democrats when this OMB - A76 program was initiated in 1978?

If they are not going to use contractors to rebuild Iraq, then just wtf are they going to use.

Hey, we use private contractors to build everything in the US, even those we contract in other countries to build all the stuff we bring into the US and sell at Target and Wally-world.

They just want their slice of the pie... and Mr Chenney isn't going to give up his cut... so they need to back off. They will get their chance when they are in charge....

quote:

Originally posted by gmost:

quote:

The Senate's nine freshman Democrats, including Virginia's Jim Webb, announced a new effort Wednesday to rein in the Bush administration's use of private contractors to rebuild Iraq and to do an array of war-related jobs normally assigned to the military.

Where were the democrats when this OMB - A76 program was initiated in 1978?

With all due respect Commander, it seemed like a good idea at the time ... and it is still a good idea, provided that one doesn't play fast and loose with Annex B of OMB A76:

quote:

An inherently governmental activity is an activity that is so intimately related to the public interest as to mandate performance by government personnel. These activities require the exercise of substantial discretion in applying government authority and/or in making decisions for the government. Inherently governmental activities normally fall into two categories: the exercise of sovereign government authority or the establishment of procedures and processes related to the oversight of monetary transactions or entitlements. An inherently governmental activity involves:
(1) Binding the United States to take or not to take some action by contract, policy, regulation, authorization, order, or otherwise;
(2) Determining, protecting, and advancing economic, political, territorial, property, or other interests by military or diplomatic action, civil or criminal judicial proceedings, contract management, or otherwise;
(3) Significantly affecting the life, liberty, or property of private persons; or
(4) Exerting ultimate control over the acquisition, use, or disposition of United States property (real or personal, tangible or intangible), including establishing policies or procedures for the collection, control, or disbursement of appropriated and other federal funds.

http://management.energy.gov/a76_052903.pdf
It was unlikely when the policy was first promulgated that VIP security and logistical support in a war zone were not considered "inherently governmental activities" ... it is a mystery to me why they still aren't.

Private contracting goes back for years. but under Clinton years it really took off. Sooner or later when a senate and congress whats to get into the contracting its not for the good of the nation but for themselves.

quote:

Originally posted by oldmole:

quote:

Originally posted by 6486143:
I'd say the title of this thread suggests they are looking for kickbacks....

Glad to see you Snipe ... but I think it unlikely that Amway's brother-in-law, Eric Prince, who runs Blackwater, is likely to change the habits of a lifetime and contribute to anyone without cast-iron conservative credentials (nearly a quarter of a million in personal donations to the GOP, starting when he was 19).

Old dude, Glad to see ya poke'n 'round the place again....

Sounds great...All we need now is another 180,000 soldiers to go in there and take over the contracting jobs...

Demokrats are all about the politics...(Just like my Repulicans)

the "outsourcing" looked good on paper; and, who knows, maybe it was a necessary step in the process of re-shaping the military for the 21st century. Obviously, there's shortcomings; but, i find it curious it's taken 4 years for ANYONE in Congress to raise the point.

quote:

Originally posted by big_daddySPS:
Private contracting goes back for years. but under Clinton years it really took off. Sooner or later when a senate and congress whats to get into the contracting its not for the good of the nation but for themselves.

The U.S. military has been using civilian contractors since the revolutionary war. This is nothing new. They can be a very valuable resource in war times who free up the military to do better things with their time: like kick the insurgents back to Hell where they came from!

CONSTRUCTION-RELATED JOBS YES.

PROTECTION OF GENERAL OFFICERS ~ C'MON, WHO'S "BS-ing" WHO. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY !

quote:

Originally posted by gmost:

quote:

The Senate's nine freshman Democrats, including Virginia's Jim Webb, announced a new effort Wednesday to rein in the Bush administration's use of private contractors to rebuild Iraq and to do an array of war-related jobs normally assigned to the military.

Where were the democrats when this OMB - A76 program was initiated in 1978?

wernt they the ones cheering for it back then??? you know cutting the military and all.... well you still have jobs needing done if you cut the military personal still got to get someone to fill those jobs.... i guess back when they were doing it it was ok... now a gop is doing it and its not.... ever seen that program on the history channel called ice road truckers??? they make in a few months what other truckers make in a year....

The first question is where are all the persons that will replace the contractors? There are presently in excess of 130,000 contractors in Iraq, alone.
Did the slots they would have filled go away with Bill Klinton when he halved the military?
Is the military now going to be required to add 130,000 extra personnel to replace the contractors? How much will it cost to purchase replacement equipment or buy the existing from contractors? How long will it take congress to make up it's mind it should do something, authorize the funds and then do it? It matters not which party is in control. The name of the political game is control. The Demokrats represent you tube and move on dot org and the republicans represent the dow jones. Note: neither one represents the American people or it's purposes. If we do this right all congress has to do is enlist all the Iraqis into the US Army and let them stay right there.
I never could understand why contractors were required for Flag Grades. Must be a lack of talent in the military. I also understand there's something going on in Afghanistan, the Phillippines, the Horn of Africa and some other places where our politicians have authorized our service people to go to die with limited support. Must be an election year. It appears there's no lack of stupidity from either those already elected or those seeking higher office. Maybe the politicos should look at contracting out their services. Wait!! What are staffers? Aren't they the lemmings that insert all their personal influence into the political information mix then say they're not qualified to give out information that they have just given out. If they're not contractors, maybe I should have said prostitutes because they do it for money, I don't understand the difference.

Let's pull our head out of our butts, look at what's being said, then look at how the mess started. Oops, can't do that. The smelly finger points to congress, again.

23 yrs SF, 33 Abn, 35 USA. No Confidence vote for congress. It has my non-binding support.

quote:

The Senate's nine freshman Democrats

Nine rookies came up with this? Sounds about right.

The Democrat strategy for securing America and Americans from attack:

A) Pare the military down to bare bones and cut funding for replacement equipment and spare parts.

B) Sidestep the volitile situations around the world (for decades) so as not to appear "unpopular" (right, Slick Willy?)

C) When the inevitable violent backlash occurs, assume an "Ohmygosh, how can this be?" attitude and begin blaming your opposition, assuming absolutely NO responsibility.

D) Complain vehemently when those that have the balls, step up to the plate and face the problems that ARE NOT GOING TO SIMPLY DISAPPEAR! (i.e. GLOBAL TERRORISM!!!!)

E) Finally, duck and cover when the going gets rough and the casualty list begins to grow. (Usually right before election time)

I feel SOOOO much safer with a Democrat majority screwing things the way they did for forty years BEFORE Bush!