Well Said. Every time a budget crunch comes along the services start acting like this; nothing new... Maybe somewhere along the way something was lost; say respect? As a USAF member for the last 19yrs I've supported many Army and Marine units with fuel; not once have they supported any USAF ops I've been involved with. As operational success is, or is not, achieved the services have always stepped up for the glory or been more than willing to point the finger at someone else more “responsible” than them for their downfall. Yes, even the USAF has done this a few times along the road. If someone gets themselves caught up in to a self centered I'm being dumped on or I'm the best attitude it is really quite easy to forget what others have done for them to get them there, but oh so hard to accept reality in who "really" is responsible for getting them there. The way the services are now has worked for quite some time. Could it use some tweaking, sure what in the Gov couldn't? Does the Army need a UAV? They need something that can help them but it sure as hell doesn't need to duplicate what is already out there... Why don't they work with the Air Force instead of against it? They have been stationing plenty of their troops at bases with us working on these sort of things why such a break from cooperation and now trying to take over? All in the name of their right to their slice of the budget pie I'd propose...
It's such a nice fat healthy budget how could any self respecting businessman not want to maximize his market share?
And aside from investors, that means good steady well-paying jobs for honest Americans in the Arsenals of Democracy. The trickle down effect will keep the automakers afloat, the kids working the Golden Arches and their tax money will pay the men and women who take the machines into combat.
Oh, Lord I'm feeling like Kate Smith......or some 'bum' on the sidewalk.
Back in the late 40s, only months after the creation of the Air Force, the USAF proposed that: 1. The Navy's maritime patrol aircraft be summarily transferred to the Air Force. 2. All nuclear weapons on ships be turned over to Air Force control, and 3. All aircraft carriers and their fighter aircraft be turned over to the Air Force. What ensued is called in the annals of Naval History "the revolt of the admirals," in which a sea of admirals refused to agree with this nonsense in a Congressional hearing, including the Chief of Naval Operations. While the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of Defense were outraged at this breach of protocol, it made Congress take a second look at the issue and overrule SECDEF's ill-conceived plan. I see little has changed--only now it's going the other way, and the Air Force is the one that finally is in the hot seat.
Let the services retain their traditional roles--they have done them for decades/centuries (depending on the age of the service). Their history/traditions help them establish and maintain esprit d'corps and keep attracting and maintaining their members. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
