Obama cutting the DOD

[spursncowboys]

I am all for budget cuts in every department of the Federal government. However, in his cuts to the Military, I think he went about it the wrong way. Not because it affects me personally.

He chose to downsize the military which was planned-when he wanted a troop increase. It was a good idea because theoretically it will give a higher pool for the small amount of promotions which, ideally will promote better candidates. However, I think it is wrong. Ethically. To have the group who came into the military and have been deployed majority of the past six years and then to say now that you did all that, we are going to cut your raises, promotion opportunities, schools, Tuition Assistants, availability for healthcare and other government departments.

Infantry and Cavalry have a culture that should be passed down. When they ramp up, which they will have to do if we ever are involved in any kind of build up or aggression, then most of that will be lost, much like it was in 05.

In, the Pentagon, there have not been any downsizing. Every High ranking officer gets their own personal army. Robert Gates was trying to downsize them but to no avail. Instead of going after the combat troops and combat arms soldiers, they lose the type of soldiers that are nco's for years before being promoted which make for better soldiers to train the future. They should go after the bueracratic part of the military which is over clogged with guys hiding out deployments, and staying in to get higher retirement check.

[Wild Cobra]

If the personnel reduction is limited to less enlistment and attrition, wouldn't that solve the issue you're concerned about?

[Winehole23]

how much defense or -- as the rest of the world sees it -- offense, can we afford?

[Wild Cobra]

how much defense or -- as the rest of the world sees it -- offense, can we afford?
We should be able to afford what we have, but I agree it's more than we need now that we are stepping out of conflict.

We still spend less, as a percentage of our budget on the military than past times. It's the increase in social programs that's hurting us.

[Winehole23]

more than one thing hurts. just sayin.

[Wild Cobra]

more than one thing hurts. just sayin.
Definitely.

We no longer have a government that "promotes the general welfare." Instead, nearly all politicians and bureaucrats do whatever it takes to keep their jobs.

[Winehole23]

pretty sure it's a both...and construction. instead seems wrong. it is not an either or. politicians have power in one dimension by how much they spend.

(NB, bringing home bacon.)

[spursncowboys]

how much defense or -- as the rest of the world sees it -- offense, can we afford?

right now with what Obama wants we would not be able to fight and sustain one war, with ground troops. I am not saying that DOD doesn't have places that could use some cuts. I am saying that Obama picked the wrong parts. Probably to cut our ability to fight a war, there by keeping us from being able to go to war without a draft. Regardless if this is true or if i agree with that, the effects are that we lose alot of our culture from the military, as well as good leadership. But my main point (rereading what i originally posted, realize I was on a caffeine rush and in a rush) was that Obama should not have focused his cuts on the easy target of cutting enlistment and reenlistment and should have focused on the overload at the pentagon. There are more generals right now from when the Afghanistan war began (871 to 964). Every general gets colonels, majors, captains and a bunch of NCO's and Joes who are all pretty much personal assistants. That is billions of dollars in training and equipment and years, maybe even decades, being wasted.

[Wild Cobra]

pretty sure it's a both...and construction. instead seems wrong. it is not an either or. politicians have power in one dimension by how much they spend.

(NB, bringing home bacon.)
Just goes to show this nation is failing when we have a majority of voters who vote for selfish reasons rather than what is in the best interest of all.

[spursncowboys]

http://poststar.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_95cbf5b0-9611-11e0-a10f-001cc4c002e0.html

[JoeChalupa]

I could be wrong but I believe these cuts will take us back to the 2007 DOD spending? We all know this has to happen and there are also other cuts that need to be done and progressives and conservatives better learn to deal with them.

[TDMVPDPOY]

how about cuttin middle management of the govt...all these do is delegate it down to the paper pushers....

[Wild Cobra]

how about cuttin middle management of the govt...all these do is delegate it down to the paper pushers....
Get rid of computers, and do it the old fashion way. This would eliminate cyber attacks and reduce peanut counters.

[LnGrrrR]

Get rid of computers, and do it the old fashion way. This would eliminate cyber attacks and reduce peanut counters.

Ha! If anything, technology has been a money saver far more than most other factors. You know how many support functions are now centralized over the web?

[Wild Cobra]

Ha! If anything, technology has been a money saver far more than most other factors. You know how many support functions are now centralized over the web?
Over the web, or over DoD secure lines like in the past?

Public key or private key?

Why are there problems?

[LnGrrrR]

Over the web, or over DoD secure lines like in the past?

Public key or private key?

Why are there problems?

Define "DoD secure lines"? Most of the functions are on .mil websites, but over your normal web (https of course). They've cut tons of people in support staff roles (I haven't seen a comm squadron with an orderly room in five years now.)

Heck, I remember when network infrastructure shops had 20 people or so... now it's usually 15 or 10, and we're doing more than ever.

[Jacob1983]

Looks like Obama isn't really cutting money from the DOD or the military. He's spent more on military spending than Bush ever did. Why don't the candidates try to feed on the numerous similarities that Obama and Bush have? Wouldn't that be a good strategy?

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jborowski/president-obama-is-not-actually-cutting-military-s