Posted on 01/26/2006 6:51:15 AM PST by xzins
:)
She's standard issue, but Republicans in congress are demanding no soldier receive one until he first has the latest body armor. :>)
Actually, we do.
How many KBR expats is Casey and/or Rumsfeld counting in the mix, lol...?
How many truck drivers, cooks, guards, etc.?
I'm betting lots and lots of truck drivers. Do you remember the truck driver a while back who was captured and then escaped....I think I read they were paying him a 100 grand a year. That's a lot of cash to appeal to folks.
And, if you recall, Clinton promised we'd be in Bosnia ONLY one year.
11 years later.....
Why wasn't the NYT all over THAT?!!
That pay is for driving some tough roads for about 100 hours per week, unarmed and in barely-armored or non armored semis, no permanent benefits, etc.
I'm not complaining about the pay scale....all I'm saying is that it'll turn some heads when folks hear it.
You think to yourself....Wow, if I could last 3 years at that, then I'd be set.
And so they bite. If they made it 200 grand, then I might bite.
(Wonder if they wanna hire any chaplains? What's an experienced religious professional bring with Brown & Root?)
News headlines are a religious experience since they make people shout, Oh God! each time a new allegation surfaces!
There's always kbr.com for jobs....don't have any idea what you might be able to find there.
The stress those truckers face is incredible. I've ridden with them; once 35 mph at night through Fallujah with the USMC using the KBR trucks as bait. Yeah, lots of fun. Most barely make it for their 12 months, let alone 3 years.
But there is a significant expat population that make careers of remote work. And there are many who have started second careers apart from what they originally started as.
I've no military experience and yet I know a few vets, and it's amazing how what they tell me about the way military issues are reported by the MSM.
In this case, it's interesting how the Bill Clinton division-cutting somehow never gets brought up...but not surprising.
I appreciate your kind words.
Could you or someone else nail down why these 18 were reduced to 10? I'm confused by some of the posts on this thread--seems like it started under Bush Sr. Thanks for any help.
This kind of story is interesting to civilian me because it shows the necessary disparity between someone like Rumsfeld--a civilian component of the military, for want of a smoother term--and the actual general(s) in charge.
Rumsfeld is SUPPOSED to translate the hard facts into politicalese. That's not saying he should lie or obfuscate--just the opposite. His duty is to make clear that such pronouncements are put in their proper context.
An Army that's stressed isn't one that's inches from catastrophe--which is what headline writers are supposed to make it seem like, apparently.
The reason given for the Army going from 18 to 10 was the end of the Cold War. So, there was talk of a drawdown toward the end of Bush 1's term. Then came Desert Storm. The army was actually increased in size throughout the war. You will recall that was right before the 92 election.
That increase was reduced leading into the election. I think there was a paper on the table by Bush1, that was stopped by Desert Storm, and it called for the Army to go from 18 to 15 divisions....or something like that.
My memory says that report was rejected by the clintonistas, and they implemented the 18-10 division cut.
Thanks for this, it gives me info to search on. Much obliged.
Go to post #25
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Releases/Jan/060126h.htm January 26, 2006
Release A060126h
Sufficient Troop Strength in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq – An Associated Press story earlier today incorrectly reported that General George W. Casey, Multi-National Force Iraq commanding general, implied American forces in Iraq are “stretched.”
During an interview in Diwaniyah, Iraq, General Casey was asked about the current operational tempo and if insurgents could possibly “outlast” the U.S. Army in Iraq.
Having talked to the Chief of Staff of the Army only yesterday about overall troop strength and operational tempo, General Casey replied that the Army could sustain this effort for a long time. Additionally, General Casey pointed out that while U.S. forces are stretched overall, the Army is going through a modernization strategy that will produce more units and ready units. General Casey was speaking about Army forces in general, and not specifically about forces in Iraq.
The Associated Press was contacted about the error and has agreed to correct the story.
What army fighting a war is not "strained"? How many generals have told the politicals "We have too many men, too many supplies, too good weapons"? Lol.
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