Pentagon to be cut 15 percent

Washington Times ^ | 9/11/01 | Rowan Scarborough

[kattracks]

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday carried his battle to reform the military from the field to the bureaucracy, saying he has ordered commanders to reduce headquarters staff by 15 percent next year.

In a major policy speech festooned with military imagery, the defense secretary began a campaign to rid the Pentagon of overlapping bureaucracies, which he said pose "a threat, a serious threat, to the security of the United States of America."

[Inspector Harry Callahan]

HA!! Not to sound pessimistic or anything but I don't believe a word of it. It's been twenty years since anybody was cut from the government payroll, and even Ronnie's cuts weren't all that deep. Rumsfeld needs to sell this boatload full of crapola to someone that is a sucker for the government line. I ain't buyin' it.

Callahan

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

the Pentagon today cannot account for all its spare parts and other assets, and takes years to field relatively simple equipment.

Private business must conduct a detailed inventory of its equipment and supplies to have a prayer of staying in business. Any organization which cannot take a proper inventory is mismanaged.

[leadpenny]

Was it Rickover who said that for starters, someone should stand at the front door of the Pentagon and fire every third person coming to work?

[leadpenny]

Gotta go to work. Thank God it is not at the Pentagon. The "Long Knives" are comin' out.

[dakine]

I spent 5 years in that place, there is more dead weight in that building then anywhere I've seen..also, believe me when I say accountability of equipment in DOD is a fraud....

[where's_the_Outrage?]

troops will be available at the "teeth" and fewer at the support "tail" of the force

I hope so, but it'll probably be cuts in areas like range control, troop services, PX, and maintenance areas. They would never think of cutting the "Consideration Of Others" (hope they zero that staff) or the Army Beret program.

In the USAR there are Reserve Support Commands (RSCs), I think they are more Reserve Interference Commands. So cutting here, could really be a good thing. These staffs start coming up with new, improved, and mega-work intensive ways for subunits to submit reports.

They'll probably continue the important functions of Command Climate Indicators, like how many troops have been piss tested and get rid of pay support personnel.

[A+Bert (Outta here)]

Clinton cut government employment. He reduced the size of the military. Of course it wasn't explained that way by the media.

[Stand Watch Listen]

So many government employees, whether they are cut (RIF=reduction in force) or retire are soon employed as an contracted out-sourced employee. That's the way the Clinton/Gore/Clinton Administration cooked the federal employee numbers. Clinton boasted of reducing federal employees by hundreds of thousands.

Psssssst ... it was ALL smoke and mirrors.

The revolving door policy whereinas an employee may be a member as an Armed Services/DOD civilian scientific/technical employee on Friday and return on Monday as contracted-out worker, same location, same job but at a substantially higher salary. BUT they don't show up on the books as government employees. And many earn more, WITH part time employment. Some folks are being 'recycled' in a glorified clerical function, but at $39, $44, $49/hr. Great work if you can get it. Naturally, scientific/technical types command much more.

The work is being accomplished but at a (presently) greater higher costs. The argument being less costs at some future date because of retirement/annuity costs.

Contracted out-sourcing...that's the numbers game they play.

[Texbob]

This is how Bush rebuilds the Military?

[Redbob]

"Defense Spending to Be Boosted 30%"

Tomorrow's headline, I gay-rawn-tee!

[NCSteve]

You beat me to it. I was going to say, "Pentagon to be cut 15 percent? Not bloody likely."

[The Bolt]

No thanks for the help!