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To: pepsionice
Incremential moves, into new regions awakening into democratic societies, in order that stability will lead to investments and evolving societies. As strength through peace expands, lawless nations and areas will be encroached upon by expansion of the West. Keeping the troops closer to the boarders of democracies and our enemies is the only reason to move troops. All western nations have a series of laws which make the internal civilian police responsible for society's laws.

Bush and Rummy are moving the troops as soon as opportunites present themselves. The nations gaining these troops will be and in most cases have already made great concessions on cost sharing; coupled with lower costs in less developed areas, US forces meet all the security requirements for stability and closenss to potential combat areas. By moving into the former WARSAW Pack nations, US troops can reach any potential hot spot in the world within a half day.

The day of the VOLARs pasted in the late 80s; today, the armed forces have more dependents supported than troops which is a potential risk multiplier overseas and stateside; a learner force means less dependents to secure when deploying and less social structure. The military socieity evolved since the mid-70s is cutting back. The Army and Air Force Exchange System (AAFES and NATEX) is the world's 7th largest retailer. The Defense Commissary (Grocery Store) must be nearly as high on the retail list. My point on "stores" is that troops can get what they need from the dining facility and quartermaster....

Rumsfield has shaken up the DoD and made changes in a little as 2-years when previously 5-years was the minimum planning cycle. Whenever there is a war time funding for the military, they restructure under the guise of combat expenses - Congress already authorized the money in part:)

5 posted on 07/13/2003 12:12:28 AM PDT by Jumper
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To: Jumper
...today, the armed forces have more dependents supported than troops which is a potential risk multiplier overseas and stateside; a learner force means less dependents to secure when deploying and less social structure. The military socieity evolved since the mid-70s is cutting back. The Army and Air Force Exchange System (AAFES and NATEX) is the world's 7th largest retailer. The Defense Commissary (Grocery Store) must be nearly as high on the retail list. My point on "stores" is that troops can get what they need from the dining facility and quartermaster....

Actually the net effect has been quite the opposite. More and more soldiers are getting married and having children younger and younger (I was sitting in the Fort Polk Burger King and saw an E2, couldn't have been more that 20, with a wife and three kids).

The Army has put a big emphasis the last 20 years on quality of life issues in order to recruit and retain more troops. This means providing child care center, youth activities, etc., and alternatives to dining than the unit mess halls and club system. They also are paying the soldiers more, and allowing them to live off-post with their families. And of course they all have cars.

As a result, soldiers spend less and less of their off-duty hours (and money) on post, and more on the local economy. The use of unit dining facilities is diminishing because soldiers either already live off-post or get in their cars and drive to the BK. The Club system is dead, because there is nothing compelling the soldiers to stay on post. It's true that AAFES and the Commissary do a terrific business, because the soldiers don't pay sales taxes there, but many would still rather go to Wal-Mart, where it may be cheaper even with the tax break.

Of course, this is in CONUS, and to a lesser extent, Germany. Remote locations such as Liberia, the middle east, etc., will require other faciltiies and services.

8 posted on 07/13/2003 4:53:20 AM PDT by Cacophonous
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