Why do we "need" a BRAC during a war ?

[Catchawave]

Okay, I'm just spinning from the Cspan votes today, but I realized all this garbage about "well this base and that base aren't important" they can be closed, realigned or sent to Jebbyland (Florida).

As a citizen of one of the 'Main Events', Oceana (Virginia Beach) Virginia, this is sucky, and affects many more people outside those actually affected on these bases.

I'm just saying, bad timing? We're at WAR for crissakes, how much lower can we politic troop morale? This is all affecting their families and the civilian communities who support them too.

Just had to vent.
:rant:

[SteppingRazor]

1. I realize it's an unpopular thing to say these days...

But I was for base closings when Clinton was president and the GOP was giving him hell, and I haven't changed my tune just because we now have a GOP president. We have a bloated military budget, and base closings are a good way to reduce it quickly be fairly good margins.

The big problem now is that, unlike Clinton, as you said, we're at war. And that means that those soldiers manning these bases will probably be sent into the meatgrinder...

[DemoTex]

2. Why do we need a tax cut during war?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[SteppingRazor]

3. I don't think we should have a tax cut for the superrich either...

But the two aren't mutually exclusive.

[etherealtruth]

5. Because it will bankrupt ALL ...

... entitlement programs.

[Catchawave]

7. My rant'o'point though, we're at WAR...

..the BRAC isn't helping morale here or on the battlefield.

[etherealtruth]

4. Will the closings actually save money and improve efficiency?

I thought I had heard that "real life" analysis indicated that the cost of closing the bases (per plan), including moving equipment, personnel, etc over the time period planned would not save any money and that increased military efficiency was very suspect.

I watched some of the BRAC hearings and was impressed with presentation from Oceana (sorry FL yours "kinda" sucked), i also commented to a friend that I could not imagine a pullout from anywhere in FL with the BFEE (just learned what BFEE was an acronym for:blush: ).

[Catchawave]

9. Discussing closing bases NOW is my problem....

bad timing while at "war" or whatever it is GWB put us "over there" for :shrug: Tax cuts for the rich, base closures for the minimum wage communities? I just think this is the wrong message to send.

I can speak for Oceana, because it will shut down a community, unless teachers don't mind cleaning hotel rooms as a backup job? Can you imagine how this will affect the non-professional employees?

Is the BRAC an oxymoron for the latest pork bill that just passed? Just exactly what are we saving for taxpayers???

[etherealtruth]

11. Yes you are up close and personal ...

I can imagine the economic devestation this will wreak on your community ... Since I don't believe Chimpy and his evil cabal actually care about Americans (regular folk that is), nothing that happens surprises me

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. I love this question.

Don't have an answer for it, except that we're really not in a war. But that would be blasphemy, so....

:)

[Catchawave]

8. But, but....it's a WAR on TERRA :)

Troops and Iraqi civilians a' dyin', the anti-war movement being swift boated....and the BRAC is confirming most of the troops home bases are superfluous :banghead:

[bigbrother05]

10. THIS BRAC has many layers

Most of the BRAC savings are speculative at best, use a lot of 'what ifs' that don't always hold up in the long run. The major plus for the current administration is that fewer bases means fewer overhead slots and more war fighters. Also, if you look at how they are moving the troops in the Army, you can see the creation of 'super bases' that will be the home for new units designed to be plug-n-play. Depending on the action needed, you can tailor your attack forces by putting together just what you need, i.e. an armored unit with a couple of airborne units and a support unit to give you about 12,000 soldiers for a particular task. The last piece of the puzzle is to 'civilianize' most of the non-fighting jobs. That way government workers or contractors can do most of the clerical, maintenance, and other non-combat jobs. All this adds together to make more fighters available without increasing the total military force.

[Nikki Stone 1]

13. So it's a mobile force with few standing facilities?

I know the "privatization" of the military is moving along for civilian jobs like lawn mowing, but the presence of so many private contractors in the battlefield leads me to believe that the Pentagon is really working toward a totally private army.

[Mr Rabble]

14. Exactly correct. Welcome to DU!

[Catchawave]

15. Hey bigbrother05, your first post .....

I.am.so.honored. :) Welcome to DU :hi:

But, but, we need fighters now! We need up-armoring now! Err, yesterday?

To me the BRAC is a diversion for TODAY. I have no problem with tightening up the taxpayer belt and making our defense department work smarter not harder, but we have this problem with troop morale, protection and PTSD. WE HAVE THOUSANDS AFFECTED BY THIS FREAKING WAR AND THE BRAC IS STOMPING ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S HEARTS right now.

Again, bad timing. And please, no offense, your post made great logical sense, but we're not living in a logical time right now :(

[txaslftist]

12. Need it to go with the BRIC

you know, bric a brac?