Regarding our military.....

[stillcool]

I read a post earlier that queried whether we really needed our military...which got me thinking. It used to be when someone mentioned..."Fort so and so" I would think of someone I knew who had been stationed there. The term 'military' conjured up images, and memories all very personal....fathers, brothers, friends, and old black and white movies. What the word 'military' implies these days is not even in my realm of thinking...and here's why:

a list of military installations, listed alphabetically
A
Aberdeen Test Center, MD- Altus AFB, OK- Andersen AFB, Guam-Andrews-AFB, MD - Anniston Army Depot, AL -Ansbach, Germany - Arnold-AFB,-TN, - Aviano AB, Italy
B
Bad Aibling, Germany- Bad Kreuznach, Germany- Bamberg, Germany -
Barksdale AFB, LA - Battle Creek Federal Center, MI - Baumholder, Germany
Beale AFB, CA - Bolling AFB, DC -Brooks AFB, TX -Buckley AFB
C
COMFLEACTS Chinhae, South Korea- COMNAVREG (OAHU), HI- Camp Casey, South Korea- Camp Henry, South Korea -Camp Hialeah, South Korea -Camp Humphreys, South Korea- Camp Lejeune, NC -Camp Pendleton, CA -Camp S.D.- Butler, Japan - Camp Zama, Japan -Cannon AFB, NM -Carlisle Barracks, PA- Charles M. Price Support, IL -Charleston AFB, SC -Clear AS, AK -Columbus AFB, MS
D
DLI FLC Presidio-Monterey, CA -Darmstadt, Germany -Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
Defense Depot Susquehanna, PA -Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin, CA
Defense Supply Ctr Columbus, OH-Defense Supply Ctr Philadelphia, PA
Defense Supply Ctr Richmond, VA -Devens Reserve Training Area, MA
Dover AFB, DE-Dugway Proving Ground, UT -Dyess AFB, TX
E
Edwards AFB, CA- Eglin AFB, FL-Eielson AFB, AK- Ellsworth AFB, SD-
Elmendorf AFB, AK
F
FCTCLANT Dam Neck, VA- FE Warren AFB, WY- FLTACT Sasebo, Japan-
Fairchild AFB, WA- Fort Belvoir, VA- Fort Benning, GA- Fort Bliss, TX
Fort Bragg, NC- Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico- Fort Campbell, KY-
Fort Carson, CO- Fort Detrick, MD- Fort Dix, NJ- Fort Drum, NY- Fort Eustis, VA- Fort Gordon, GA- Fort Greely, AK- Fort Hamilton, NY- Fort Hood, TX- Fort Huachuca, AZ- Fort Irwin, CA- Fort Jackson, SC- Fort Knox, KY- Fort Leavenworth, KS- Fort Lee, VA- Fort Leonard Wood, MO- Fort Lewis, WA- Fort McCoy, WI- Fort McNair- Fort McPherson, GA- Fort Meade, MD- Fort Monmouth, NJ- Fort Monroe, VA- Fort Myer, VA- Fort Polk, LA
Fort Richardson, AK- Fort Riley, KS- Fort Rucker, AL- Fort Sam Houston, TX- Fort Sill, OK- Fort Stewart, GA- Fort Story, VA- Fort Wainwright, AK
Friedberg, Germany
G
Garmisch, Germany- Geilenkirchen AB, Germany- Giebelstadt, Germany- Goodfellow AFB, TX- Grafenwoehr, Germany -Grand Forks AFB, ND- Grissom ARB, IN
H
HQ SouthCom, FL- Hanau, Germany -Hanscom AFB, MA- Heidelberg, Germany
Henderson Hall, VA- Hickam AFB, HI -Hill AFB, UT- Hohenfels, Germany
Holloman AFB, NM -Hunter Army Airfield, GA- Hurlburt AFB, FL
I
Illesheim, Germany- Incirlik AB, Turkey- Izmir AB, Turkey
J
JMF St. Mawgan, UK
K
Kadena AB, Japan- Kaiserslautern, Germany- Keesler AFB, MS- Kelly AFB, TX
Kirtland AFB, NM- Kitzingen, Germany- Kunsan AB, South Korea
L
Lackland AFB, TX- Lajes Field, Portugal- Langley AFB, VA- Laughlin AFB, TX- Little Rock AFB, AR- Livorno, Italy- Los Angeles AFB, CA- Luke AFB, AZ
M
MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA- MCAS Beaufort, SC- MCAS Cherry Point, NC- MCAS Iwakuni, Japan- MCAS Miramar, CA -MCAS New River, NC- MCAS Yuma, AZ -MCBH Kaneohe Bay, HI- MCLB Albany, GA- MCLB Barstow, CA- MCRD Parris Island, SC- MCRD San Diego, CA- MCSA Kansas City, MO- MacDill AFB, FL
Malmstrom AFB, MT- Mannheim, Germany- March ARB, CA- Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL- McAlester Army Ammo, OK- McChord AFB, WA- McClellan AFB, CA
McConnell AFB, KS- McGuire AFB, NJ- Minot AFB, ND- Misawa AB, Japan
Moody AFB, GA- Mountain Home AFB, ID
N
NAB Little Creek, VA- NAES Lakehurst, NJ- NAF Atsugi, Japan- NAS Atlanta, GA- NAS Brunswick, ME- NAS Corpus Christi, TX- NAS Fallon, NV
NAS JRB Fort Worth, TX- NAS JRB New Orleans, LA- NAS JRB Willowgrove, PA
NAS Jacksonville, FL- NAS Keflavik, Iceland- NAS Key West, FL- NAS Kingsville, TX- NAS Lemoore, CA- NAS Meridian, MS- NAS North Island, CA
NAS Oceana, VA- NAS Patuxent River, MD- NAS Pensacola, FL- NAS Pt. Mugu, CA- NAS Sigonnella, Italy- NAS Whidbey Island, WA
NAS Whiting Field, FL- NATO-Brussels, Belgium- NAVDIST Washington, DC
NB Point Loma, CA- NCBC Gulfport, MS- NCBC Port Heuneme, CA- NCSS Panama City, FL- NS Barking Sands, HI- NS Bremerton, WA- NS Everett, WA
NS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba- NS Ingleside, TX- NS Mayport, FL- NS Newport, RI
NS Norfolk, VA- NS Pascagoula, MS- NS Pearl Harbor- NS Portsmouth, NH
NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico- NS Rota, Spain- NS San Diego, CA
NSA Bahrain- NSA Gaeta, Italy- NSA La Maddalena, Italy- NSA Mid-South, TN
NSA Naples, Italy- NSA New Orleans, LA- NSA Souda Bay, Greece- NSB Bangor, WA- NSB Kings Bay, GA- NSB New London, CT- NSF Diego Garcia
NSGA Ft. Meade, MD- NSGA Northwest, VA- NSU Saratoga Springs, NY
NSWCDD Dahlgren, VA- NTC Great Lakes, IL- NTTC Corry Station, FL
NWS Charleston, SC- NWS China Lake, CA- NWS Earle, NJ- NWS Yorktown, VA
Naval Forces Marianas, Guam- Naval Post Graduate School, CA- Nellis AFB, NV
O
Offutt AFB, NE
Osan AB, South Korea
P
Patrick AFB, FL- Petersen AFB, CO- Picatinny Arsenal, NJ- Pine Bluff Arsenal, AR- Pope AFB, NC
Q
Quantico, VA
R
RAF Lakenheath, UK- RAF Menwith Hill, UK- RAF Mildenhall, UK- RAF Molesworth, UK- Ramstein AB, Germany- Randolph AFB, TX- Red River Army Depot, TX- Redstone Arsenal, AL- Rhein-Main AB, Germany- Robins AFB, GA
Rock Island Arsenal, IL
S
SCSC Wallops Island, VA- SHAPE-Chievres, Belgium- Schinnen, Netherlands
Schofield/Shafter, HI- Schriever AFB, CO- Schweinfurt, Germany- Scott AFB, IL- Seymour Johnson AFB, NC- Shaw AFB, SC- Sheppard AFB, TX
Soldier Systems Center, MA- Spangdahlem AB, Germany- Stuttgart, Germany
T
Tinker AFB, OK- Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA- Tooele Army Depot, UT- Torii Station, Japan- Travis AFB, CA- Tyndall AFB, FL
U
US Army Europe, Germany- US Army Recruiting Command, KY- US Mil Training Mission, Saudi Arabia- US Naval Academy, MD- US Naval Activities, London UK- USAF Academy, CO- USCG Elizabeth City, NC- USCG Hampton Roads, VA
USCG ISC Honolulu, HI- USCG ISC Kodiak, AK- USCG Juneau, AK- USCG Ketchikan, AK- USCG Miami, FL- USCG Sitka, AK- USCG TC Yorktown, VA
USCG TRACEN Petaluma, CA- USMA West Point, NY
V
Vance AFB, OK- Vandenberg AFB, CA- Vicenza, Italy- Vilseck, Germany
W
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, DC- Watervliet Arsenal, NY- White Sands Missile Range, NM- Whiteman AFB, MO- Wiesbaden/Mainz, Germany- Wright-Patterson AFB, OH- Wuerzburg, Germany
Y
Yokosuka, Japan- Yokota AB, Japan- Yongsan, Korea- Yuma Proving Ground, AZ

America's Empire of Bases By Chalmers Johnson
At Least Seven Hundred Foreign Bases
It's not easy to assess the size or exact value of our empire of bases. Official records on these subjects are misleading, although instructive. According to the Defense Department's annual "Base Structure Report" for fiscal year 2003, which itemizes foreign and domestic U.S. military real estate, the Pentagon currently owns or rents 702 overseas bases in about 130 countries and HAS another 6,000 bases in the United States and its territories. Pentagon bureaucrats calculate that it would require at least $113.2 billion to replace just the foreign bases -- surely far too low a figure but still larger than the gross domestic product of most countries -- and an estimated $591.5 billion to replace all of them. The military high command deploys to our overseas bases some 253,288 uniformed personnel, plus an equal number of dependents and Department of Defense civilian officials, and employs an additional 44,446 locally hired foreigners. The Pentagon claims that these bases contain 44,870 barracks, hangars, hospitals, and other buildings, which it owns, and that it leases 4,844 more.

These numbers, although staggeringly large, do not begin to cover all the actual bases we occupy globally. The 2003 Base Status Report fails to mention, for instance, any garrisons in Kosovo -- even though it is the site of the huge Camp Bondsteel, built in 1999 and maintained ever since by Kellogg, Brown & Root. The Report similarly omits bases in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, and Uzbekistan, although the U.S. military has established colossal base structures throughout the so-called arc of instability in the two-and-a-half years since 9/11.

Some of these bases are so gigantic they require as many as nine internal bus routes for soldiers and civilian contractors to get around inside the earthen berms and concertina wire. That's the case at Camp Anaconda, headquarters of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, whose job is to police some 1,500 square miles of Iraq north of Baghdad, from Samarra to Taji. Anaconda occupies 25 square kilometers and will ultimately house as many as 20,000 troops. Despite extensive security precautions, the base has frequently come under mortar attack, notably on the Fourth of July, 2003, just as Arnold Schwarzenegger was chatting up our wounded at the local field hospital. http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=1181

According to the Department of Defense publication, "Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country," the United States has troops in 135 countries. Here is the list:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote D’lvoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda
Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
This means that the United States has troops in 70 percent of the world’s countries.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance8.html

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/afb.htm
... Iraq...

Military Contractors
The following companies are the top 10 recipients of U.S. military dollars for the 2005 fiscal year.
Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Maryland; CEO: Robert J. Stevens
Military contracts in 2005: $19.4 billion
Total contributions for the 2004 election cycle: $2,212,836
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $50,265,100
Products: F-16, F/A-22 jet fighters, C-130J air transport, Hellfire, Javelin missiles
Boeing of Chicago, Illinois; CEO: Jim McNerney
Military contracts in 2005: $18.3 billion
Total contributions for the 2004 election cycle: $1,659,213
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $40,379,500
Products: F-15 fighter, C-17 air transport, Apache Helicopter, JDAM "smart" bombs
Northrop Grumman of Los Angeles, CA; CEO: Ronald Sugar
Military contracts in 2005: $13.5 billion
Total contributions in 2004 election cycle: $1.77 million
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $30,049,800
Products and services: B-2 stealth bomber, amphibious assault ships, training Iraqi army
General Dynamics of Fall Church, Virginia; CEO: Nicholas D. Chabraja
Military contracts in 2005: $10.6 billion
Total contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $1,437,602
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $65,892,700
Products: Abrams M1 tanks, Trident submarines
Raytheon of Waltham, Massachusetts; CEO: William H. Swanson
Military contracts in 2005: $9.1 billion
Defense-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $811,949
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $27,407,000
Products: Patriot & Tomahawk missiles, "Bunker Buster" bomb, “Paveway” laser guided bomb
Halliburton of Houston, Texas; CEO: David J. Lesar
Military contracts in 2005: $5.8 billion
Oil and gas-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $221,249
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $49,491,100
Services: Runs US military bases in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Djibouti, Georgia, Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Built Guantanamo Bay, Cuba prisons, South Vietnam & Diego Garcia military bases. Oil field services, logistics (including feeding
troops)
BAE Systems PLC of Farnborough, UK; CEO: Mike Turner
Military contracts in 2005: $5.6 billion
Defense-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle (by its North American subsidiary, BAE Systems Inc.): $486,734
Products: Gun and missile systems, infantry fighting vehicles, military fighter aircraft
United Technologies of Hartford, Connecticut; CEO: George David
Military contracts in 2005: $5.0 billion
Defense-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $558,850
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $200,303,900
Products: Black Hawk, Sea Hawk, Comanche helicopters, engines for
F-15 and F-16 fighter jets
L-3 Communications of New York, New York; Interim CEO: Michael T. Strianese
Military contracts in 2005: $4.7 billion
Defense-related contributions in the 2004 election cycle: $403,719
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $18,209,000
Products: Satellite, avionics, missile defense, marine communications
Computer Sciences Corp. of El Segundo, California; CEO: Van Honeycutt
Military contracts in 2005: $2.8 billion
Total CEO compensation for 2002-2006: $44,078,800
Products: Information technology, biometric ID systems for US military facilities in Iraq
Military contract figures are from the US Department of Defense. Campaign contribution figures are from opensecrets.org. CEO compensation figures and product information are from Executive Excess 2006: Defense and Oil Executives Cash in on Conflict, a report authored by Sarah Anderson and John Cavanagh of the Institute for Policy Studies, and Chuck Collins and Eric Benjamin of United for a Fair Economy.
http://www.betterworldlinks.org/book73q.htm

List of PMCs
3D Global Solutions, AD Consultancy, AGS, AMECO, 3S Security Support Solutions, Aegis Defence Services, AirScan Inc., AKE Limited, Al Hamza, American International Security, Anteon International Corp., Applied Marine Technology Inc., ArmorGroup International PLC, Ayr Aviation, Babylon Gates, Ben Tal, BH Defense LLC, Blackheart International LLC, Blackwater USA, Blue Hackle Limited, Britam Defence, Ltd., CACI International, Canine International, CastleForce Consultancy, Ltd., Carnelian International Risks, Centurion Risk Assessment Services, Civilian Police International, LLC, Cochise Consultancy Inc., Combat Support Associates, Ltd., Control Risks Group, Crescent Security Group, CTC Training, CTU ASIA, Cubic Corporation, Custer Battles, Defence Systems Limited, Demming Enterprises International, Ltd., Diligence, LLC, Double Eagle Management Company, DS Vance Iraq, DTS Security, DynCorp, Edinburgh Risk, Edinburgh International Security, Ltd., EODT Technology, Inc., Erinys International Ltd., Evergreen International Aviation, Excalibre, Executive Outcomes, Executive Solutions International, Falcon Group, Genric, Ltd., Greystone, Ltd., Global Marine Security Systems Company, Global Options, Inc., Global Strategies Group, Golan Group, Group 4 Securicor, Hart Group, Henderson Risk, Ltd., Hill and Associates, Homeland Security Corporation, ICP Group, Ltd., International Charter Incorporated of Oregon, ISEC Corporate Security, Ltd., ISI Security, J-3 Global, Janusian Security Risk Management Ltd., Keenie Meenie Services, Kellogg Brown and Root, Kroll, Inc., Levdan, Ltd., Management and Training Corporation, Main Street Supply & Logistics, Medical Support Solutions, Ltd., Meteoric Tactical Solutions, Meyer and Associates, Military Professional Resources Inc., Mushriqui Consulting, MVM, Inc., NAF Security, Neareast Security, New Korea Total Service, Northbridge Services Group, Ltd., Pistris, Inc., Olive Group, Omega Risk Solutions, Optimal Solution Services, Orion Management, OSSI-Safenet, Overseas Security and Strategic Information, Inc/Safenet - Iraq, Pacific Architects and Engineers, Inc., PSI International, PSD Training, PWC Logistics, RamOPS Risk Management Group, Reed, Inc., Ronco, Rubicon International Services, Ltd., Saladin Security, Sandline International, SCG International Risk, Science Applications International Corporation, Securiforce, Security Applications Systems International LLC, Select Armor, Inc., Sentinel, SGS, Silver Shadow, Smith Brandon International, Southern Cross Security, Special Operations Consulting-Security Management Group, Special Ops Associates, Steele Foundation, Sumer International Security, Tarik, THULE Global Security International, Titan Corporation, Toifor, Triple Canopy Inc., US Investigations Services, Unity Resources Group, USA Enviromental, Vinnell Corporation, Vinnell Brown and Root (VBR), VIP Investigations & Protective Services Inc., Wade-Boyd and Associates LLC, Whitestone Group, WVC3 Group, Inc. http://www.sourcewatch.org/wiki.phtml?title=PMC#List_of_PMCs

"The Freedom of Information Act applies to "agency" records. Contractors, in this context, are not "agencies," even where they perform decisional roles. Similarly, government officials are subject to a body of conflict of interest provisions, pay caps, limits on political activity, and labor rules that do not similarly constrain contractors who perform similar, even the same, work."
* "In April <2002>, the Army told Congress that its best guess was that the Army had between 124,000 and 605,000 service contract workers. In October, the Army announced that it would permit contractors to compete for "non-core" positions held by 154,910 civilian workers (more than half of the Army's civilian workforce) and 58,727 military personnel." <12>

[rpannier]

1. Damn!!!

Impressive work on your part.
You should be congradulated for your work.

[pretzel4gore]

3. yes....

and thanked to...so congratulations stillcool47, and thanks....the sheer depravity of US/western military spending is astonishing- they get away with it by hiding it in a mishmash of complicated detail

[stillcool]

5. and what I really can't get my head wrapped around...

is Katrina. WTF?

[Rex]

2. Wow!

:thumbsup:

[LibertyorDeath]

4. Thanks!

Rec!