Defense Department cuts

nikimcbee · 03-02-11, 12:41 AM

Okay so we don't have money for every program under the sun and it's time to visit the military budget. Everybody wants to cut the military budget, so....

What would you cut? Where would you trim the fat out of the budget (military)?

What programs do we need/ don't need?
What bases to we close/ keep open?
How big should our force be?
Vets benifits?

How about the CIA budget?

What do you guys think? It's open to anybody (all nations, not just US), as it seems everybody is hard up for cash.

The floor is open.

GoldenRivet · 03-02-11, 12:44 AM

First i would cut into the cash we are sending out to develop OTHER nations' military assets.

say... a 30% reduction across the board.

nikimcbee · 03-02-11, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

First i would cut into the cash we are sending out to develop OTHER nations' military assets.

say... a 30% reduction across the board.

You mean like Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel?

GoldenRivet · 03-02-11, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

You mean like Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel?

Sure.

Any nation we are pouring money into in order to help them advance their military potency.

we obviously need to have a massive phase out of Iraq and Afghanaland. I think we have done just about all we can do in both locations.

Defense is an expensive business, and its hard to justify virtually any budget cuts.

If i were to trim the fat from the budget, the trimming would end with defense cuts... not start there.

I think there are a lot of special interest items around the nation that need to be trimmed, i think politicians should take a pay cut to the point that it would attract only the truly patriotic individuals in this nation.

Current congressional salary is just over $170K... i say eliminate the salary. They are in session for about 150 days a year right? cool... then the new pay rate will be $400 per day in session. daily per diem will be $1.55/hour for each 24 hour period in session. Automatic enrollment in Obamacare.

I could sit and get a lot of ideas.

GoldenRivet · 03-02-11, 01:03 AM

Use of Air Force One should be limited to international trips, or during domestic trips in a time of crisis.

All domestic trips of over 300 miles can be relegated to a Gulfstream V

save a lot on the fuel bill that way

nikimcbee · 03-02-11, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Use of Air Force One should be limited to international trips, or during domestic trips in a time of crisis.

All domestic trips of over 300 miles can be relegated to a Gulfstream V

save a lot on the fuel bill that way

First thing I would do is send Nancy Pelosi the bill for her AF usage.

nikimcbee · 03-02-11, 01:13 AM

I don't see why we need new ACs, why not just maintain the old ones. I guess the sub force is doing its best to adapt by concerting SSBNs to SSGNs.

I wonder how much it costs to mothball some this high tech stuff? (like the F-22, say) Just find a big warehouse and store them.

I'd cut smaller bases. Why does OR need an air national guard. As anti-military as OR is, they sure freaked out about cutting them.

How many bases are there in the interior of the country ( not weapon's depots).

gimpy117 · 03-02-11, 01:15 AM

well first of all...we need to reign in the JSF and other defense programs that keep going grossly over budget.

August · 03-02-11, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

then the new pay rate will be $400 per day in session.

Yeah and it's only paid if they actually show up.

tater · 03-02-11, 11:10 AM

The military has wanted to make large cuts for years. There are way too many bases.

The trouble of course is that there are many bases not for military reasons, but political reasons. Every base is a case cow for some congressional district. Everyone wants cuts—in someone else's district.

They have independent base closure panels, and then many of their recommendations are overturned as the congress critters align to fight it (here in NM one of the few things the dems and reps agree on and cooperate on 100% as a delegation is to never touch ANY of our bases unless it's to make them bigger!).

Still, the bulk of cuts need to be SS and Medicare or pretty much all is lost.

Armistead · 03-02-11, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Sure.

Any nation we are pouring money into in order to help them advance their military potency.

we obviously need to have a massive phase out of Iraq and Afghanaland. I think we have done just about all we can do in both locations.

Defense is an expensive business, and its hard to justify virtually any budget cuts.

If i were to trim the fat from the budget, the trimming would end with defense cuts... not start there.

I think there are a lot of special interest items around the nation that need to be trimmed, i think politicians should take a pay cut to the point that it would attract only the truly patriotic individuals in this nation.

Current congressional salary is just over $170K... i say eliminate the salary. They are in session for about 150 days a year right? cool... then the new pay rate will be $400 per day in session. daily per diem will be $1.55/hour for each 24 hour period in session. Automatic enrollment in Obamacare.

I could sit and get a lot of ideas.

Most of them aren't in it for the pay, if pay was the reason they would be elsewhere running law firms. Many are in it for the after effect, those high paying lobbiest jobs, sitting on boards, etc... I think you could pay them 0 and 90% of the same people would still run.

As for defense cuts, shut down those many left over cold war bases in Europe, restructure and place them on our southern border protecting America.

August · 03-02-11, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

As for defense cuts, shut down those many left over cold war bases in Europe, restructure and place them on our southern border protecting America.

Completely agree.

I'm not in favor of closing more stateside bases though. We've concentrated our forces far too much already. There should be at least one military base in every state.

nikimcbee · 03-03-11, 12:23 AM

What do you think about closing the oversea bases?

Or scaling them way back?

TLAM Strike · 03-03-11, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

What do you think about closing the oversea bases?

Or scaling them way back?

Our enemies are overseas. Waiting for them to come to us would be stupid.

August · 03-03-11, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Our enemies are overseas. Waiting for them to come to us would be stupid.

He said close permanent overseas bases, not eliminate our response capability. Engineers can whip up a functional base in a few days. We're paying a lot of money to keep units stationed in Germany for example that no longer serve much purpose, at least not enough to justify their expense.

03-02-11, 12:41 AM	#1
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Defense Department cuts Okay so we don't have money for every program under the sun and it's time to visit the military budget. Everybody wants to cut the military budget, so.... What would you cut? Where would you trim the fat out of the budget (military)? What programs do we need/ don't need? What bases to we close/ keep open? How big should our force be? Vets benifits? How about the CIA budget? What do you guys think? It's open to anybody (all nations, not just US), as it seems everybody is hard up for cash. The floor is open. __________________

03-02-11, 12:44 AM	#2
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	First i would cut into the cash we are sending out to develop OTHER nations' military assets. say... a 30% reduction across the board. __________________

03-02-11, 01:03 AM	#5
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	Use of Air Force One should be limited to international trips, or during domestic trips in a time of crisis. All domestic trips of over 300 miles can be relegated to a Gulfstream V save a lot on the fuel bill that way __________________

03-02-11, 01:13 AM	#7
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I don't see why we need new ACs, why not just maintain the old ones. I guess the sub force is doing its best to adapt by concerting SSBNs to SSGNs. I wonder how much it costs to mothball some this high tech stuff? (like the F-22, say) Just find a big warehouse and store them. I'd cut smaller bases. Why does OR need an air national guard. As anti-military as OR is, they sure freaked out about cutting them. How many bases are there in the interior of the country ( not weapon's depots). __________________

03-02-11, 01:15 AM	#8
gimpy117 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3,243 Downloads: 108 Uploads: 0	well first of all...we need to reign in the JSF and other defense programs that keep going grossly over budget. __________________ Member of the Subsim Zombie Army

03-02-11, 11:10 AM	#10
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	The military has wanted to make large cuts for years. There are way too many bases. The trouble of course is that there are many bases not for military reasons, but political reasons. Every base is a case cow for some congressional district. Everyone wants cuts—in someone else's district. They have independent base closure panels, and then many of their recommendations are overturned as the congress critters align to fight it (here in NM one of the few things the dems and reps agree on and cooperate on 100% as a delegation is to never touch ANY of our bases unless it's to make them bigger!). Still, the bulk of cuts need to be SS and Medicare or pretty much all is lost. __________________ "Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." — Thomas Paine

03-03-11, 12:23 AM	#13
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	What do you think about closing the oversea bases? Or scaling them way back? __________________