BUDGET PROPOSAL CALLS FOR MARINE CORPS RESTRUCTURING

[Judi Lynn]

BUDGET PROPOSAL CALLS FOR
MARINE CORPS RESTRUCTURING




ASSOCIATED PRESS February 07, 2005

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon wants to restructure the Marine Corps - adding two more active-duty infantry battalions as well as intelligence and reconnaissance units - as part its effort to transform the Cold War-era military to fight terrorists.

The proposal was included in the $419 billion defense budget that President Bush sent to Congress on Monday. Overall, the budget - which did not include the billions spent for fighting wars this year - would buy fewer planes, ships and submarines than previously planned in favor of giving more money to counterterrorism efforts.

Within hours of the budget rollout, Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike indicated that the weapons system cuts would face fierce debate on Capitol Hill and some suggested the Pentagon should get more than the 4.5 percent - or $18 billion - increase Bush requested over the current year's spending.

Despite the increase, Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the budget request underfunds or omits important programs for troops and their families. "In a time of war, it's essential that we provide for our troops," he said.
(snip/...)

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1994&dept_id=226374&newsid=13909062&PAG=461&rfi=9

[DRoseDARs]

1. WAS LEANING ON THE CAPSLOCK KEY NECESSARY?

Yes, we get it. Bush doesn't "do" math very well.

Edit: ...or did you simply copy/paste the article's title which was already like that?

[bemildred]

8. Copying the title exactly is required in LBN. nt

[MADem]

2. The MANY, the proud, the Marines???

Where are they gonna get the bodies for this personnel increase? The USMC missed recruiting goal in Jan at current end strength. They will either have to start offering enormous signing bonuses, or lower their standards (both moral and educational) and these factors by themselves will result in degradation of the Corps. The people who signed up before the new guys will be angry that they didn't get the bonus, and pissed off that the people getting the bonuses are stupider than they are. Way to build espirit de corps, Chimpy!

It's either that, or we're feeling a draft.

[NC_Nate]

3. Good points MADem

I'm glad I got out when I did...:eyes:

[Matriot]

7. I hate to be the bearer of bad news

but have you ever heard of the back door draft? They're recalling ex servicemembers like crazy. I knew that I would be called up so came back voluntarily and reclassed to something I can feel better about, medical. So far since I've been on active duty they've called me twice, not knowing that I've already enlisted.

[MADem]

10. Hell, yeah

Those of us with 214's that say in the remarks block "subject to recall by service secretary at the orders of the president" are especially concerned.

But eventually, they'll run out of people they can legally recall, unless they can pump recruiting up in a big way. If you are in the IRR, you are on the chopping block until your inactive commitment expires. They are pulling a stunt where they find people who have a year or two to go on their IRR, and then they try to bully them into re-upping and activating to avoid going to Iraq, then they send them stateside or to a one year remote....and then their FOLLOW ON is in Iraq. Bastards!

[kk897]

9. I overheard a conversation at EB Games relating to this...

A younger guy and his girlfriend approached a slightly older guy (still young, probably mid-20s) in camos. He'd just gotten back from Iraq. The younger guy was quizzing military guy (sorry, I can't tell from uniforms what branch of service people are) about being in the military, saying he'd been thinking about joining.

Military guy said, "you don't get into it for the money, that's for sure. It's all about serving your country and teamwork with the guys in your unit. The money's nothing. It can be tough."

Younger guy said he realized this. Both agreed that honor and (personal, I think) discipline were the most important qualities needed to serve.

I wanted to jump in and yell "DON'T DO IT!!!!" but of course I didn't. But it seemed clear that at least some of the military aren't really concerned about financial reward or benefits and that they understand they're not going to get much from the government. It almost sounded like, our loyalty's to our country and our military, no thanks to the stupid people in government.

That this conversation took place in a video game store seems particularly ironic.

[teryang]

4. Fighting terrorists?

They are not fighting terrorists. They are fighting a nationalist uprising. The political denial in Congress rivals that during the Vietnam conflict.

[KDLarsen]

5. Ok, now I'm taking bets..

.. The odds of Bush* having made a bet with Karl Rove, that Bush* can set up a situation that even Rove can't spin his way out of, is now 1.01.

[Zech Marquis]

6. he's screwing over his own "buddies" now!

fewer planes, ships, and submarines--oh boy, this will surely get my local Repuke Congresspeople in an uprora. Less new planes, ships, and subs mean less money for the Hampton Roads area (with all of the bases around here).

It's almost like * said,"fuck 'em all, I don't have anything to lose now..." :scared: