Chuck Hagel Proposes Downsizing US Amry to Pre-WWII Size

If we cut the military then cut social welfare by an equal amount.

 

Alpha,
In the 1920's, the War Department did not want something called an aircraft carrier because the admirals in the navy believed in the bygone era of battleship row as the premier capital ship. Thank god we did not listen to the War Department then or WWII, especially on the pacific side, would have gone very differently.

Furthermore, the Seawolf class submarine was cut because its mission was no longer viable. It was designed for a cold war battle against the Soviet Union. It had one mission and one mission only. But then look at the Virginia class submarine where its mission is suited for today's military. It can deliver SEAL's, conduct recon, launch tomahawks at land or sea targets and still has the reliable MK 48 torpedoes for its defense. It can do more than what a Los Angeles class submarine can do. The point is that it was not compromise that brought about the Virginia class Sub, but the changing of the mission for the sub where it has gone from its traditional role to a multitask role. The provides flexibility into what our weapon systems can do and when they can do it.

But let's talk about the military, I am against the current proposals that SecDef Hagel is proposing. Hagel has forgotten the lesson of Pearl Harbor. and the risk of what isolationism can bring.

What Chuck Hagel should be doing is transforming our military into a highly mobile force that can still project power. This would mean transforming our 10 traditional divisional format into 15 to 20 reinforced independent brigades. The reserve and National guard will still have the traditional divisional format and the support personnel if a large scale war breaks out that we must get involved in. This would mean leaving the heavy tanks and IFV's to the reserve and National guard, mostly, and develop weapon system that can still bring power, but are much lighter to transport by plane or ship.

For the navy, this would mean more literal ships like the USS Independence and less on cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft carriers.

But most importantly, the need to reform the acquisition of such weapon systems. The military has been far too lenient on paying for delays caused by the military industural complex that it has now got to stop. Any additional costs must be paid by the company who is building the weapon system while giving a bonus to the company if said product is built on time and within budget.

 

That moron Hagel wants to reduce the military by 75,000.

Ok.

Lets reduce the rest of the federal government by 75,000 workers also.

 

Hagel is going in the wrong direction IMO.

 

Thank you for saying that.

I agree the the military has to be cut because we simply can't afford to keep spending at our current pace.

But defense should not take all the hits.

 

I agree with the majority of your post.

I was talking about how we have to find way's to save money but at the same time not only spend money on the right programs but remember today's savings can become tomorrows Multi-Billion Dollar Extra-Costs....and this was solved by developing the Virginia class.

The U.S. Military will soon be going through a VAST change as Direct Energy Weapons such as the Free Electron Laser will be installed on all U.S. Naval Carriers and installed in all Ticonderoga Class Cruisers.

As well as Targeting Satellite Network will be in orbit allowing the targeting of any thing or spot on the globe in land, air or sea and space.....which will change the face of Warfare.

All branches of the U.S. Military have goals to reach as far as having a certain percentage of their Forces FULLY ROBOTIC by 2020 and Self Autonomous Robotic Aircraft are already flying from Proving Grounds.

The reality is in a very short time the U.S. Military will be fully capable of complete and total Missile Defense upon all levels whether defending against Ballistic, Cruise, Hypersonic or Short Range Missiles.

That reality will make future U.S. Military purchasing change dramatically.

This reality will also increase U.S. Military Force strength and capability 20 fold.

AboveAlpha

 

Why not?
For instance... what business does the US militairy have in Japan?
Might as well fire everybody who is part of that base today.




And the real problem is, what will them army rejects do?
140.000 veterans are human failures locked up jails already.
Not to mention the ones who become homeless / drug addicts.

So far that's how well the US army prepares them for normal life.

 

The mutual defense treaty between Japan and the United States for instance. A second thought to North Korea and China if the hardliners there want to express themselves. And a few other reasons.

As for the Veterans comment, some, if not most, is the result of the veteran not being able to change from military life to civilian life. And yes, it does take its toll on more than just the vet. Most of those vets are being locked up because of failure to pay child support, domestic violence, and other minor crimies. This is not to condone what they did, but explain what they did.

 

I was going to make a comment that the US military is largely just a welfare program for Republican states. Which is the REAL reason they object to cuts. And also why they connect wasteful military spending with welfare programs. You could call that a "Freudian slip".

But in looking for a map showing where the military bases are located in the US I found something even more interesting.

The only thing I'm not sure of is whether all that drone activity in the Southern part of the US is just more of the South sucking off the federal tit. Or if the government has correctly assessed where the threat to the US will come from. Either way I'm always amused by the so called "conservatives" (more properly refered to as "neo-liberalists") who want the military to have unlimited funds at the expense of ALL of the other sectors of the US economy. And at the same time arm themselves in case they find themselves having to fight the people they just armed. But then again it wasn't so funny when Ronald Reagan trained Osama bin Laden.

I can't wait to see Joe Conservative go up against one of these with a friggin' hand gun!

 

U.S. Veterans are 50% less likely to be in Prison than any other Men who are part of the U.S. Population.

I can see you are just making enemies everywhere.

Yah! That's a good idea....go bad mouth Veterans!

You make me sick!

AboveAlpha

 

You sound like an isolationist.

We live in an interconnected world that includes Japan.

The same ocean that touches Japan touches America too.

That's not to say that America can or should be as interventionist in the future as we have been in the past but isolationism is not the answer either.

 

Oh, and for those worried about being attacked by China - get a (*)(*)(*)(*)ing clue!

 

Why should we care what China and N korea do how many lives have we lost letting Republicans butt into other peoples affairs.

 

"restore the "barrifs and terriers" that Bush "tore down". When multi-nat'l corporations can't bring Chinese goods into the USA without a penalty they will start making US products again."

It's odd that you see china as an economic threat without understanding that their growing economy is being used to fund their growing military.

 

Do you realize how many productive, excellent workers come from the military who don't fit your description? Imagine how many people alive right now have served, then compare that number to the ones who fell into those horrible situations. It's not a military failure...it's a human failure.

What mission is the military fulfilling in Japan that you disagree with? If you're to fire them all, you must strongly disagree with the specifics of what they do.

How do you identify an "Army reject"? Or do you consider anyone who served in the Army to be one? And what qualities do you find about Army folks that makes you think they're not prepared for normal life? The leadership skills they learn, the ability to fit into whichever organization they're assigned, the ability to learn new roles with every transfer, the ability to think on the fly in critical situations while considering the well being of those around them, the technical and/or mechanical skills to perform their duties that do carry over into civilian life (yes, even for the infantry), the ability to follow orders/instructions....?

 

This does not prove your point bucko.

You may want to learn about Chinese internal politics first before you post this crap.

 

It's really depressing to hear libs speak their mind on topics like this.

Maybe we just want to steal S Korea's oil and keep it for ourselves.

Yes?

 

I was thinking more along the lines of the Spralty Islands. What's one more nation vying for its vast resources.

 

Oh be quiet with your misplaced patriotism. I'm not the one who locked up 140.000 veterans.
Such a large number should worry the likes of you, that the US army turns so many fine men into loosers.
And boy, with a criminal record.. they sure will be able to find a good job when out of jail.
No problem.

Japan has one of the BIGGEST economies of the world.
Seriously... they should and probably have enough army on their own.
That makes it so that the US should not be needed there.
As you kind of said yourself ... they are not protecting the US there.

Asking why there is a need for the US to still be in Japan (since WWII) is not being an isolationists.
You can have normal international ties and visit eachother frequently without your guns being present.

 

I was just using the twisted logic that the isolationists use to bash America all the time.

Japan was our bitterest enemy in WWII where we lost hundreds of thousands of fighting men in the Pacific.

Saving S Korea from the communists cost an additional 50,000 American lives.

But those two events were 60 years ago.

Now both countries are our friends and allies.

We may have more in common with the Koreans culturally and economically than we do with the Euros now.

Certainly those are important relationships that should not be pissed away by small minded isolationists.

 

If you ask such a dumb question I can't see you as anything other than an isolationist.

China is a looming power.

If the US withdraws from that part of the world China will take our place.

 

Man....reading your posts is like watching a person dig their own grave...deeper and deeper and deeper.

Calling Veterans who have had a difficult time readjusting to normal life...LOSERS....is a statement that could only made by a LOSER! And by the way loser....has one O.

AboveAlpha

 

Yes they can. It is called being an independent truck driver.

You do realize that their defense plans is predicated on the belief that the United States military is there and can send reinforcements within 72 hours.

The need has been explained. just because you cannot understand the need or accept the reason is not our fault, but yours.

 

Cut our military in half and we're still bigger than the next top 10 countries combined. It's unsustainable.

 

The people who serve in the military are typically above average.

They have to volunteer.

They are at least high school graduates with no criminal record.

They are in better physical condition.

They can be trained.

The real losers are the deadbeats who were totally unsuitable for military service.