Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   Not so fast tumblethunder Date:   7/16/2017 6:59:27 PM

Yes, it would be very interesting to hear how y'all woulld shake up the government -esp in DOD where people's lives depend civilians, contractors and other military  to support the lives of those in harm's way.  I was the Deputy Director of a small government agency that fell under the UnderSecretary of Policy. My boss worked for him (as it was then), he was a political appointee and he reported to the Secretary of Defense.  I lived with Rumsfeldt and his redo which in the end did nothing but waste taxpayers dollars on a personnel rating system that was ousted the year he left.  Why? Because it created more work with no verifiable improvements in the system or results. 

Before you start tarring and feathering govenment employees for cost overruns and increases in cost of weapons systems, let me explain to you so you can point your anger in the place.  The problem is Congress - becasuse they cant pass budgets, because funding does not remain constant - so that means delivery schedules are extended (which costs more money) or quanities are cut and we have to renegotiate the contract, since the contractor can no longer get economies of scale in the buying of the parts they need to build the stuff.  Surely you have heard of economies of scale - where bigger quantities cost less?  And then the technology is moving so fast, and that requires Engineering Change Orders which cost money.  Congress will also not let programs be cancelled, because that means jobs get lost in their districts and that is not good for reelection.  And sometimes Congress will insist a contract be awarded to a particular company as a "second source", which is unneeded and ends up costing money for equipment that will never be used.  I worked with one program that DoD kept cancelling and Congress kept funding. Once it is in the appropriation, DoD is obligated to go forward whether it agrees with that or not.  I don't have the time or the inclination to write you a book about the DoD acquisition system. 

The weapon systems that are now being bought are extemely complex, cutting edge.  It involves integrating technologies that you can't even imagine.  Now you could argue whether we need these systems or question why we are buying them, but the techology is being developed at a record pace, and if we don't buy it, Defense industry will not be there, when we later need it.  They will have lost their skilled workforce, their designers and in case you haven't noticed, these companies employee a lot of people. 

And finally, on the question of government, miliatry, contractors and the so -called revolving door.  I was at one point the Director of a group of 40 engineers engaged in thee analysis of cutting edge technology and what could be shared with our allies and foreign industry.  Out of that gr0up of 40, I would have about 6 military officers, primarily Air Force.  They all had advanced degrees in aerospace engineering, and a couple were PhDs.  So they work for me for about 3-4 years and then they have completed their military service and are looking for a job.  Any one of them could go to work in aerospace engineering jobs in companies.  But they like what they are doing, and they want to continue serving their countries.  I have vacancies.  So do I hire retired military members that I know, and I know they are throughly competent and throughly familar with our current programs or do I say NO and go out and hire other people who are unknown to me, are not familiar with the programs? 

So we come to Hodja, he got out of the Air Force and went to work for support contracter because he is known to be reliable and is a specialist in an area they need.  Smart organizations hire people that are known to them and have the skills they need.  Sounds smart to me. 

I realize that this is long.  But I thnk these are critical points.  Don't take my or Hodja's views, take what we have said and go out and do some research on your own.  Stop listening to your own echo chamber.