Gates Wields the Ax, and a U.S. Command Dies

[Richard]

And so it goes...

Richard

Gates Wields the Ax, and a U.S. Command Dies
Time, 10 Aug 2010

Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared Monday that he plans to kill the Pentagon's U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) — a high-tech training operation in Norfolk, Va., that employs more contractors than troops. It's a key step in weaning the U.S. military off the post-9/11 defense-spending binge, and it will be only the first in a string of tough cuts to come. The announcement marked the first time in recent memory that a Defense Secretary has called for scrapping one of the major commands — institutions with all the defenses of any medieval moated castle.

"It is important that we not repeat the mistakes of the past, where tough economic times or the winding down of a military campaign leads to steep and unwise reductions in defense," Gates said. "The Department of Defense cannot expect America's elected representatives to approve budget increases each year unless we are doing a good job, indeed everything possible, to make every dollar count."

In part, Gates is reacting to the post-9/11 belief that massive investment was needed to increase security against perceived threats — following a devastating attack on U.S. soil by zealots armed with box cutters. It was only three weeks ago that a top JFCOM official told Congress of plans to spend $285 million "to support the urgent development of infantry immersive training capabilities through the advancement of close-combat infantry immersive training simulations."

Huh? The nation has been at war for nearly a decade and now they're telling us the military has an urgent requirement to learn how to fight? "The Department," Gates said Monday, "must start setting priorities, making real trade-offs, and separating appetites from real requirements."

(cont'd) http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...009535,00.html

[JJ_BPK]

It will be interesting to see how much "reduction" Sec Gates can accomplish in the next 6-10 months before he is replaced.

Two concerns

• Gates does not have to live with his decisions, so he could be very nasty
  
• The Doves will be forced to have epiphany of anti-war faith
  1. Do they reduce spending as good peace-niks,, complementing Sec Gates cuts??
  2. Or reverse Sec Gates,, and spend like there is no tomorrow on projects that keep their big buck contributing constituents happy??

[Utah Bob]

It will be also be interesting to see who replaces Gates.

[SouthernDZ]

The inevitable ripple effect.....



Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, April 7, 2011

Northrop Grumman Sector On Notice For JFCOM Layoffs
By Robert McCabe, The Virginian-Pilot

SUFFOLK -- Northrop Grumman Technical Services has notified 293 employees who support U.S. Joint Forces Command that it may start laying them off on April 26, a company spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday. Only a handful of workers, about four, may be laid off that day, said Leah Smith, a spokeswoman with the Herndon-based unit of Northrop Grumman Corp.

It’s not clear how many workers will be affected or when, Smith said, because the contract that supports those employees is being rebid by the Pentagon and because of JFCOM’s pending closure. The majority of the affected workers provide support at the Joint Warfighting Center at JFCOM’s Suffolk facility, Smith said.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called for the dissolution of the Norfolk-based command last August as part of a larger effort to redirect billions in military spending to other purposes.

The command will be dismantled by the end of August and all related personnel moves made by March 2012, Army Gen. Ray Odierno, JFCOM’s commander, said in early February.

Across Virginia, about half of JFCOM’s workforce will be retained – about 2,425 of 4,700 workers – as they are assigned to other commands. Odierno said about half the jobs in Hampton Roads – 1,900 of 3,800 – will remain, roughly 1,450 in Suffolk and 450 in Norfolk.

Those numbers include military personnel, civilian employees and private defense contractors, he said. “The bulk of the reductions will be with contractors,” Odierno said. Across the command, their number is expected to drop to about 500 from 2,500, with many of the losses in Hampton Roads.

As of Aug. 31, Northrop Grumman was JFCOM’s top contractor, with four of its 25 largest support contracts, according to the command. The largest of Northrop’s contracts – the biggest single contract at JFCOM – is the company’s “Joint War fighting Center Support Team Contract for Joint Training,” currently worth up to nearly $162 million. The last option on that contract expires Aug. 31, 2012, according to JFCOM.

http://ebird.osd.mil/ebird2/ebfiles/...407813444.html

[sf11b_p]

It's a key step in weaning the U.S. military off the post-9/11 defense-spending binge

I always find statements like that interesting. No one ever recalls the Congressmen on the floor demanding spending for this vehicle, that armor, those specialized weapon systems or those robotic systems. No one ever recalls the Senator accusing the other party of the deaths of soldiers because they won't spend on projects that seem to be more important to the Senator than the military.

But when it's budget cuts, it's the military that's the problem, those crazy wild spenders in the Pentagon.