Rumor in Afghanistan: President Sucking Assets Away
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15 October 2012
Rumor Control is practically an industry within the military. Some rumors are bad for morale and completely untrue, while others are bad for morale and are completely true. (Why do most rumors seem to be bad for morale?)
Here is the latest rumor to hit my inbox, from a military email address in Afghanistan. I have no idea if it is true.
The White House or Pentagon is welcome to confirm or deny:
Hi Michael,
I love reading your work. I also try to encourage as many soldiers and citizens to do the same every chance I get. It’s disappointing that even my fellow soldiers and airmen here at Bastion suffer from Afghanistan news burn-out or news apathy in general. I guess everyone is tired of fighting the longest war in U.S. history.
I’ve been in country since May, 2012. This won’t sound like a long tour for most but this was scheduled to be a quick in-out mission. The bottom line is I’m ready to go back stateside. We were scheduled to leave at the end of September but still have no travel date due to there being a lack of Strat airlift available. This is often the case but I got it on good word today that it’s not the world political climate, hostility all over the region especially Africa that’s holding up the show. It is the presidential election.
Apparently a huge percentage of our C17’s are being pulled for ‘Presidential Duty’ meaning instead of working to airlift troops and equipment in and out of Afghanistan and cover the other global logistics they are hauling the POTUS gear around on the campaign trail. If this is true I’d love someone to bring it to light. I lack the connections to check it out myself especially from here. I hope do hope this is pure rumor. It couldn’t possibly be legal even for the POTUS. Fraud Waste & Abuse hotline anyone?
I’d think with the Obama campaign raising a record 181M in September they could afford to charter their own cargo planes and leave the military to do what it’s supposed to be doing.
Thanks in advance, love reading your work, especially the one about the recent attack at Bastion Air Base.
XXXX
Bastion AFG
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Comments
With the one party Democrat media Obama can afford to have a lot of chutzpah to get away with a lot of things, but this sounds like some casual aside that has snowballed.
When one wants something to be true it needs to have twice the strength of proof than something your dispassionat about. Let's see if that comes, wont be holding my breath.
NB MY: Got made redundant recently and I always tithe what I get coming in. You can't as a noble and worthy cause that donating to is an act of worship to God in my view. Keep up the great work. Sometimes have doubts about your judgement, but as I see it, your heart's all there.
There is a book out right now that exposes the huge amount assets used and of the taxpayers money spent by the Obomination on vacations, $1.4 billion estimated in 2010 alone and the author claims that number maybe a low ball figure
Now somebody try and convince me this 'rumor' is not TRUE
He knows the miitary is not his friend in the voting boott, so he keeps them away from the booths any way he can, and deep sixing them in Afghanistan is just one way
George, I made a comment on this article and did not allow myself to slide towards political rehtoric.
If you've never been in the field as a grunt thinking "I hope I make it home." and then "Wow, I'm getting down to a double digit midget." and then "I'm down to a single digit midget." (all meaning time left in country) then you have no idea how something like this can impact the morale of the troops.
I don't see this as having any political undertones or agenda. IT IS ALL ABOUT A RUMOR THAT CAN IMPACT THE MORALE OF OUR TROOPS. Sorry for yelling, that isn't my normal post, but I want to make sure you know that this has nothing to do with politics.
You've been a little too eager to throw your perceived "moral weight" around lately. Time to take a step back and re-connect with a perhaps more ethical use of your "humint".
With all due respect.
In Iraq, there was a rumor among Iraqis that the nightvision gear could see through women's clothing, and through walls. The Iraqis were going crazy. General Petraeus told me that he addressed this by bringing in local leaders and letting them look through the gear, and they were then assured that we could not see the women naked.
It is unwise to ignore serious rumors.
Consider that only 241 C-17s have been built, according to wikipedia, and not all of those went to the U.S., to take even 10-15 of those out to support the campaign could conceivably put a strain on the availability for theater... but then we have TONS of C-130s flyin around theater, right? When I was in Iraq, we rode in and out on 130's to Kuwait where we caught a charter L1011.
That's done, as a matter of course, all the time. The difference at campaign time is in an increased frequency.
That shouldn't have an effect on the serviceability of the AC which rack-up the flight hours anyway - flying to Afghanistan, or on shorter hops around the USA.
One or two aircraft on increased political duty won't make much difference in Afghanistan.
It wouldn't be good optics to have the Prez arrive with a couple of leased Ruslans.
While I understand that technically they’re his planes, you would think someone would be able to plan these kinds of things differently in order to allow service members their assets…or not since I don’t think this administration has no love for the military unless it involves a photo-op.
Cry BS on this one. They are the TAXPAYERS aircraft on loan. Get your head on straight.
http://nation.foxnews.com/obama-campaign/2012/03/09/obama-pulls-9-air-force-aircraft-campaign-use
Maybe he has pulled more since.
One suspects this use of materiel - if true - is no different than use in other administrations . Ignoring that possibility simply deepens the power you say this "rumor" has.
Getting to the bottom of an obviously politically-mot ivated rumor is not the same as spreading it and giving the appearance that you simply have no idea (clutch your pearls!) whether it could be true.
This is a huge departure from the skill set you bring to your investigative journalism. One wonders why you chose not to use it on this so-called rumor.
Why this; why now?
Why this; why now?"
Ermm, this rumour wouldn't exactly crop up if there wasn't an election on, would it?
It's looking like my assumption that this would have no substance might prove incorrect. From the information here it appears military aircraft use is standard for a campaigning incumbent.
The issue is raised though as to whether - or to what extent - this should be the case when US servicemen are so extensively deployed.
Interesting to see how that one unfolds if the 'rumour' is true.
As per above, I'm a deep seated conservative, but like any sincere democrat, the facts should always come first.
Any interests to declare yourself here? I'm getting that impression.
In my case, about 30 years ago in peacetime, I met some indiginous militia who thought that the rear sight of the AK-47 was a power setting...and the higher you elevated the rear sight, the greater the power.
So you do us a service by addressing the rumours out there.
Thank you. What country was that in?
And does anybody seriously think the Air Force hasn't been allocating massive resources for presidential travel since the Kennedy YEARS? No matter which party the POTUS represents?
The only "fact" I see in this article and the responses is the blatant Republican bias of the U.S. military and its amen chorus.
After all they're quite large. Hard to miss.
You've been a little too eager to throw your perceived "moral weight" around lately. Time to take a step back and re-connect with a perhaps more ethical use of your "humint".
With all due respect."
As a long-time follower of MY's and avid fan, I was originally offended by this post, but as I thought about it, I've come to appreciate. Though I still think there was a little too much patronizing condescension to be friendly, it's necessary to have checks and balances. So Michael, your shoulders are wide enough to handle it, and iron sharpens iron. I'd like to see a reply.
Case closed. Rumor addressed.
http://www.dcmilitary.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111209/NEWS09/712099912/89th-activates-2-eas-squadrons&template=PrinterFriendly
They've got enough to worry about besides getting shot and and blow up by IED's. They worry about being MediVac'd out and should be. That isn't a rumor, but fact.
Supporting our troops goes far beyond just making sure they have the supplies and tools they need to get the job done. It means addressing their emotional, mental and spiritual needs on the battlefield. This is a "Rumor" that needs to be addressed. Hopefully higher command besides making piss poor decisions on the use of MediVac Resources will do their job.
I don't seem to remember POTUS Bush flying his family to exotic locations around the panet three to four times a year
Please explain to me WHY any 13 year old, especially on taxpayers money, needs to go on Spring Break in Mexico, imagine the outrageous cost of that security detail
I don't seem to remember POTUS Bush running from golf course to golf course while talking about taking more of our hard earned money to give to those who don't earn or produce a damn thing other than more government dependents
This not an attempt to smear the Obomination, he does that all by himself, everytime he opens his lying mouth, which lately, has been the biggest pack of lies ever
Libya anyone? HELLO
I provide a link with the real info you you go off on tangents, but then again every time I provide time dated info, the replies are all the same.
You seem to have forgotten that Bush start these wars with no way to pay for it, but I assume you'll go off on a tangent again...
My retort was to your off target inane comments about Bush which has nothing to do with what the PMIC is doing and continues to do abusing the privilege of using our military aircraft and crews, IT'S DOCUMENTED FACT, YO!
If anything YOU are the one off tangent as an obvious Obomination butt kisser extraordinaire and an obvious Demoncratic troll:-?
Keep trying to prop up your BOY here, and see where that get's you
I'm telling you about MY experiences, I was not in this airlift business for Clinton or Reagan.
I provide you with a link of FACTS and you chose to ignore it and call me names, what is it with you small minded people when confronted with the facts and can not comprehend what is being told to you and think that everyone one is attacking you.
What are you going to do next ? Unleash the power of the CAPLOCK ?
Or continue to attempt to taunt me with your third grade comments about trolls ?
But the most disturbing part of this is the 'vacations' taken by the Obomination's family, wherein the same small army must accompany 'them' also, there is where your extra aircraft are going, i.e. the KC-10s
At latest estimate by reliable sources, $1.4 billion in vacation bucks in 2010, ALONE!
We do indeed need a change, pronto!
Korrection: C-17 in place of KC-10, mea culpa
The military provide this ability at way less cost than a civilian agency. There is no overtime pay given to the military people, I work 10 to 12 hours a day, 6 or 7 day a week, been a while I forgot. The mission ended on Nov 4th that year, and in January (less than 2 months later) we were deployed to SouthWest Asia, that mission continued for 2 years, I thing I did 4 months on 4 months off till the end of that mission.
We do this as part of our Air Force Mission, we go over an above on everything thing we do.
There is a solution to this and other items but the American people would never consider it. Today -- no matter the party -- the president spends two years doing his job and two years campaigning. To wit, limit the president to on 6 year term. That way he spends his term doing his job.
Also the VP. The president does not pick the best man in case his heart stops but who will help his campaign. The President should pick his VP after he is elected and then the House in a secret vote can reject his pick by a 2/3s vote. That will prevent politics. And the VP should be prevented from being elected president also after during his term or after his term for 6 years.
Jack E. Hammond
.
IF C-17's are being reassigned in Afghnaistan, it is because of the withdrawal of miliraty support personnel and not for use by the POTUS, as the POTUS already has his own transportation assigned.
Just more Internet bullsh*t . . .
Several points:
1. You suggest that you have "no idea" if the rumor is true. Really? You consider the statement that a "huge percentage" of our aircraft are being used for presidential duties, and that this is impacting our ability to airlift troops is both equally likely to be true or false?
2. You also make the point that rumors need to be addressed, because left unchecked, they continue to spread. However, there's literally no end of rumors like this. Repeating them to dismiss them forces you to investigate each one, then release the results of your investigation. And then do it again the next day for the next rumor. And again. And again. There's literally no end.
3. One reason for repeating a rumor like this is that you want to get it out there so that it can be confirmed or denied. Another reason would be to simply spread the rumor, without having to take any ownership for its validity or not. In this particular case, your posting smells like the latter. You're a smart, well connected writer who could probably confirm or deny this rumor fairly easily, and you could do it before posting the rumor. Instead, you post the rumor and challenge the Pentagon or White House to deny/confirm it.
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