The Trump Presidency 2.0

[BloodStripe]

Weird comments, we had civilians in the 50s, but we also had a far larger service and far few DoD Civilians as it relates to roles. BACK in the day you literally had guys who became permanent colonels. Determine that they would not be Brigadiers but they had a desire to serve and the Army had a desire to keep them. Heck the Navy even has a technical program for things like this called Limited Duty Officers. Do those people fire rifles, no.

The point is we have cut to the bone on our war fighting capacity. Fix it. It's not that deep of a concept.

The French also have an enlisted concept called Caporal Chef, they're still an NCO, but they're essentially a technical warfighting expert that remains at squad level. These men don't get forced out of the Army. It's really easy to change the up or out system if we want to.

Odd you didn’t answer a single question I asked.

If it wasn’t such a deep problem, we would never have so many civilians working for DOD.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Odd you didn’t answer a single question I asked.

If it wasn’t such a deep problem, we would never have so many civilians working for DOD.

You decided to insert your reaction because you are a current DOD civilian. My comments follow because I've watched the Army get smaller, become less ready, and more deployed than ever. This is breaking the Army. What do you do with promotions? Well you make more technicians out of officers, I provided an example that your former service uses. I provided an example on the enlisted side.

There are many many solutions that don't involve adding another civilian head count. But also should I expect more to remain if the incentives to remain are better? yes. They will then get retirement...and a DOD Civilian has a chance at retirement. UCMJ for motorboating subordinates? WTH does that have to do with this whole discussion?

VA claims? They're not bullshit. I operate on the "you broke it, you bought it" policy. If the claim meets the standard, the claim gets assigned a rating and the veteran gets paid. Of course, Veterans eat their own as you are clearly just accusing/claiming other veterans committing fraud.

The amount of Civilians we have working for the DOD is a symptom of a problem, one that has not ever been addressed and we just continue to paper over it by hiring more.

 

[BloodStripe]

Sure, work for DoD as a civilian. But the data doesn’t really support your argument that it’s grown. The number of troops has also significantly declined.

How many people work for the federal government? | USAFacts

Theres basically been 3 million federal employees since 1945. Which as a percentage, today is much lower than that time.

And yes, many people fake the fuck out of VA claims. You won’t change my mind on that. Too many claim bull shit things that are impossible to argue against and no politician will ever take it on because of optics.

WTH does that have to do with this whole discussion?

Because active duty members have recently been forced to retire at current rank because of that.

 

[AWP]

The amount of Civilians we have working for the DOD is a symptom of a problem, one that has not ever been addressed and we just continue to paper over it by hiring more.

In my small slice, I see hiring practices found everywhere in things like empire building, but I also see some that are a result of a flawed gov't system and ever changing requirements...requirements that few understand.

For people who don't see what goes on behind the scenes or who don't understand how it works, "we need to cut people" is both correct and incorrect. If we're cutting people without simultaneously addressing WHY we have manpower issues, then we are accomplishing nothing and will be back to these manning levels in less than a decade.

Unless we change how we think and how we operate, we can fire everyone and we'll be right back here again. A lot of people screaming about "too many Federal employees" think they know how the gov't works, but they really don't.

 

[Box]

For every argument that I see for taking a flame thrower to civil service jobs - I can easily see a mountain of reasons to expand them

There are TONS of jobs in my building that are being done by able bodied men and women that should be down at battalion level or lower in warfighter or warfighter support roles - but they are doing silly shit on a G-staff
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to lose jump pay
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to lose demo pay
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to spend time away from soldiers
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that keep them from shooting a government issued firearm for years on end
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that keep them away from innovation and force modernization that will have left them behind when they get back to a line unit

Most of these troops should be pushed back down into the operational force.

I on the other hand am little more than a washed up, aging, pear shaped, has been that doesn't jump, shoot, drive, or maintain military equipment any longer.
I do however have 30 years of experience dealing with the process.
I haven't pulled JM duties or even made a jump for the Army since December of 2016
I haven't done FRIES since 2014
I haven't fired a rifle/pistol qualification table since 2015
...but the processes for getting these things done is stuck in my head
...the processes for getting resources is stuck in my head
...the processes for validating requirements is stuck in my head
...the processes for editing, updating, and publishing policy, doctrine, and regulations are stuck in my head
The building I work in is also full of OTHER washed up, aging, pear shaped, has beens that haven't jumped, shot, driven, or maintained military equipment in years - but they also have the process stuck in their memory like a fucking splinter that they can't remove

Civil servants - in many cases - are the continuity that keep this years brand new LTC from trying to put the same square peg in a round hole that the last LTC spent months trying to navigate.
Some civil servants slow roll their political bias and make the US citizens hate ALL civil servants because "we're ALL just dishonest bureaucrats"
Some don't.

Pick your own adventure.
Just don't be surprised when the ODA's and SEAL platoons are undermanned because they had to pull a bunch of E7's up to the G-staff to manage the ammo accounts, update the training manuals, or just publish the safety bulletins that warn people that if they dont pay attention to details - their equipment just might kill them.

...at least that what I was told

 

[Dame]

For every argument that I see for taking a flame thrower to civil service jobs - I can easily see a mountain of reasons to expand them

There are TONS of jobs in my building that are being done by able bodied men and women that should be down at battalion level or lower in warfighter or warfighter support roles - but they are doing silly shit on a G-staff
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to lose jump pay
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to lose demo pay
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that cause them to spend time away from soldiers
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that keep them from shooting a government issued firearm for years on end
-silly fucking jobs on a G-staff that keep them away from innovation and force modernization that will have left them behind when they get back to a line unit

Most of these troops should be pushed back down into the operational force.

I on the other hand am little more than a washed up, aging, pear shaped, has been that doesn't jump, shoot, drive, or maintain military equipment any longer.
I do however have 30 years of experience dealing with the process.
I haven't pulled JM duties or even made a jump for the Army since December of 2016
I haven't done FRIES since 2014
I haven't fired a rifle/pistol qualification table since 2015
...but the processes for getting these things done is stuck in my head
...the processes for getting resources is stuck in my head
...the processes for validating requirements is stuck in my head
...the processes for editing, updating, and publishing policy, doctrine, and regulations are stuck in my head
The building I work in is also full of OTHER washed up, aging, pear shaped, has beens that haven't jumped, shot, driven, or maintained military equipment in years - but they also have the process stuck in their memory like a fucking splinter that they can't remove

Civil servants - in many cases - are the continuity that keep this years brand new LTC from trying to put the same square peg in a round hole that the last LTC spent months trying to navigate.
Some civil servants slow roll their political bias and make the US citizens hate ALL civil servants because "we're ALL just dishonest bureaucrats"
Some don't.

Pick your own adventure.
Just don't be surprised when the ODA's and SEAL platoons are undermanned because they had to pull a bunch of E7's up to the G-staff to manage the ammo accounts, update the training manuals, or just publish the safety bulletins that warn people that if they dont pay attention to details - their equipment just might kill them.

...at least that what I was told

I'll tell you why. Because I won't take a significant cut in pay to do those jobs as a CIV or active duty.

ETA: I also don't get reassigned, deployed, or relocated. I go home to my family at night. And I have more experience, more knowledge, and a better grasp of the job than any E7 or CIV. Fire me and see what the AD guys do.
Signed,
a cleared contractor

 

[Locksteady]

Signed,
a cleared contractor

 

[TLDR20]

Trumps physical is pretty good comedy. 224lbs? BMI of 28? Muscle weighs more than fat I guess. But he was also 6’4 on his previous physical. Like bro just admit you are obese.

 

[amlove21]

Trumps physical is pretty good comedy. 224lbs? BMI of 28? Muscle weighs more than fat I guess. But he was also 6’4 on his previous physical. Like bro just admit you are obese.

Fat shaming? Cancelled. I am telling Gen Z on you.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Trumps physical is pretty good comedy. 224lbs? BMI of 28? Muscle weighs more than fat I guess. But he was also 6’4 on his previous physical. Like bro just admit you are obese.

Trump is a fat guy, but he's in shape. Apparently he's incredible at golf, and he can walk with the best of them. Playing golf with him is a fools errand unless you made the cut at Augusta this weekend.

 

[TLDR20]

Fat shaming? Cancelled. I am telling Gen Z on you.

lol. I think I am truth shaming? Is that a thing?

He does not have a non obese bmi. That is clear. That last time he beat it by a point, and was an inch taller but this time is fatter and shorter, it just defies logic.

My problem with Trump has always been the things he lies about. Just be honest and it isn’t a big deal. Why lie about being fat when you obviously are fat.

 

[TLDR20]

Trump is a fat guy, but he's in shape. Apparently he's incredible at golf, and he can walk with the best of them. Playing golf with him is a fools errand unless you made the cut at Augusta this weekend.

Stop. Just stop. I could golf with an honest Trump. I drive it at a minimum 50 yards further and my up and down would fucking send him to El Salvador.

Golf is a game not a sport and he doesn’t walk, ever. He is fat. Just fucking be honest. I am 6’2 and weigh an honest 225, and we look miles apart in stature and BF%. At least Amlove deflected. This is just fellatio

 

[amlove21]

lol. I think I am truth shaming? Is that a thing?

He does not have a non obese bmi. That is clear. That last time he beat it by a point, and was an inch taller but this time is fatter and shorter, it just defies logic.

My problem with Trump has always been the things he lies about. Just be honest and it isn’t a big deal. Why lie about being fat when you obviously are fat.

Hahahahahha bruh. I'll be honest, this made my day. +1.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Stop. Just stop. I could golf with an honest Trump. I drive it at a minimum 50 yards further and my up and down would fucking send him to El Salvador.

Golf is a game not a sport and he doesn’t walk, ever. He is fat. Just fucking be honest. I am 6’2 and weigh an honest 225, and we look miles apart in stature and BF%. At least Amlove deflected. This is just fellatio

I don't think he's 234, he might be 254...I'm just telling you what I've heard about his golf game. You think fat people can't run? I'm always amazed when I race at the people who simply should not be able to run or bike faster than me that just crush me. They'll probably have a heart attack soon enough...but these people are aplenty.

 

[TLDR20]

I don't think he's 234, he might be 254...I'm just telling you what I've heard about his golf game. You think fat people can't run? I'm always amazed when I race at the people who simply should not be able to run or bike faster than me that just crush me. They'll probably have a heart attack soon enough...but these people are aplenty.

He is 78 and fat. Do you think that lard ass can run? What are you even doing? Just say he is fat. Fuck.

This isn’t political. This is your objective eyes. You can see he is fat. You can see with your own fucking eyes he is a fat 78 year old. This isn’t political. He is lying to your face and you are just making excuses like “I’ve seen big guys run fast”.

All this shit talk about our last CJCS being fat, that dude at least was combat diver and a GB at some point… Trump is a lard ass, for sure, and you are telling me fat guys can run sometimes?

What are we doing….

 

[ThunderHorse]

Yes, he's fat. What's your point? We've known he was fat. Just like we knew Biden had Dementia, didn't stop Jill from ruling the country from the East Wing.

ETA: Do you know how many folks who are morbidly obese get told they're heathy every year because their bloodwork is "great"?

The answer is: too many.

 

[talonlm]

I'll tell you why. Because I won't take a significant cut in pay to do those jobs as a CIV or active duty.

ETA: I also don't get reassigned, deployed, or relocated. I go home to my family at night. And I have more experience, more knowledge, and a better grasp of the job than any E7 or CIV. Fire me and see what the AD guys do.
Signed,
a cleared contractor

I've seen a preview of what's about to happen three or four years ago down here. Mister Slife, being well known for his love of contractors, used the budget cuts following the end of the shitshow in Afghanistan to fire the majority of contractors. Range schedulers, flight schedulers, training managers, course registrars, medical bubbas, MRTs, Stan/Eval, Plans, Riggers, MX cats, deployment managers and more than a few instructors--all summarily punted to the curb. The end result was a dramatic reduction in efficiency as the AD had to pull bodies out of hide to cover those functions, further impacting availability as well as decreases in training throughputs and the like. It didn't quite cause AFSOC to stop functioning, but it got bad enough AFSOC reversed the decision within six months. By that time, of course, most of the fired guys had found other work. AFSOC lost a lot of dedicated and experienced staff over that.

I figure we're about to see that on a somewhat larger scale.

Signed,
Another cleared contractor

 

[TLDR20]

I don't think he's 234, he might be 254...I'm just telling you what I've heard about his golf game. You think fat people can't run? I'm always amazed when I race at the people who simply should not be able to run or bike faster than me that just crush me. They'll probably have a heart attack soon enough...but these people are aplenty.

He is probably 284

 

[TLDR20]

Yes, he's fat. What's your point? We've known he was fat. Just like we knew Biden had Dementia, didn't stop Jill from ruling the country from the East Wing.

ETA: Do you know how many folks who are morbidly obese get told they're heathy every year because their bloodwork is "great"?

The answer is: too many.

The point is he is lying about things that are objectively easy to see are lies. He doesn’t have to. He could just be like, yeah I weigh 285(or not fucking release this bullshit at all). But instead he lies. I want to trust some part of our executive branch. But if he can get a doctor to put out some official bullshit with blatant lies, it is just a disgusting look.

Cool whataboutism though. Love it.

When POTUS lies about things that are easy to see, with our eyes, it just further enhances half the countries fears that an absolute megalomaniac liar is running the country. If he would be blatantly dishonest, and corrupt a medical doctor for his vanity, what else would he easily and clearly lie about?

 

[DA SWO]

The point is he is lying about things that are objectively easy to see are lies. He doesn’t have to. He could just be like, yeah I weigh 285(or not fucking release this bullshit at all). But instead he lies. I want to trust some part of our executive branch. But if he can get a doctor to put out some official bullshit with blatant lies, it is just a disgusting look.

Cool whataboutism though. Love it.

When POTUS lies about things that are easy to see, with our eyes, it just further enhances half the countries fears that an absolute megalomaniac liar is running the country. If he would be blatantly dishonest, and corrupt a medical doctor for his vanity, what else would he easily and clearly lie about?

ask Joe.