Why are we doing this to ourselves ?
04-27-2013, 12:06 PM
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2010
Position: Pipers & RV-12
Posts: 236
No more nation-building, especially in majority-Muslim nations. A decade of nation-building hasn't made much of a dent in the mindset of the people. It has made a dent in the U.S. pocketbook.
04-27-2013, 04:33 PM
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2010
Posts: 291
This will not be a popular suggestion.
Do you think we need this big of military? Do you think we can train just as hard in the simulators and be just as effective?
I know in the heavy world we could move most of the training into the simulators (if it hasn't been already) and remain safe and mission capable. We should not be burning 18,000 lbs and hour for a KC-10 to be conducting instrument approach training.
I know many people will disagree with me. But I think it could be done -- at least for the short term.
Do you think we need this big of military? Do you think we can train just as hard in the simulators and be just as effective?
I know in the heavy world we could move most of the training into the simulators (if it hasn't been already) and remain safe and mission capable. We should not be burning 18,000 lbs and hour for a KC-10 to be conducting instrument approach training.
I know many people will disagree with me. But I think it could be done -- at least for the short term.
As an example, I submit the UK. Their stated defense strategy for their interest in the Falklands is that Argentina is in no position to make a move. Thats it. Should Argentina secure outside sponsorship (as was a common occurrence during the cold war), the UK could do little more than smile and wave this time around.
I also agree with your suggestion that much of our readiness training could move to simulation based methods. That simulation based approach would have to be supplemented with more robust realistic evaluation methods, a-la Red Flag. A potential downside to this approach, if you and I are wrong in some of our assumptions, is the potential for increased mishap rates during the reduced in-flight training times and exercises.
