Comments on: Budget Woes Hit Army Posts Nationwide

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 18:21:08 +0000

DCL: Yep, it's bizarre. The new J4 was high on our program a mere 6 months ago and it looked like we were in for a massive infusion of funds. Suddenly, about 3 months ago, we went into panic mode on money. Meanwhile, very little real work is getting done--everything's about fighting for/defending funding.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 17:33:17 +0000

Sorry to hear about your situation, James. Frankly, when I heard this, I thought it was the usual scare tactic to get Congress to allocate more emergency funds to pay the bills. How it got this far baffles me. I have heard from someone at DA that they've actually obtained the funds, but that somehow it hasn't gotten into the system or cleard by Congress or some other reason. But that only shows how the budget system at DoD is so screwed up. FWIW, my program just took a big hit in FY 07 funds. I have quite a few contractors I'm going to have to let go next year if I don't get my unfunded requests fulfilled.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:50:12 +0000

DCL: Yep. I'm one of those contractors, unfortunately, although I didn't work for DA. But DISA was in pretty much the same boat.

Stevely: Agreed. And, unfortunately, I'm putting in for various DoD jobs that are being advertised without any clue as to which ones will actually get filled.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:43:17 +0000

Having worked for fortune 500 companies, I have seen similar sorts of inanity. There seems to be an economic/social law that says when large organizations like governments/corporations have employees spending other people's money that the money spent becomes unreal and other factors apply.

I have seen a senior executive spend over a million dollars on moving people from one part of a building to another, then refurbishing the area for new offices for them and filling the office space with some very nice things, while at the same time laying off people because profits aren't high enough. You could keep several of those people being laid off gainfully employed earning money for the company with the money spent on the office.

We know the money is there to do the things needed. We know that money is being spent on things that aren't needed. But the manager whose dignitas is reduced if he has fewer people even if he can't be as productive as his less able bureaucratic in fighter rival or the project that is kept because stopping it would admit to poor judgement in starting it are just part of large organizations.

I don't think there is a simple solution to this.

By: LJD

LJD — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:37:42 +0000

No wonder their can't pay their power bills with a

$410.8 defense budget

By: Stevely

Stevely — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:03:08 +0000

We lost a DA civilian here, his LNO position had its funding yanked. Rumored RIF for DA civilians in the works, too.

I think O'Hanlon is right though. Money management is broken throughout DOD, guess the Army has the biggest problem with it though.

By: The Florida Masochist

The Florida Masochist — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 13:30:35 +0000

No way to run a War or Army...

Is the world upside down or what? TFM blames two culprits- Congress and the Military Bureacracy. Someone needs to get their act together...

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 13:19:02 +0000

James, begging for money is a routine part of any gov bureaucrat's job. I saw the Army memo on this a couple of weeks ago. All non-mission essential TDYs have been canceled. No new hires will be taken on and contracts were going to be terminated for lack of funds. A lot of contractors could expect to get pink slips because of this. As of yesterday, I heard the situation still hasn't been rectified.

By: Spam filter software guide

Spam filter software guide — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

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