Military Policy, a school project in the makeing

[MBuzzy]

I like the idea too. Problem I see with it, our population would get very small, and Canada would get very big.

My current thought process is 'volunteer v. conscrpit v. national requirement v contractorers' and all those ramifications. I've already explained what they are, so it might be one less thing to explain.

Thanks, just looked it up! Its odd that I'd never heard of 4th gen! I suppose we just never used that name.

I would caution you to keep your topic narrow. I'm working on my thesis now and there is a horrible thing called topic creep....you pick something seemingly small and as you research and get more and more it just keep getting bigger and more complex. I'd pick two aspects and compare and contrast.

Also, BIG WARNING here....if you're looking at getting into the national requirement/contractor side of the house, BEWARE of opinions and the media. The American public is very (in my humble opinion) misled about these things...and it is next to IMPOSSIBLE to get accurate information. Blotan Honka was dead on with contractor costs - at first glance, it doesn't look like it is saving us money, but I've been on the acquisition side of some of these large contracts and in the long run, it works....and frees up soldiers to do their jobs. Basically, would you rather have a solider cooking or shooting?

 

[Cruentus]

T at first glance, it doesn't look like it is saving us money, but I've been on the acquisition side of some of these large contracts and in the long run, it works....and frees up soldiers to do their jobs. Basically, would you rather have a solider cooking or shooting?

I agree; our contractors have been doing a great job over there in most cases. That is something the media won't tell you...

I might if I cann't find anything better. While getting an interview would be freakin awesome, and defenitly help my grade, I'm not sure I want to go that far.

Understandable. It's up to you; the offer is on the table.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Ive often wondered. I have been abroad with the military and been feed, fueled, clothes washed, vehicles maintained by gvt. contractors. While they do vital jobs that I wouldnt have enlisted to do, is the gvt. really saving $$ by having Brown&Root wash my skivies vs. just enlisting more privates and having them do it? I suppose the total cost of a pvt. including training, health care, housing etc. , on a one to one basis, MAY be more expensive than contracting that job out, but I dont know. I wonder how the numbers work.

It might be cheaper. I do not know. But I can imagine that those that would "qualify" for such positions either would not volunteer or they would not stay past two years and the training costs and tracking costs of this person through their life could be more than outsourcing the costs even if it seems more expensive today, it might be cheaper in the long run. But, like you said, one would have to see the numbers to know.

 

[Steel Tiger]

It might be cheaper. I do not know. But I can imagine that those that would "qualify" for such positions either would not volunteer or they would not stay past two years and the training costs and tracking costs of this person through their life could be more than outsourcing the costs even if it seems more expensive today, it might be cheaper in the long run. But, like you said, one would have to see the numbers to know.

I think this is the biggest overlooked point about the contractor issue. To cover the cost of training a soldier to do whatever, they need to stay in the service for a certain amount of time. I expect these numbers have been calculated with the result being a lot of outsourcing.

I have to agree with MBuzzy on subject size. When you have a very tight word limit you need to stay really focused. And I have to say that many of the things we have been discussing are pretty big and broad.

 

[MBuzzy]

I think this is the biggest overlooked point about the contractor issue. To cover the cost of training a soldier to do whatever, they need to stay in the service for a certain amount of time. I expect these numbers have been calculated with the result being a lot of outsourcing.

You're right on here....believe it or not, there are some intelligent people in the government. The things that we hear as the public through the media are in general either flat out wrong or horribly misunderstood. These outsourcing costs have been scrutinized and painstakingly calculated by some very smart people who's only jobs are to think about stuff like this. In the long run, we get off cheaper. Now, obviously not all of the decisions that the government or military makes are completely right, but this one has proven itself over time...and not only through deployed contracts - believe it or not, folk, but the Army outsourced many of these jobs YEARS ago - long before we deployed.

Especially since the majority of the people working for these contractors are either Local Nationals who work very very little (lowering the contract cost) or former military members who are already trained to our standards.

I have to agree with MBuzzy on subject size. When you have a very tight word limit you need to stay really focused. And I have to say that many of the things we have been discussing are pretty big and broad.

Not only very broad, but VERY hard to find GOOD, SOLID info on. I just chose to do a paper on the recent "force shaping" efforts of the military. Basically, DoD decided to cut a huge number of people. This is one of those things that they didn't think through too well, because it didn't work out as expected....except the only info out there is from Air Force Times (a biased source) or from equally unreliable sources. I simply don't have access to the real TRUTHS, basically what really happened, why it didn't work, etc.

 

[CuongNhuka]

OK, so what I've decided to do is take what I already thought of as my topic (Volunteer v Conscript v Mercenary v Mandatory enlistment), take a small number of pro.s and con.s, and compare and contrast. So, here's the new list of 'what I'd like' (I'm so demanding, aren't I?)

5 - 10 Pro.s of haveing a military based off each area
5 - 10 Con.s of haveing a military based off each area
2 - 6 examples of countries that use that method
Any place I might be able to find additional info.

Have at it! And, if possible, site a source...

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

By the way, I have never heard the term "Fourth generation" tactics? I could just be sheltered, but I assume that it is referring to counter insurgent tactics.

For an excellent website on fourth (and the beginning of fifth) generation warfare, an excellent site is www.d-n-i.net

And read up on Col. John Boyd.