In a recent Washington Independent article, Spencer Ackerman asked the all-important, but seldom asked question, “Why Should Defense Spending Be Sacrosanct?”

It’s not popular to ask this question, especially if you’re a congressman because in doing so you’re bound to be labeled as not supportive of the troops.  However, the present course of the DOD is completely unsustainable. And in our current economic state ($12 trillion in debt and counting) I, like Ackerman and others, find it odd that there has been no serious talk of freezing the gargantuan DoD budget. In 2008, the US military spent more than the next 46 highest spending countries in the world combined (see here).

The spending problems come from personnel costs on one side — full retirement benefits for members who serve 20 years of active duty (most retire in their 40′s and now live well into their 80′s and beyond, a.k.a. 40 years of retirement pay), rising healthcare costs, salaries, housing pay, etc.  Equipment costs on the other — planes, bullets, tanks, UAV’s and an aging fleet of …well, almost every weapon system you can think of.  Just to send one combat troop to Afghanistan costs the taxpayer $1 million a year.

Almost everyone close to the organization knows we’re plowing ahead like a drunk driver headed for the cliff, but no one seems up to the task of fixing it.  Worse yet, much of the leadership seems bent on simply increasing spending rather than fixing a broken system.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is making a noble effort, but the military-industrial complex is a three-headed monster, devouring every plan formed against it through strategic lobbying, creative bookkeeping and a view of the world based more on fantasy than reality.

Ackerman cites an October assessment from the CSBA’s Todd Harrison who compares the DoD to GM, explaining (emphasis mine),

Another similarity between the two is that both organizations are in a period of disruptive change in the competitive environment. In GM’s case, its market share rapidly eroded as gas prices climbed higher, the economy slowed, and consumers turned to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. GM found itself building a fleet of SUVs and trucks that consumers did not want and could not afford. Similarly, DoD now finds itself saddled with a number of weapon programs whose capabilities are ill-suited for the types of conflict the military currently faces and whose costs have risen beyond what the Department can afford. Many of the new weapons being funded today are optimized for middle-of-the- spectrum conflicts—that is, conventional, military-on-military conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm in 1991. But adversaries are well aware of the United States’ overwhelming advantage in the middle and are instead moving to either end of the spectrum: irregular warfare on one end and high-end, asymmetric warfare on the other. The challenge for DoD, as it was for GM, is that the competition is adapting faster than it can keep up.

The last sentence is key, “…the competition is adapting faster than it can keep up.” Much of it has to do with the huge, inflexible, bureaucratic organizational structure of the DoD as compared the nimble, decentralized, open-source structure embodied by al-Qaeda and affiliate organizations. One bans twitter, facebook and gmail while the other uses the internet train to organize its cells all over the world.

Changing the DOD’s organizational structure is one thing, putting a freeze on the defense budget is another and one that may be a bit more realistic. However, none of this is bound to change anytime soon if we insist on keeping our country in a state of perpetual war.

Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes … known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.… No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. – James Madison, Political Observations, 1795

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Haven’t done a Friday video in a while, so here you go:

Very Close C-17 Take-off from Goobie55 on Vimeo.

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A C-17 taking off from a remote location in Afghanistan. He’ll level off approx. 300 feet AGL (above ground level), accelerate and then pull up hard to anywhere from 30-50 degrees nose high. This is why I love my job!

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ATC: “Would you accept a fighter intercept this morning?”

Us: “Uh…yes, yes we would”

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Afghanistan

“He who does not travel does not know the value of men.” – Moorish proverb

As many of you know, over the past two months I have been traveling the world as a co-pilot in the Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster. All told, I have logged over 200 hours of flight time and traveled to 13 countries. I have now been to 6 of the 7 continents, with hopes to travel to Antarctica in the next few years. Some of my trips have been short, others long, but all of them have combined to give me a much better idea of what it takes to be a skilled world traveler.

Honolulu, Hawaii

There is something very addictive about travel. I remember as a boy going through the pages of National Geographic and imagining myself in each exotic location. Stuffed away in a cardboard box somewhere, there is even a picture of me dressed up in a safari hat and some khaki shorts ready for my big expedition…I think we were going to Denver. Through the years my desire to explore has only grown stronger. In short, the more I travel, the more I want to travel more.

Billabong Wildlife Preserve, Townsville, Australia

Most of us have a natural wanderlust, but for many, the realities of airport security, lost luggage and awkward language barriers can suck the wind out of our sails — the very sails that were supposed to take us to our exotic locations. It’s understandable, but the unpleasant details of world travel can often be mitigated with a little planning and ingenuity.

Below are 5 different traveling lessons I have picked up in the past few months that will hopefully help you get the most out of your journeys. They’re not sexy, but they work.

1) Wash Your Clothes Whenever You Get a Chance – One thing is certain when you start venturing out beyond the safety of your home…you will get dirty. You will stain your favorite shirt, you will be delayed for several days while a freak snowstorm shuts down the airport and you will run out of clean underwear. So wash your clothes whenever there is an opportunity.

Many hotels have a place to do it yourself and the nicer ones always have bags in the closet that you can throw your dirty laundry into for the hotel to wash. Sure it costs a few dollars, but can you really put a price on a pit-stain free outfit?  Traveling presents enough challenges without having to worry about your clothes so wash early, wash often.

Deep Sea Fishing in Diego Garcia

2) Develop a Hotel Room Exercise Routine – Nothing feels worse than coming home from a long trip and feeling fat and out-of-shape. A lot of this comes from the stagnant lifestyle which often accompanies globe-trotting.  It seems counter intuitive, but traveling long distances often results in hours of sitting around — in the airplane, in the taxi, etc.

One of the best ways to stay energized and refreshed during long trips is to exercise.  Most hotels have some type of fitness center, but there’s an even simpler solution — work out in your hotel room.  Push-ups and sit-ups are an obvious solution, but I discovered a tool the other month that has made a huge difference in the variety of exercise I can accomplish in a confined space: exercise bands.

With a single exercise band the various exercises one can do are almost limitless. Shoulders, back, legs, core…all of these can be worked out with a resistance band. Buy one of these using the link provided above and you’ll have an instant hotel-room-gym. If you travel frequently it’s the best $10 you’ll ever spend on fitness.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Dubai, U.A.E.

3) Carry Lots of Cash - It’s true that much of the world accepts credit cards these days, but as soon as you leave the airport and travel off the beaten path it is much more efficient to use the local currency, especially for taxis and cafes.  Before you tell me the stories of getting pick-pocketed in Rome, I’m not saying to be stupid about it.  Use a money belt or carry your wallet in your front pocket if you feel the need to do so.

Whenever you see an ATM make sure you are well-stocked for the day.  Depending on the location opportunities to get cash may be limited and it is much better to have more than you need then it is to find yourself begging for money on a street corner in Bangkok to cover a cab ride.  On top of the fact that it is often more efficient, using the local currency helps you gain an understanding of the culture, as well as enabling you to blend in more to the local environment.

Bucharest, Romania

4) “Thank You” is Universal, Tipping is Not – I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people talk about how rude the Parisians are.  In some cases it’s true, but I’ve met just as many rude people in the US, Germany, Netherlands and Australia.  That’s life, but when you are a guest in someone’s country, you do not have the luxury to be rude in return.  Basic manners like saying, “Please” and “Thank You” are universally appreciated.

On the other hand there are certain cultural norms that vary from place to place.  Tipping for example is not universal.  Many places in Europe include the tip in the bill, certain countries in Asia expect no tip at all and others expect a tip around 10% rather than the 15-20% expected in the U.S.  I could spend an entire blog post on all of the various tipping customs I have experienced.  But, instead of trying to name them all, I’ll simply say that you should find out what the custom is before you go.  Read a guidebook or ask the hotel concierge what the policy is.  At the end of the day don’t sweat it too much, no one is going to slap you for leaving a small tip if one isn’t required.

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – James Michener

5) Try to Speak the Language – No matter where you travel the quickest way you can get on the good side of a local is to attempt to speak their language.  Even if you completely butcher it and ask for a pet monkey instead of the soup de jour they will be grateful that you are trying to adapt to their culture rather than demanding they adapt to yours.  Simply knowing “Hello” “Goodbye” “Please” and “Thank You” will go a long way to showing your host nation that you are eager to get to know them.

In the end, travel etiquette is quite simple, you’re a guest so act like one. Do whatever you can to make the lives of your hosts easier. Speaking the language and engaging in the culture is a simple way to do this and it will dramatically increase the depth of your travel experience. Study a little bit before you go, ask lots of questions when talking with the locals and wherever you are, be all there.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

Agadir, Morocco

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It’s been a few weeks since we’ve taken a few more nuggets of wisdom from the 1951 publication of, “The Air Force Officer’s Guide.”  In the first two posts we looked at the attributes of conscience, leadership and unselfishness.

This week we continue on with discipline and dependability.  Stalwarts of the United States military in general, these two qualities enable military leaders to execute individual directives in support of national defense objectives.  Discipline is the ability to have self-control and execute under the hardest of circumstances.  Dependability is born of discipline and enables orders to be given with an unwritten guarantee that they will be followed, no questions.

Each of these are an everyday part of military life, but can be easily transferred to leadership in the private sector as well.  A good leader instills the values of his or her organization in the hearts of followers.  And the following are values that every organization can benefit from.

Discipline. In order to develop discipline within his organization, the leader must set the example of discipline.  Since the unit he commands is only a part of a larger organization, the leader must execute objectives or missions which reach him as orders from his own superior officers.  The United States Air Force is disciplined.  And no force which is undisciplined is worth a nickel of the taxpayer’s dollar.  The unhappy recollections of Bladensburg* and Bull Run** illustrate the point.  It would be worse than useless for it would constitute a public menace in itself.  The tradition of discipline is as deeply ingrained into the mind and heart of the successful officer as the tradition of leadership.

Dependability. When a proper officer receives a mission he attacks it determining to accomplish the end directed.  Failure to accomplish missions is the most condemning weakness an officer can dispaly.  Therefore the tradition of dependability grows as the experience of an officer expands.  He extends it to all things, great and small.  His word is taken for granted.  His written reports or statements are accepted at their face value.  He is a man to be trusted and depended upon to do his topmost best in the discharge of his responsibilities.

*Battle of Bladensburg – a battle fought during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn Washington, D.C. – wikipedia

**Bull Run – First major land battle of the Civil War where Union soldiers were eventually routed and forced to retreat. – wikipedia

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Taking on 70,000 lbs of gas from a KC-135, 20,000 ft over the Atlantic…definitely a lesson in skilled living:

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Continuing on in our series, we take a look at a few more sections from the classic 1951 version of, “The Air Force Officer’s Guide.”  The topic of leadership is discussed by many and understood by few.  The military relies on it everyday and trains it’s officers to lead men and women in day-to-day tasks as well as in combat.  More than any other environment, the military is the greatest leadership laboratory.  And intimately connected to leadership is it’s partner unselfishness.

Many mistakenly view leadership as an opportunity to control others and use them to serve one’s own purposes.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  True leadership is found in serving others rather than being served.  Only someone who is unselfish can grasp the true meaning and power of great leadership.

Here’s what the guide has to say on leadership and unselfishness:

Leadership.  The officers is trained to lead.  From his earliest days the tradition is ground into him.  He becomes accustomed to receive and execute missions.  This requires him to plan work, assign missions to others, and then to see that their work is done skillfully and in cooperation with others. As he grows older his training and experience broadens and increases his capabilities; this is generally accompanied by greater responsibilities. Thus the tradition of leadership deepens. Just as he is trained to lead others, he is trained to be led by others. For no military person can rise so high, or attain so great a position, that he is not responsible to another. The Chief of Staff reports and is responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force who in turn reports to the Secretary of Defense. Military leadership requires ability to develop teamwork and at the same time to be part of a team.

Unselfishness.  The officer is confronted constantly with putting someone or something ahead of his personal likes or dislikes or preferences.  When he is in command of men he must see to it that their needs are satisfied before he cares for his own comforts. If his assignment takes him east when he prefers to go west, he goes east. If he wishes a course at a service school and is sent to an obscure post on duty of small appeal, he forgoes the school. When the good of the Air Force or of his unit requires him to do or forgo doing something which he wants, the proper officer takes the action which is for the good of the service. These examples with countless others emphasize the life of unselfishness which is the life of the officer.

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H.A.L.O. stands for High Altitude Low Opening…Air Force P.J.’s are masters of this type of jump.

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During the three months my family and I spent in Altus, OK this spring, while I completed my initial C-17 training, we attended a book fair one Saturday afternoon at the local library.  As I walked into the room full of books, my attention immediately shifted to a pile of old, tattered hardcovers in the back corner.  Old books have always fascinated me.  Not that old always means better, but maybe in a world of quick gimmicks and one-hit wonders, something that has stood the test of time can offer us something we don’t normally find, wisdom.

So, you can imagine my delight when my friend, Chris Yengo, pointed out to me a copy of an tattered, blue book, straight from the 50′s entitled, “The Air Force Officer’s Guide.”  To most this might not be such a great find, but I am, in fact, an Air Force officer and was sure that there would be a few pearls of wisdom to be found in this book; this collection of lessons written in an age when it wasn’t offensive to be direct and virtue was something to be honored rather than sold in a cute children’s book.

For the next several weeks I want to present to you, taken straight from the book, some wonderful traits and traditions of Air Force officership.  Like many classics, they are universal and can easily be transferred from the life of an officer to yours, wherever you are and whatever you happen to do.  Tonight we look at conscience straight from page 325:

Conscience. A quality invariably present in fine Air Force officers is the driving force of conscience. No man other than yourself can say with assurance how hard you tried to do your job. Success is no criterion here. Many an officer has accomplished the task assigned in an excellent manner, drawing praise from his superiors and subordinates alike, but finding the taste of praise bitter because he knew he could have done better.

Conscience will not let well enough alone, it insists on the best. It is good that this is so, since none may ever know by just what minute increment of effort the tide of battle is swayed. One is reminded of an Air Force officer in Korea who, being responsible for the maintenance of aircraft in his unit, had turned out for a critical day’s operation , 90 percent of his assigned aircraft in commission for combat. No other Air Force unit in Korea had as high an in-commission status that day. Yet the officer inquestion was obviously disconsolate.Standing in the cold mud of Korea with great rings of weariness under hus eyes from inhuman working hours this officer said: “A little forethought and I could have turned them all out.”

Thus spoke the driving force of conscience, the burning dissatisfaction with any result but the best. Shakespeare noted that “conscience doth make cowards of us all.” In some respects this is true, but if an officer learns that he is answerable to his conscience, and so acts as to be able to confront it without fear, conscience will make superior officers of most and heroes of some.

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