How do we as a DoD ensure we are properly spending the capital during this draw down period?

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 09:08:07 -0500

As many of you might know, I am an avid follower of a blog called John Q. Public (JQP) which is written by a retired AF Officer with a rather impressive resume. I tell you this, because his facebook page is the source of the photo used as the primer for this discussion.

The image above highlights 4 news articles regarding recent manpower issues.

One with Tops in Blue. https://www.usafservices.com/default.aspx?TabID=1263
One for the Air Force Band. http://www.usafband.af.mil/
With the other two highlighting issues with with career fields or units that directly support the operational mission of the Air Force.

So the proposed question for discussion is simple, given the current draw down and fiscal restraints, how do we as a DoD ensure we are properly and wisely spending the capital in both funding and personnel that we do have during this draw down period?

Tops In Blue

Tops In Blue website

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2015 9:49 AM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 09:49:47 -0500

I believe that at most there should be 1 AF band, all others (like Command level bands) need to go away. Those authorizations could be used to fill very short manned career fields. Tops in Blue, disband, if anyone uses the it increases moral argument for retaining these functions then I will say now, giving help to low manned career fields will do much more to help moral.

Response by Maj Matt Hylton made Jan 30 at 2015 1:40 PM

Maj Matt Hylton — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 13:40:13 -0500

I have come to despise the term "do more with less" but it has just become mantra from AF leadership over the past 5 years of shrinking budgets.

No one does more with less. When you are given less people/money/resources, you do less.

You CAN become more efficient by cutting out the chaff (some additional duties, nice to have stuff vs. mandatory actions/training), but if you are doing MORE with LESS, then your organization was royally screwed up in the first place.