US Military Can Not Pay Light Bill or Pay to Cut Grass... BROKE!

[Ioo]

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=3537

Well if you are going to screw something up, might as well go the distance. Army post nationwide, are feeling the budget crunch, due to diversion of dollars to help fight the war in Iraq. A shortfall, to the tune of $530 Million at that. Causing the inability to pay utility bills, buy office equipment, keeping all dining halls open, buying chlorine for the pools where soldier’s kids take swimming lessons, or even buying enough feed for the horses that help carry soldier’s caskets to their graves.

A diversion of dollars to help fight the war in Iraq has helped create a $530 million shortfall for Army posts at home and abroad, leaving some unable to pay utility bills or even cut the grass.

In San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston hasn’t been able to pay its $1.4 million monthly utility bill since March, prompting workers in many of the post’s administrative buildings to get automated disconnection notices.

Fort Bragg in North Carolina can’t afford to buy pens, paper or other office supplies until the new fiscal year starts in October.

And in Kentucky, Fort Knox had to close one of its eight dining halls for a month and lay off 133 contract workers.

“Every time something goes away it impacts a person … a soldier or their family or one of our civilians,” said Col. Wendy Martinson, garrison commander at Fort Sam Houston, which has 27,300 military and civilian workers. “I’m charged with taking care of them, not taking things away from them.”

Garrisons function as the city halls of Army installations, providing services such as garbage removal, mail delivery and firefighting. The Army’s Installation Management Agency is $530 million short of what it needs through Oct. 1 to fund garrisons at the 117 installations it oversees in the United States, Europe and Asia, agency spokesman Stephen Oertwig said.

But one thing is for sure, let it have something to do with a Republican’s area, and then they get worried like the rest of us.

“Every day we’re looking at what are those services that are required to keep the Army going and where can we get efficiencies,” Oertwig said. “We’re looking to get a dollar’s worth of service out of 90 cents or less in some cases.”

That alarms U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, a Republican whose district includes Fort Sam Houston.

In a letter to Army Secretary Francis Harvey, Smith said he worries the budget crisis will affect Fort Sam Houston’s ability to accommodate the 11,000 additional personnel being sent there starting next year by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

“That Fort Sam cannot even pay for basic post operations is, frankly, Mr. Secretary, a disgrace,” he said.

Welcome the the reality of “Stay the Course” Congressman Smith! Enjoy the product of people like you and your ilk.

[mediaman007]

1. That's because Bush* has never had to pay a bill in his life. Someone has

always been their to clean up his mess. He and his supporters have no plan to finish in Iraq. They think that people will fund their misadventures indefinitely. They have completely run our military into the ground. Worst president...ever!

[lyonn]

2. I have a feeling the troops in Iraq arn't being well cared for

by Halliburton and we all know they get paid well whether they perform properly or not - remember the water they were getting from the river and running it thru an inadequate filter for the guys to drink?

[TahitiNut]

3. one mess hall = 133 contract workers.???

No fucking wonder they're outa dough! The privateers are pillaging the treasury!

[Rex]

4. We've spent too much money, Repukes just keep raising the debt ceiling

over and over without oversight. We will fall like Rome, we do the same things and act the same way. The Roman Empire lasted 500 years before falling apart - will the American Empire last that long?

[chill_wind]

5. And THAT despite THIS:

data from: http://nationalpriorities.org/

[chill_wind]

6. kicking this n/t

[wicket]

7. Effing criminal!

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[porphyrian]

8. Support our troops! Freedom is not free!

Anyone ready to stick this in and break it off yet?

[Hubert Flottz]

9. Halliburton cut and ran all the way to the bank with our tax money

and nobody else even gets to bid on the contracts!

Cheney runs the country and he's cutting and running with the funding for the military in a time of war to make a buck...If the rich people would pay their share of the taxes, like they did back in 2000, we'd not be broke.