State Guard leader, wife went to Virgin Islands meeting (oh! th'high cost o'war!)

[struggle4progress]

The adjutants general gathering is under fire for the use of taxpayer money to go to a ritzy resort at a time of war.

By JIM ADAMS, Star Tribune
Last update: June 28, 2008 - 7:35 PM

Minnesota's top National Guard leader and his wife joined military brass traveling at taxpayer expense to the U.S. Virgin Islands this week to attend a meeting of the Adjutants General Association of the United States.

Maj. Gen. Larry Shellito was among dozens of generals and several hundred senior Guard leaders at the exclusive Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort on St. Thomas ...

Budget watchdogs contended that the tropical getaway sent a poor message at a time when the Guard -- stretched by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- has a $47.5 billion deficit in the equipment accounts ...

The Guard said it could not immediately calculate the exact cost of the event, which began Monday and ended Friday evening, because not every state sends the same number of people and airfare can vary.

http://www.startribune.com/local/22502039.html?location_refer=Local%20+%20Metro

[Arctic Dave]

1. This ranks up there with the

TSA training in Hawaii.



War is hell........now were did I leave my sunblock?

[babylonsister]

2. Holy crap! Who authorized this? dozens of generals and several hundred senior Guard leaders?

US Virgin Islands? Arrive Sunday, leave Saturday? That's big bucks. What was wrong with sinking that cash into a city in the US that could have used it?

Can anyone say boondoggle?


3. a project funded by the federal government out of political favoritism that is of no real value to the community or the nation.

[patrice]

3. America loves its class distinctions. nt

[SalmonChantedEvening]

4. As another soldier heads out on his 3rd tour. Or her fourth.

:grr:

[jtrockville]

5. probably without proper equipment

[riverdeep]

6. They should be in the midwest helping with flood damage relief.

You know, like the lower ranks are. This is on top of the fact that the National Guard shouldn't even be in Iraq. It's the National Guard for a reason. Bush just used them so he wouldn't have to institute a draft which would have made his little misadventure less popular.