Authorize Warfighter Credit Lines For On-Line Purchases Of Gear

    FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION WILL ALLOW THE BEST PRODUCT FOR WARFIGHTERS

There were two meetings I had with the General Accountability Office (GAO) prior to the release of their audit (June 09) that I have been protesting for over two years.  I started off both meetings by saying out-loud, “the reason we are here is because CLP (gun oil) does not work properly”. If GAO would have read the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for CLP) the audit would have been more balanced and an investigation would have been warranted into using --  flammables on weapons in combat.

 This 32 year old Milspec oil (with its 20 upgrades or so) is recommended for most military weapons and under world-wide conditions. However, the vapors of this low flashpoint oil catches fire and weapons stop working when they are needed most. Who could be this ignorant to mandate 149 degree flashpoint oil on hot weapons in combat?  This is why weapons jam, soldiers die and Picatinny Arsenal (ARDEC) awards big bucks to their friends to solve the variety of problems a low flashpoint lubricant creates.

 ARDEC is the arsonist and the fire department, (all-in-one just like CLP’s three functions out of the same bottle. Plus, you have east coast trash haulers and countless scientists all draining Uncle Sam, while keeping our troops in danger with gear that does not work properly. If soldiers gear worked the way it should, there would be no fires to put out, nothing to upgrade, or repair, which shutters the revolving door. This proves zero correlation exists between federal workers (claiming their work is vitally important for warfighter survival) and warfighters receiving the proper gear when needed. Our military mentality for the past 100 years has been:  “one-shoe-fits-all-sizes” which has proven not to work from 2001 thru 2011, since missions are spread out across the planet, (climate extremes)  more women ( unique sizes) and smaller specialized units being activated on short notice.

The only new gizmo to reach the warfighter in the past ten years has been the Picatinny Rail. The list of cancelled programs, upgraded and discontinued warfighter gear is too numerous to list, however, this proves (after wasting hundreds of billions) private sector technology is needed to reform the acquisition process. Private sector technology will launch our own astronauts back into space again, versus relying on the Russians to take us to the space station we primarily built. 

Further, and consistent with past mistakes, small business will create the next generation of weapons to replace the family of M16’s and other problematic weapons. The Singer Sewing Machine Company built great weapons during our past wars and built them proudly. America can do this again by allowing full and open competition – Is-- What –Made—America--Great. History is our judge, so the President must open up competition for all Americans to compete for all USG business and enforce the Defense Streamlining Acquisition Act (s) including other agencies that can adopt portions of acquisition reform.

The MILITEC PLAN will allow DoD to purchase the necessary equipment it needs and GAO can start the process of changing their 90 year old business mentality, which is the same problem DoD has with one-shoe-fitting-all-sizes. The USG needs to move past the “communism mentality” in the federal workforce. Reward folks for saving money (thinking outside the box) as a private business would.

There are four ways to save the economy without cutting Defense or Social Programs:

1.       Allow the acquisition (full and open competition) of federal (COTS) gear by warfighters and others with on-line debit cards that have a fixed credit line to approved DoD/GSA competitive merchandizing websites.

2.       Allow federal workers (that spend 5, 8 hour days on a computer) to work from home.

3.       Offer Multi- Million Dollar Rewards for workers that can yield (surrender their) programs for private sector absorption and reward Big Bucks for eliminating redundancies, reducing waste and blowing the whistle on waste. 

4.       Eliminate the IRS and impose a tax on all goods, services and the like sold in America. Mandate long oil drain intervals for all highway vehicles using American oil filter technology.

The New Super (committee) Congress is made up along party lines and the same old rhetoric will be played out.  However, if members will consider the MILITEC PLAN, no programs will have to be cut on either side, except for the IRS (if point 4 was adopted) which would be popular to shutter, especially in an election year.  The reason this plan will work is because I have been in the middle of our corrupt government and fighting for my life for the past 25 years. My recommendations for reform are also based on my business experience in understanding and identifying government abuses.

Full and open Competition (thinking outside the box) is what made our country great. DoD must scale down the old military communistic mentality –believing that our soldiers are stupid and civilian helpers are required to make sure their gear works.  A soldier should be allowed the same benefits as our federal law enforcement officers. Why the double standard in this High Tec age we live in since our troops are volunteers versus mostly jail birds as was the case when I joined in 1972. Back in the 70’s many troops needed babysitting, or went back to jail. Today troops are all volunteers, educated, motivated and can order gear online to save Uncle Sam hundreds of billions annually.

 What is the most important piece of hardware a soldier relies on in combat?  Their weapons ability to work is no different operationally than an Abrams tank engine running wide-open. Synthetic oils are required because of their high flashpoints that are well over 400 degrees F and their heat-transfer capabilities. Then why in the world would the army have a military specification for a weapon lube (for tank guns too) when the flashpoint of the liquid is only 149 degree F?

This is so army-stupid that GAO auditors could not understand the dangers of a 149 degree flashpoint lubricant being applied to hot guns were the gunmetal is over twice the temperatures as the CLP oil. The only way to challenge this combustible specification is by bringing up the issue of (your stuff don’t work) to the authors at Picatinny Arsenal. This powerful gang in NY /NJ will fall on their swords before admitting to any jammed weapons that have resulted in dead, captured and injured troops caused by their 149 degree specification.

The Program Managers and their multiple layers of worker-bees cannot allow a two-cent solution (COTS full and open Competition) to solve a million dollar problem.  This proves federal worker innovation (LE not included) is lacking (can’t think outside Milspec “conformance” box) and the local electronic store and hardware stores (and their new hires) could build needed technology now, and not the standard 10 year wait time for new gear to reach the troops. What happens to all army gear that finally reaches the troops after waiting a decade? Upgrades, downgrades, cancelled programs; including “Trojan Horse Programs” to ensure the federal worker remains in a job that should not exist in the first place since the local hardware store could have supplied the product or service.

 Why hire folks to develop and manage gear for Uncle Sam, if all you have to do is call True Value or Radio Shack. Plus, and the bigger issue, ARDEC would never admit to a 32 year old failed CLP gun oil program that is directly responsible for jammed weapons and dead troops. The reason a (defective) 149 degree Milspec gun oil has survived and even flourished (for over 30 years) is by not working properly on gun-metal.  This allows the money (we don’t have) for new weapons, parts, new supplies and of course simulation and closed door laboratory testing (with multiple labs to choose from) to demonstrate to congress that DoD is working (blowing dough) on the problem.  On-line purchasing, with competition will shutter the revolving door and ensure the troops receive the best gear.

If there was not a government program, there would not be a problem to fix. To say it another way, DoD has too many folks working on technology solutions, that should be the purview of American small business. This is common sense because American Entrepreneurs are more creative than career federal workers. This is a completely different mindset of working around the clock to solve a problem, versus federal work hours and their influences that can hinder productivity.

An immediate solution to fix a large part of the antiquated acquisition system is, Uncle Sam needs to authorize warfighters their own credit lines in order to requisition their needed gear on-line from commercial and competitive DoD managed Web Outlets. This eliminates the middle man (worker-bees) and a boat load of millionaires that take advantage of the very system that’s filled with all their buddies that are supposed to be looking out for Uncle Sam’s loot.  Troops must be allowed to order all gear on-line prior to deployment. Now, with drawdown’s taking place in Iraq and soon to be Afghanistan there will be more shortages as a steady stream of warfighter emails reveal.

 Since the beginning of OEF, there has been issues with the majority of the gear, to include, rucksacks, Velcro, boots, armor, helmets, weapons, weapons accessories and now the new camouflage clothing (BDU’s) so the troops can hide better (after 10 years of being shot at with the other design). This 10 year track record (really since Vietnam) of supplying our warfighters with less than the best gear, only guarantees new federal  hires,  promotions for folks who rubber stamp  gear and a ton of millionaires that influence  certain ranks within DoD.

History (the past 10 years) reveals the lack of proper gear being issued when needed. The USG should not be in business that the private sector can do-- better faster and cheaper. No one would argue this point except for federal workers whom believe their role keeps are troops safer. However, the cancellation yearly of billion dollar programs, allows for other programs to get corrupted and then the millionaires spin off from Potomac to Great Falls.

Federal workers do not get rich by any means, but many are crucial (let’s avoid lobbyists for now) to which business receives money or not. The MILITEC PLAN will eliminate the old boy and revolving door network that has bankrupted our country while spinning off greedy millionaires being rewarded for gadgets that don’t work properly. Full and Open competition with the adoption of the MILITEC PLAN will make America Great once again by learning from the past and adopting lesson learned from the “Great Generation”.

 Trillions of dollars will never have to be spent by Uncle Sam if full and open competition is allowed which will create millions of new and innovative jobs.  Huge DoD savings will result from allowing commercial off the self technology (COTS) for all gear that will be acquisitioned by the warfighter prior to deployment.  To prove this, under COTS the average soldier needs $50,000.00 in gear over a four year period. Each soldier now cost Uncle Sam over one-million dollars. It’s the R&D/T&E and countless federal workers (AMC/DLA/GSA/ARSENALS/BASES/ECT that push up the cost of a part so high.

 One final point on recent waste and why the MILITEC PLAN is needed.  The new GPS Gucci gear being issued to some troops recently weighs too much, does not work properly and is difficult to use. So what is DoD’s solution after spending billions on gear that does not work properly? Go to the commercial market and buy a Droid (or COTS equivalent).  Congress must enforce the Defense Streamlining Acquisition Act and adopt the MILITEC PLAN to create millions of new and innovative jobs.

Please contact me if I may be of service.

MORE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE MILITEC PLAN

There are approximately one-million DoD civilian jobs -- 779,163 regular jobs plus an undisclosed amount of contractors –estimated well over 100,000. The total number of warfighters is 1.43 million.   The main problem with DoD is it’s mentality of one-shoe fitting all sizes as it did since World War One. This dated mentality is wasteful since our missions now are spread out across the planet, smaller groups being deployed and more women in the ranks which require adjustment to the basic gear. As an example, the rucksacks are now being modified since many warfighters are getting injured.   

This top heaving bureaucracy is so top heavy that even the most simple task (K-9 being deployed) results in, paralysis- by- analysis, which only reinforces the status quo.  The only way to evaporate 500,000 workers is by allowing competitive on-line purchasing of gear by warfighters with credit lines.  This new system will close down the money trail that has corrupted the DoD and prevents needed gear from reaching the warfighter.

When we invaded Afghanistan, the equipment the average warfighter carried was all dated and nothing new other than the “Picatinny Rail”. It took warfighter questions to Donald Rumsfeld concerning ballistic protection for the Hummers to get action from the DoD bureaucracy.  

Where was the large civilian work force back home looking out for the troops when their vehicles were left defenseless?  Warfighters were forced to weld steel plates onto vehicles -- in a war zone -- because one-million DoD folks back home and abroad were not watching their backs and they were also not smart enough to realize that ballistic protection might come in handy to protect loss of life.  Plus, why did it take almost 10 years to field the right camouflage pattern to help hide the troops from the enemy?  The blame for this imbalance is not republican or a democrat, its greedy DoD civilians that place their job security above the welfare of the troops. The proof of a broken DoD is evidenced by the lack of gear and the countless upgrades, and downgrades with the existing gear. DoD would rather use their own folks to fix (upgrade) a problem, versus using a better mousetrap that competition allows.

Based on the variety and ever evolving technical screw-ups by DoD civilians since OEF started has proven the DoD work-force numbers have no bearing on the readiness of the average warfighter preparing for war. Troops today are still lacking basic staples that are supposed to be standard issue gear. Even with the countless billions from the free spending era of Bush, the average warfighter still did not have the basic gear prior to deployment. I have emails from front line soldiers to prove this in triplicate, if anyone cares if our troops have high confidence prior to landing in a war zone or not. Does the proper equipment matter when boots hit the ground in theater, your dam right it does and DoD has done a terrible job at keeping even basic supplies in stock, let alone delivered when needed.

It puzzles me when I count the number of SES positions and other positions with the tremendous perks  that are tied to the reliable DoD revolving door. Are these folks needed to oversee how tanks are made, or if they work? The point is this, if DoD folks cannot justify their position as supporting warfighters (versus supporting the bureaucracy) and all they do is “rubber stamp” documents for their bosses, then what good are they other than standing in the way of progress? Do these hard-boiled and embolden bureaucrats ensure our warfighters are safer every day, or are they there to deal with Capitol Hill politics and supporting the status quo?

 DoD must take the purse strings away from its civilian workforce that manages everyday items and allow warfighters to order all their gear online through competitive websites. Each warfighter would have a credit line and would be their responsibility to have the proper gear prior to deployment. Purchasing basic supplies online evaporates the civilian acquisition workforce and the related programs -- because no one needs or wants their services any longer.

So why are folks so concerned over the cuts to defense? Is it that needed technology will not get to the troops and more of them will be killed, or is it the high paying government jobs with amazing benefits that allows too much idle time (for bureaucrats) to figure out how to spend as much of Uncle Sam’s money as possible, in order to have at least that same amount for the following year. As the saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it.  To prove this, Militec Inc always sees a spike in sales at the end of the acquisition year for the very reason of spending all the money. If DoD was a business, many employees would be in jail. Why can’t a government agency be run like a business? The answer is easy, the corruption of politics allows for embolden rascals to run amok – under the umbrella of national security.

This is not rocket science in dealing with pentagon cuts. All you have to do is look back at the past decade and count the new technology that is now standard issue for the troops and you will have the tragic answer.  I’m not suggesting shutting down necessary programs that cannot be done through out-sourcing and total absorption through private sector innovation. The basic issue gear, weapons and accessories can all be privatized plus this eliminates redundancies and ensures the best products get to the troops and in time.

DoD must realize that even active duty folks (PEO Soldier as example) will bend over for contractors because some will be leaving the service and want to have jobs. In other words, you can’t have future employment (for soldiers/DoD civies) interfere with getting the proper gear to the troops. The only way to cut acquisition waste for commodities (in our changing environment) is to allow credit lines for the acquisition of basic gear (by warfighters) through approved and competitively operated websites. This will not only eliminate the waste, it will make the accounting easier, since the troops will be the ones responsible for ordering their own supplies on-line prior to deployment.

Some fault lies with the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) whom will only hire former commanders of Army Material Command (AMC) to become President of the Association. Why is the policy of AUSA to only hire former CG’s of AMC?  This ensures the good old boy network and the money connections to AMC -- which pays the association Big Bucks for trade shows in DC and Florida in order to show off all the neat Gucci gear costing billions that seldom reach the average warfighter.

AUSA hinders competition and prevents the creation of American jobs by carrying the services’ water to Capitol Hill to influence army-specific legislation. For this lobbying service, AMC pays AUSA   for these high dollar tradeshows and related activities, including golfing outings. This is an easy case of following the money right to the tradeshow in DC and the personalities at the event -- which makes my case.

In order to cut waste, the pentagon must allow for full and open competition for all basic supplies, including most  weapons and accessories. This new acquisition process for sourcing basic supplies is for all active duty members with assigned credit lines that apply for gear only.  This new online ordering system will ensure the purchase of items that are needed and in budget since all ordering will be out-side the control of the existing acquisition system. Competition will place DoD on a diet, if they like it or not.