What We Need Extravagance and Shortages in America's Military

by Tillman, Barrett

• ISBN13: 9780760328699
• ISBN10: 0760328692
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-09-15
• Publisher: Zenith Press

Summary

In early 2006 the Army chief of staff reported about $440 billion in expenditures. A dollar bill is a smidgen over six inches long. If 440 billion greenbacks are placed end to end, they would extend 220 billion feet, or 41,600,000 miles. That's 1,664 times around the equator. If the greenbacks had Andy Jackson's picture instead of George Washington's, that line still would run well over 2,000,000 miles. That's about four trips to the moon and back. So, then..... On $440 billion, how is it possible that soldiers still lack sufficient body armor, training facilities and ammunition, and high-tech bandages? On $440 billion, how is it possible that there is not enough money for vehicle maintenance and repair? On $440 billion, how is it possible that GIs still write home asking folks to send socks and sheets and batteries? What We Needaddresses The Great American Dichotomy: we allocate vast sums for our military, yet inevitably we spend most of that treasure on technical marvels that we do not use. And if we do not use them, we are entitled to ask how much we need them.

Author Biography

Barrett Tillman is a professional author with nearly forty books to his credit, including several works of fiction. He has contributed more than five hundred articles to aviation, military, and defense journals such as International Defense Review, Naval Institute Proceedings, and USAF Fighter Weapons Review. His recent works include On Yankee Station, a D-Day encyclopedia, a history of the Air Force, and a biography of Curtis LeMay.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 7
War? What War?	p. 15
We Need People	p. 29
We Need Training	p. 59
We Need Logistics	p. 75
We Need Guns and Gear	p. 91
We Need Objectivity	p. 133
The China Syndrome	p. 153
Some Suggestions	p. 171
Guessing the Future	p. 219
Glossary	p. 247
Index	p. 249
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