Doesn't Make Sense to Me

Lazy Iguana's posting of his "homeless" bumper stickers got me thinking about how our government is letting down the people of this country.

My DH works at a Navy Depot, and there is an Army Depot nearby. (We're always asked "why is there a Navy depot here in southcentral Pennsylvania?" The answer is that Harrisburg is a trucking hub for the northeast corridor. Memphis is the trucking hub of the country.)

Anyway, so there are alot of civilian employees of the Army and Navy here. Naturally, a good many businesses depend on the Army and Navy for their living. Many other provide services to the employees (civilian and enlisted) of the bases. So there are alot of people who have contact with those directly affected by what the government does to its employees and facilities.

Last week I met a nurse who has a patient, a serviceman who just returned from Iraq. His family here hasn't seen a paycheck in THREE MONTHS. When the government messes up my DH's paycheck, it takes months to correct it. I know a National Guard reservist who was gone so long that he lost his business. Other reservists that were supposed to serve overseas six months end up having their stays extended multiple times, until it's a year and a half until they actually return. Not all of them have jobs when they do get back (many employers do try to hold jobs, but after awhile, especially the smaller ones, just have to fill that spot).

Then there are the base closures and realignments (BRAC). We've gone thru many of them and have learned to not get so scared since my DH can now see retirement within reach. But there are towns and businesses that suffer greatly when bases are closed or forces reduced so much. Taxes cannot be paid by people without jobs and towns cannot provide services if they don't have a tax base.

And when there are the cut-backs at bases, that means that people are let go. I can tell you that this is false economy. Many of those people in the technology fields can get similar jobs in the private sector, so they're okay. BUT the Navy and Army still needs SOMEone to provide those services. So guess what? The military hires private contractors to get the same stuff done. I can't tell you how many of my DH's former collegues are now working at the base doing the same things but being paid MORE because the military contracted out the job. (You should see the nice facility the Navy built for the contractors.)

And can someone answer this: why are we cutting back on facilities and services when we are fighting a war? If we have to send our people in harms way overseas, then let's support them!!