Biden as POTUS: Military rollback?

[Devil Doc]

I predict after all the court filings and appeals and when SCOTUS rejects everything that the Biden win will stand.

I just pray for a peaceful transition of power. That's very important to the legitimacy of a free nation and we are too good a country and People to have otherwise.

 

[unkown1961]

I predict after all the court filings and appeals and when SCOTUS rejects everything that the Biden win will stand.

I just pray for a peaceful transition of power. That's very important to the legitimacy of a free nation and we are too good a country and People to have otherwise.

And SCOTUS rejecting these cases will add legitimacy to Barrett and Kavanaugh as picks.

 

[Impulsive]

As far as the "initial" question posed by OP, if history repeats itself Republicans generally spend more money on defense and Democrats usually tend to spend more money on social programs. How that will effect the "bottom line" for the services I have no idea, but I doubt it will have any effect on manpower as the services still lose a considerable number of people upon expiration of contracted service, so they still need to recruit and commission X number of new people annually. Where I think, and this is JMHO, is that major programs such as acquisition and modernization may take a major hit.
Budgets are submitted by the President and approved by Congress, so the new President will have his say starting FY 2022 and we shall see if any changes are requested. As for personnel, JMHO but I think a Democratic Administration will roll back many or the more restrictive personnel policies of the current administration, but the country still needs to maintain military readiness to defend our country so the cuts can't be too Draconian!

 

[THParent]

I still regard the Golden Age of flight in the Marine Corps as the years 1980 - 1988. The valve was wide open during those two terms in office.
It was wonderful.

 

[Devil Doc]

I still regard the Golden Age of flight in the Marine Corps as the years 1980 - 1988. The valve was wide open during those two terms in office.
It was wonderful.

I remember the pay raise then. T’was a good one.

 

[Anguswarrior112]

IMHO, I don't think it will change that much. With the growing threat of Russia and especially China, both parties know that keeping an advanced military is still essential to our national security. With China's fast growing military, repeated Cyber attacks on the US, South China Sea Disputes, Indian border Disputes, and the continuous flights over Taiwan, I think both parties will acknowledge the incoming threats. The current administration has set a direction to increasing military spending, if the Democratic Party takes over, I believe that spending won't be increased but most likely maintained. The military doctrine has shifted over the past few years from fighting insurgents to preparing for Modern and Technological Warfare with larger adversaries like China and Russia. Spending on these types of warfare are more expensive, hence the increase in Drones, Space Force, Cyber Security, and Missiles.

 

[Miracle]

Hmm...race still seems to be on. A huge plot twist for Trump for him to win. xD

 

[Day-Tripper]

I still regard the Golden Age of flight in the Marine Corps as the years 1980 - 1988. The valve was wide open during those two terms in office.
It was wonderful.

Me too. Military pay doubled in 3 years in the early 1980s.

 

[jl123]

Me too. Military pay doubled in 3 years in the early 1980s.

As a Combat Engineer in the 80's, we had such a large supply of explosives for training that we couldn't use it all. One day near the end of the fiscal year, Battalion ordered all officers to report to the range with orders to keep blowing things up until all the inventory was gone. The higher powers were worried about getting a budget increase denied if we didn't use all we already had.

Not very efficient budget-wise, but a hell of a lot of fun. There was an old tank on the range that we stuffed as much explosives underneath it as we could and then made bets on how high in the air it would go. I think it was about 30 feet.

2 years later we were cancelling field exercises for lack of funding.

 

[OldRetSWO]

As far as the "initial" question posed by OP, if history repeats itself Republicans generally spend more money on defense and Democrats usually tend to spend more money on social programs. How that will effect the "bottom line" for the services I have no idea, but I doubt it will have any effect on manpower as the services still lose a considerable number of people upon expiration of contracted service, so they still need to recruit and commission X number of new people annually. Where I think, and this is JMHO, is that major programs such as acquisition and modernization may take a major hit.
Budgets are submitted by the President and approved by Congress, so the new President will have his say starting FY 2022 and we shall see if any changes are requested. As for personnel, JMHO but I think a Democratic Administration will roll back many or the more restrictive personnel policies of the current administration, but the country still needs to maintain military readiness to defend our country so the cuts can't be too Draconian!

What restrictive personnel policies other than transgender policy?

 

[USMCGrunt]

As a Combat Engineer in the 80's, we had such a large supply of explosives for training that we couldn't use it all. One day near the end of the fiscal year, Battalion ordered all officers to report to the range with orders to keep blowing things up until all the inventory was gone. The higher powers were worried about getting a budget increase denied if we didn't use all we already had.

Not very efficient budget-wise, but a hell of a lot of fun. There was an old tank on the range that we stuffed as much explosives underneath it as we could and then made bets on how high in the air it would go. I think it was about 30 feet.

2 years later we were cancelling field exercises for lack of funding.

I had a similar experience in the early 80's. Nearing the end of the fiscal year and facing a "Use it or lose it" policy, I was ordered to take my Infantry Platoon to the hand grenade range where we threw grenades from dawn to dusk. Other Platoon Commanders and their Platoons were sent to the range and spent the entire day shooting machine gun or rifle ammo downrange. There wasn't a lot of thought on cross training or skill development - the mission was to use all the munitions up. A few short years before, we couldn't even get live ammo. Crazy!

 

[Devil Doc]

The 10 percent budget model. Every fiscal year just add 10 percent to last years OPTAR. If you don't use it, you lose it.

After I had been teaching in public school about 3ish years I had finished my first masters which is in public administration. I started applying for government jobs and got several interviews. Every, single, one of them came down to financial management. I could have finagled a budget but my background with the 10 percent model did me in. I'm grateful I am still where I am for lots of reasons.

Even though I was once in control of multi-millions in dollars of medical gear and supplies as the shipboard medical programs manager at Military Sealift Command, I now must ask permission to get yellow stickies from the supply cabinet at work. That's OK with me as it allows me to concentrate more on my job than peripheral BS.

 

[Day-Tripper]

As a Combat Engineer in the 80's, we had such a large supply of explosives for training that we couldn't use it all. One day near the end of the fiscal year, Battalion ordered all officers to report to the range with orders to keep blowing things up until all the inventory was gone. The higher powers were worried about getting a budget increase denied if we didn't use all we already had.

Not very efficient budget-wise, but a hell of a lot of fun. There was an old tank on the range that we stuffed as much explosives underneath it as we could and then made bets on how high in the air it would go. I think it was about 30 feet.

2 years later we were cancelling field exercises for lack of funding.

Same with me in Quantico in 1982. While not as fun as blowing stuff up, I was assigned to a large work detail where we carried out almost new office furniture (desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, etc.) onto trucks, drove the north to just outside of DC & junked them all. Totally trashed. Had to make room for brand new stuff. They couldn't give the old stuff away, as that would have meant it was still useful & thus no need for new stuff. Complete waste. Fun day though.

 

[Tex232]

If Biden gets his way, probably a repeat of the Obama era cuts. Meaning the DoD gets to keep it’s fancy toys while personnel get thrown to the wolves.

 

[Chockstock]

As long as he sticks to the 500 ship navy the DoD is already planning and doesn't suck up to China (Biden and Xi enjoyed a close personal relationship during the Obama years), I'll be happy. Heck, even if they take away from the Army and AF budget to fund the Navy, I'm fine with it. I remember the Obama cuts and how he allowed China to militarize the SCS right under his nose. Just please, show anything but weakness in the face of China...

 

[FutureAcademyDad?]

Biden isn't Obama and his policies will not necessarily reflect the same value weighting that Obama's did. Remember, both of his sons served in the military.

The current economic situation is not exactly ideal, so some attempt at budgetary frugality is likely to come down the pike either way. But, historically, Biden has certainly not been a dove when it comes to supporting the military.

 

[OldRetSWO]

Remember, both of his sons served in the military.

Hunter did not actually serve. Was accepted into the Reserve as a PAO and then popped positive for Cocaine use at literally the beginning of his initial entry. Not conspiracy or dirt throwing, just the actual facts. It made the Navy look pretty bad for taking a candidate who was over the age for entry and had to be also waived for prior drug use who then immediately is found to be currently using.

 

[Devil Doc]

Hunter did not actually serve. Was accepted into the Reserve as a PAO and then popped positive for Cocaine use at literally the beginning of his initial entry. Not conspiracy or dirt throwing, just the actual facts. It made the Navy look pretty bad for taking a candidate who was over the age for entry and had to be also waived for prior drug use who then immediately is found to be currently using.

I wonder why the Navy has a program like that? Besides H. Biden I can think of two others and surely there’s more. Reince Priebus is a recent new ensign and Sean Spicer, but at least he’s a lieutenant commander with several years service.

The only reason I can think of is it’s a means to issue political favors and the “service” member gets a resume entry and sweet parking at Mission Barbecue.

 

[OldRetSWO]

I wonder why the Navy has a program like that? Besides H. Biden I can think of two others and surely there’s more. Reince Priebus is a recent new ensign and Sean Spicer, but at least he’s a lieutenant commander with several years service.

The only reason I can think of is it’s a means to issue political favors and the “service” member gets a resume entry and sweet parking at Mission Barbecue.

The just retired senior Reserve PAO in the Navy posts on a site that I'm on and was questioned about this. Because Active Duty PAOs generally lat transfer into the community as LTs and some time after that transition into the USNR, that makes it hard to fill some of the initial entry level (O1, O2 and even O3) billets vacant in the community so they do take some direct entry folks as opposed to most other reserve officer communities who mostly take only from Active Duty. In Preibus's case, he is an experienced communicator and was judged to be a good addition and did OK. Spicer came in without an age waiver and did fine within the Navy. I didn't see any real commentary about HB. My guess is that they took a risk on someone who they thought could help the Navy by being known in high places but clearly, they were left with egg on their face.

 

[Devil Doc]

@OldRetSWO thanks, that makes sense. I went to Liberia with retired Marine LtCol Rob Riggle (pic is him on the Ponce in transit to Mamba station). He was a career PAO (after leaving flight school) in the Marine Reserve. Like every other Marine, he hated seeing me on Fridays when I handed out the weekly Mefloquine tablets. I retired from Military Sealift Command HQ and we had a huge and robust Public Affairs office. I don't remember seeing any military members but I only went inside their big office for the Christmas party. Every other directorate handed out cookies but the PAO had mixed drinks. THE PAO was a SES who could have run a major news outlet or TV station and she probably had spent a good amount of time in front of a camera in her early days. Plus she made a heck of a margarita. Surely the statute of limitations on drinking at a navy command in the middle of a work day has expired.