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Above All...In Blue Leather
July 20, 2008 | Posted by Kip - 2:07pm | 21 Comments
How do you defeat an enemy that hides among the innocent?
Apparently you defeat them by partying hard with the VIPs in your sound proof luxury capsule. At least that must be the theory behind the development of the Senior Leader in-Transit
While Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen going to and from theater watched the same in-flight movie for the last two years (oh I hate you Wild Hogs) on 1970s-era commercial charters and Kip's team spent the majority of their tour traveling dangerous roads without the benefit of armor, the Air Force spent over $300,000 in Global War on Terrorism money to develop an even better luxury trailer for senior leader transit (a decision it says it now will reverse). The total cost of the project will be at least $4.4 million according to an open letter sent to Secretary Gates by the non-partisan Project on Government Oversight.
Key concerns of the senior leadership included the length of the seat lamps, the color of the leather (from brown to blue for an additional cost of just over $100,000), and whether the module would be "world class." (see the personal emails and forms from senior leaders in POGO's appendices, truly petty stuff).
It's great to see that the Air Force is keeping the enemy down by aiming high when it comes to senior leaders' comfort.
(here is another editorial on the subject)
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