28Nov06

Good news, for a change:

"John, as you know , I've been a logistics officer with the USMC fo r ten years, and, yes, I can surely vouch for the bureaucratic nature of our syst em and, yes, we surely have some stupid rules, as you pointed out.

The good news is that our system today has more capability than any other i n the world, before or since! I know it's an annoying and inefficient when you want to conduct training at a small range, but our System is infinitely

expandable and extraordinarily capable. You need to understand this about military systems: we're not 'efficient,' and really can't be . But, we are extremely effective, and we regard efficiency as existing only to enhance effectiveness, not the other way around. All military supply systems are g oing to be wasteful, at least by private-sector standards. It's the nature of warfare and of constantly preparing for war.

Rommel said, 'Amateurs study tactics. Professionals study logistics, ' and he is more right today than ever. We here at DOD are far from perfect, as you noted, but we do it better, far better, than anyone else in the world! =9D

Comment: Thanks for the update and education, Bud, and thanks for your service to our Country. How I pray your are right!

/John