Romney plans Navy buildup

[haele]

15. The privatization is in flux - after 10 years, the Pentagon has been noting where it doesn't work -

and are directing the program offices to in-source a lot of work they used to outsource - if it's 40 hr. year in/year out regular work that requires an understanding of the system, a military background and/or life-cycle understanding. Especially in Program Management and Acquisition. "At notice" logistics, facilities maintenance, trouble desks for commercial-based systems, R&D - most of that can still be privatized, but the military is leaning more to a career-based workforce in areas that corporations used to claim they could do cheaper - but with not as much quality and follow-on support (which ended up making it far more expensive to privatize over the years).

The Acquisition/Life-cycle world in the DoD is changing pretty rapidly. That might be why some of the Neo-Cons and their Corporate Investors are panicking - the majority of the military itself doesn't want to be used as a welfare vehicle for investment firms anymore. Yes, you'll still get a few Pentagon types who want to be part of Carlyle Group, or on the rotating BoD of the big 10, but even then - there's only so many spots open at those levels, and most of the retired 3- and 4-Star types who got themselves placed in those positions over the past 10 years aren't going to be leaving any time soon.

It just isn't as worth it to sell out as it used to be. Most of the "Birds" and "Stars" are figuring out they'd have a better chance at retired wealth if they double-dip in Federal service than fight the entrenched fight with the Rumsfeld era Neo-Con syncophants for corporate power positions or "think tanks" - hence, another reason to stop outsourcing to private companies.

Haele