A bit of "food" for thought

[Cumminalong]

Originally Posted by RAVXD

i dont even now what to say anymore, im worried ill offend somebody...........

Ahhhhh, that's only happens when there's AF folks around....

[SeabeeDiver]

Originally Posted by Cumminalong

Right, but EMERGENCY treatment is the key to that.

Most of the stuff that the ship was doing was Primary Care, not emergency treatment.

They were doing Cleft lips plastic surgery, circumcisions, dental care, etc.

That's the stuff that you couldn't get done here unless you got the bucks. But we'll spend yours and my tax dollars to treat these people.

That's were I call BS.

This is part of the regional engagement mission that has been long-neglected in the SOUTHCOM AOR. We've been doing this type of thing for a while in other parts of the world, but until very recently (and a few high people actually listening to ADM Stavridis- an incredibly intelligent and well-respected COCOM), SOUTHCOM was a forgotten backwater. It's amazing what a loud-mouthed dictator spouting off Bolivarian revolutionary garbage and sitting on some of the largest oil reserves in this part of the world will do for our desire to engage his neighbors.

I hear you on the illegal immigration and monies spent on them, but this is apples and footballs (not even apples and oranges). Regional engagement and HA/DR missions, particularly done by an asset such as COMFORT or MERCY are the piece that we've forgotten for so long and is why we don't have a positive image (it's that IO game that we're still learning) in many parts of the world. By doing this, we make friends with someone from whom we may need information in the future or prevent from becoming your next anti-American extremist. By using COMFORT or MERCY, you're not sucking up a deployable asset (be it gators or smallboys) and the work they can perform far exceeds the capabilities of those other assets. In a nutshell, you're going to see a lot more of this in the future.

BTW, I'd *LOVE* to know where you got your info that they were "over budget before they left". You must have some eyes/ears that wear eagles on the N3 staff for USFF.

I noticed that your signature includes RLTW. You surely must know that these types of missions are quite similar to what SF has been doing since their inception, inclusive of their 7 primary missions.

[Cumminalong]

Originally Posted by SeabeeDiver

BTW, I'd *LOVE* to know where you got your info that they were "over budget before they left". You must have some eyes/ears that wear eagles on the N3 staff for USFF.

I noticed that your signature includes RLTW. You surely must know that these types of missions are quite similar to what SF has been doing since their inception, inclusive of their 7 primary missions.

Actually, yes I am one of the guys on the ground down there and saw exactly what the whole thing was all about, so to say I have a bit of inside info on the planning process is a mild understatement.

It was a great big dog and pony show to show up someone that fee people take seriously anyways.