This is a disturbing story about the V-22 Osprey, which is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off like a helicopter and flies like an airplane.
The Marine Corps is increasingly relying on it, and it has many advantages: speed, range, and cost. (Wait, scratch that last one. It costs twice as much as the CH-53E, which has a greater payload and an ability to carry heavy equipment that the V-22 cannot. But, I’m getting off track.)
Let’s see. Let me get back to reading this governement propaganda, err, I mean my notes from the Pentagon.
Yes, uh, on the bright side, the V-22 has many advantages: speed, range, and it’s safer, crashing far less. Oh, wait a minute… Scratch that, too.
And scratch the career of a General who had the balls to tell the truth. Here’s his story below, but be careful reading it: You’ll think less of your government and our military commanders once you finish it. (General: ‘My Career Was Done’ When I Criticized Flawed Warplane.)
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please accept the greatest gift I can give.
We had the then commander of the Osprey squadron speak at the Memorial Day ceremony that my Legion post puts on every year, a couple of years ago. Have racked my brain trying to think of his name, old age sucks. He certainly didn’t bring up any of the issues from the article. Can’t imagine why… Semper Fi.
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I think there are some dishonest officers involved, but I also think there are some honest officers involved, as well.
They see the Osprey’s problems, but they also see its potential. And I think they figure a few small lies are okay since it’s a new technology and could ultimately lead to many saved lives. Only time will tell on that, though, and I’d rather they just shoot straight and admit it has its flaws in the short term.
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Exactly. Instead of the “Let’s throw more money at the problem and hope that it fixes it”.
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Fascinating – and disturbing -article. It’s general knowledge nowadays that cover-ups exist on many levels of the military. But when it involves good men loosing their lives to support a lie, it quickly becomes tragic. Great post, Stan…
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Thanks, Thomas. Definitely disturbing, and I pull my hair out just as bad when the military comes to the conclusion it DOESN’T want a certain weapon system, but Congress overrules them and keeps it anyway.
It’s a wonder, sometimes, that we have the greatest military in the world. It’s certainly IN SPITE OF, not because of, much of the “leadership” on high. (And I’m mostly referring to the military leadership here, and partly Congress. The military is great at promoting the wrong people…)
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We do have the best..but it definitely come at a price…sometimes a price that shouldn’t have been paid. I guess when you think about it, the military is much like a large business…and there’s bond to be graft and coercion in any entity that massive…
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Well said. There’s so much good there, and I don’t want to take from that, but we must never believe the situation is perfect or can’t be improved through better oversight from the public and our Congressmen.
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oversight from Congress…that’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one 🙂
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Agreed. It’s amazing how a governmental system so well conceived nearly 300 years ago could be run into the ground by incompetents and citizens more concerned with reality TV than the political process.
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I’ve often wondered what the forefathers would think if they could see what it’s degenerated to. Certainly not what they’d envisioned. Incompetence, greed, and power mongering on a scale that boggles the imagination. In a way, the citizens can’t be blamed too much. There don’t seem to be good choices out there anymore.
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I think the forefathers would flip out, for sure.
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Agreed. I really don’t get into politics on my blog. That would be a death knell, I think…but it IS a subject that’s become passe nowadays…
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By the way, I started a series of author interviews on my blog…are you interested?
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Yeah, politics is never a winner. It’s only rare you can change anyone’s mind anyway.
And hell yeah I’m interested. I’m assuming you send questions by e-mail?
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It’s a creature with its own conscious…if any conscious at all. Actually, email me at steelerfutball57@yahoo.com, and I’ll send you the questionnaire. Fill it out and send it back, along with any links of stuff you want me to share – twitter, facebook, blog – and a jpg of whatever book you want to market, and I’ll schedule you in…simple
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Sounds good. I’ll fire off an e-mail your way.
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