The Crusader and MNLARS

"What is my solution other than just bitching? If the state needs more money to fix this mess, take it out of another department (like education)."

There he goes again. Mr. Apples and Oranges. Trying to conflate two un-conflatable topics. Well, believe it or not, they have something very important in common. They are both government programs which did not go well. And what they have in common which is even more important, is you and I got stuck with the tab for a dead horse.

In 2011, Forbes came out with an article on how to waste $100 billion on DOD programs which don't work out. If my math does not fail me, $100 billion is one tenth of a trillion dollars. Not chump change for sure. The first program mentioned in the Forbes article is one I worked on while employed at United Defense. The program was going to be the best thing since canned beer. The Crusader Program, a self propelled howitzer upgrade, was going to replace the aging Paladin howitzer. The new Crusader howitzer, had more bells and whistles on it than a Good Humor truck.

After spending around two billion dollars, the Defense Department said, "Whoops - wrong artillery for the wrong war". Translation = it would have been great for taking on the Soviets on the flat plains of Europe. But the Soviets were no more, and we were involved in Afghanistan. So the program was scrapped. The one prototype is on display at Ft. Sill. It should be a shrine on how to waste a boatload of money for nothing.

In Minnesota right now, we have a perfect example of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Yes, I am talking about the MNLARS program which is now more screwed up than Hogan's goat. The genius running the IT department is now asking the current legislature for even more money to fix it. Why? Seems to improve the existing non-broken system, we have taken the watch apart. And now we have no clue on how to put it back together without spending scads more money.

With all this wasting of money, did anyone lose his or her job? On the Crusader or MNLARS? That be a "negative" as we say in the service. Oh, somebody lost however - you and I.

We can't go back and fix the travesty of Crusader, but we can sure extract some justice from the MNLARS screw up. Me? I want heads to roll. Just like in the real world of business. When you make a colossal boo-boo which cost the company money, there is a price to pay for those who caused it. In Minnesota? Dayton will just promote them - or at worst, transfer them.

What is my solution other than just bitching? If the state needs more money to fix this mess, take it out of another department (like education). NOT ANOTHER TAXPAYER DIME FOR MNLARS! Period! And I want the person responsible fired! Damn it, these civil servants work for us, not visa versa!

That is my rant. Sorry it has to be at the start of a weekend. But enough is enough.