How do we all feel about Military Parades?

[_Kevin Graham]

You two actually want to pay for a parade, that logistically and operationally, would run into the billions?

That. Makes no sense.

- Doc

Doc,

I would much rather pay for a parade, than having our presidents fly around the country for party fund raising on our dime. I have no problem with a military parade...if done tastefully. I do have a problem with trucks with rockets and goose stepping...I understand both views, perception is so subjective. But, I do believe our military deserves a parade once in while.

I am not sure it would cost billions, or anywhere close to that, where did you get those numbers? That is too much for a parade in my opinion...I am sure they can do one for much less.

The logistics of bringing in tanks and helicopters isn't cheap. Because let's face it, if Trump wants it he will want to go all out.

My concern is that it puts a huge target on them for potential terrorist attacks. Right now, somewhere, there are people just waiting for something like this to happen. They've had to settle for marathons and large gatherings but they'd absolutely love to take out dozens of military personnel with a bomb.

I go to the airshows here at Dobbins AFB every once in a while, but that's more a celebration of aviation and less to do with military. It is also a secured area and doesn't break the bank.

[_Jersey Girl]

Obviously Doc has way more first hand experience with this than me so I appreciate his perspective. If it helps for establishing a baseline, Mick Mulvaney says they are guessing between 10 and 30 million big ones. This is of course an estimate with no understanding of scope or location so take that with a grain of salt. It kind of looks like they just picked a range that included previous costs of parades adjusted for inflation. Anyone want to take the "under" on a government project cost? I'm sure Vegas would give you good odds.

Well. If you're talking about a parade that Trump's (no pun intended, actually, you know what? I'm going to own that) Bastille Day you're going to have to import at the very minimum of 30,000 troops. That's just for marching. And we're not even talking about paying for foreign troops to march, veterans, and all sorts of other people to march in this thing. Estimating conservatively (no pun inten... you know what? I'll own that one too) you're looking at $100/day for lodging and per diem. And I'm telling you now that's on the low end.

30,000 troops to move, encamp, participate, decamp, and then move again you're looking at a 30-day operation. You're looking at $900,000,000 just to move people around. I'm not even talking about the logistical costs. Fuel, plane tix, transporting equipment, so on and so forth. There's a reason why troop movement is enormously expensive, and people would find out pretty quickly having a parade is insanely expensive and wasteful.

Y'all think I'm kidding around when I say this thing would cost billions. And let's not even factor in the cost of taking out the loan to pay for it since it's an unforeseen expense, and then the interest to pay this loan off over the course of probably thirty years. It's absolutely inexcusable to do something like this.

- Doc

I don't think you're kidding at all. I earlier mentioned the logistics of just moving ONE tank into D.C. much less staging it, running it down what, Pennsylvania Ave. or transporting it on a trailer, then moving it back to it's base.

Repeating myself now. One tank, on a flat bed trailer into DC requires both a qualified semi driver and a tank operator (those are different certifications), spotter vehicles, cops, TDY/per diem and that kind of crap. Staging area, fuel and mileage, (I used to do this for a living), and all of that required on the flip flop as well.

People have no idea what an operation like this would take or cost. Certainly not President who apparently thinks he can snap his fingers and come up with a parade.

What's around DC besides Andrews, do you know? What is there some reason he can't go over to Andrews and do a pass and review with aircraft in the background? WTF is he actually wanting flyovers?

[_Jersey Girl]

Think of it in these terms, folks.

Someone declared war over American soil. I dunno pick a spot on either coast. All hell breaks loose. The military air and ground response would be basically the same without ordnance.

Like that. That's what he's asking for and that's the magnitude of what it would cost.

[_Res Ipsa]

Obviously Doc has way more first hand experience with this than me so I appreciate his perspective. If it helps for establishing a baseline, Mick Mulvaney says they are guessing between 10 and 30 million big ones. This is of course an estimate with no understanding of scope or location so take that with a grain of salt. It kind of looks like they just picked a range that included previous costs of parades adjusted for inflation. Anyone want to take the "under" on a government project cost? I'm sure Vegas would give you good odds.

If that's the back of the envelope estimate right now, I'd take north of a billion easy. There are lots of "hidden" costs there that are easy to miss.

[_Jersey Girl]

Random comments...pay me no mind.

Now that I think of it, it would be easier and likely more cost effective to move HIM around than it would moving troops and equipment into DC so why doesn't he tour significant installations, do his pass and review BS there, broadcast the events and save us the bucks?

No, because he thinks he can snap his fingers and part the waters on the BELTWAY and bring troops/equipment into the area to march and roll down Pennsylvania Ave. costing TONS of taxpayer dollars for manpower, putting unnecessary hours on the air and ground assets, not to mention time and money spent on state and federal administration of this "Let's have a parade!" idea of his.

For pete sakes these troops and equipment are tools of defense, not his toys.

What an ass.

[_Maksutov]

[_Jersey Girl]

Yeah exactly that.

[_Some Schmo]

I think he just wants to look at a tank with an erect cannon to reminisce about the good ol' days.

[_subgenius]

Some of you seemingly have never witnessed a really good military parade...some of you have....the 8th&I make a good argument for military parades.

Why not attempt to make this idea less about your feelings for Trump ?

[_subgenius]

The military air and ground response would be basically the same without ordnance.

nowhere near the same...especially not "basically". It is rather like your post does not understand that having the Blue Angels do a stadium flyover on Sunday is nowhere near the same cost as a combat response....with your background did you really think these two types of operations are "basically" the same?