Pentagon airlifts power teams, trucks to New York

[boracayjohnny]

Pentagon airlifts power teams, trucks to New York | Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/01/us-storm-sandy-pentagon-idUSBRE8A015R20121101)

The Pentagon is airlifting power restoration experts and trucks cross-country, from California to New York, to bolster efforts to assist the millions of people still living in darkness days after superstorm Sandy hit the U.S. Northeast.

The C-5 and C-17 military transport planes - designed to carry heavy military equipment, like tanks - began flying from March Air Reserve Base in southern California early on Thursday and were due to start arriving in the afternoon at an Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York.

Pentagon spokesman George Little said 62 vehicles owned by Southern California Edison, one of southern California's biggest power companies, will "move out to support efforts to restore power to the stricken region."

More than 100 employees of Southern California Edison were flying out on the military flights, as well on a separate charter flight, another U.S. official said.

More than 4.6 million homes and businesses along the U.S. East Coast were without power on Thursday, down from a high of nearly 8.5 million, which surpassed the record 8.4 million customers who lost electricity from last year's Hurricane Irene.

Sandy made landfall in New Jersey with a full moon around high tide, creating a record storm surge that flooded lower Manhattan. By Thursday, the storm had dissipated over the North American mainland.


On a personal note, there's a lot of work that goes into getting 62 vehicles air worthy and loaded onto the aircraft.

[Yerf Dog]

On a personal note, there's a lot of work that goes into getting 62 vehicles air worthy and loaded onto the aircraft.

:seasix:

[Bill]

I hope the Teamsters don't stop the trucks from being offloaded once they get to NY. I'm pretty sure the military guys aren't union.

[Stangkiller]

On a personal note, there's a lot of work that goes into getting 62 vehicles air worthy and loaded onto the aircraft.

So it's a 2 day drive, how much time are they really saving by flying these trucks? This strikes me as a total waste of money.

[VatorMan]

So it's a 2 day drive, how much time are they really saving by flying these trucks? This strikes me as a total waste of money.

Actually, it's probably good practice for the troops as well.

[DAB]

lets .gov show they are doing 'something'. at the same time the men from Alabama are heading home, finding that their help was not welcome.

bet .gov doesn't fly them home.

[boracayjohnny]

So it's a 2 day drive, how much time are they really saving by flying these trucks? This strikes me as a total waste of money.

With 62 vehicles, usually, of varying shapes of condition, there would be chase vehicles, "fix-it" stops, meals, motel rooms, gas, bathrooms and many other stops for sure. Besides, Uncle don't give a phuck about money when it comes down to it at times. Further, expediency trumps saving money.
Also, in my years, I've seen some gigantic wastes of money and this would only be a drop in the bucket. A couple of small examples; how about flying a KC-10 refueler from NJ to Afghanistan to see if off-loading fuel can be accomplished. Or maybe the FedEx over-nighted 4k pound pallet from the States to Afghanistan. Yea, it was so badly needed when it got to Afghanistan, the cargo sat in the yard long enough for the plastic cover to start disintegrating.

[Stangkiller]

With 62 vehicles, usually, of varying shapes of condition, there would be chase vehicles, "fix-it" stops, meals, motel rooms, gas, bathrooms and many other stops for sure. Besides, Uncle don't give a phuck about money when it comes down to it at times. Further, expediency trumps saving money.
Also, in my years, I've seen some gigantic wastes of money and this would only be a drop in the bucket. A couple of small examples; how about flying a KC-10 refueler from NJ to Afghanistan to see if off-loading fuel can be accomplished. Or maybe the FedEx over-nighted 4k pound pallet from the States to Afghanistan. Yea, it was so badly needed when it got to Afghanistan, the cargo sat in the yard long enough for the plastic cover to start disintegrating.

Two drivers taking turns...it's 45 hours of driving, add in a few fuel stops and meal stops.

I'm not convinced that equipment will really arrive any sooner or in any better shape.

[PortDawg]

With 62 vehicles, usually, of varying shapes of condition, there would be chase vehicles, "fix-it" stops, meals, motel rooms, gas, bathrooms and many other stops for sure. Besides, Uncle don't give a phuck about money when it comes down to it at times. Further, expediency trumps saving money.
Also, in my years, I've seen some gigantic wastes of money and this would only be a drop in the bucket. A couple of small examples; how about flying a KC-10 refueler from NJ to Afghanistan to see if off-loading fuel can be accomplished. Or maybe the FedEx over-nighted 4k pound pallet from the States to Afghanistan. Yea, it was so badly needed when it got to Afghanistan, the cargo sat in the yard long enough for the plastic cover to start disintegrating.

Oh the stories I could tell...

[boracayjohnny]

With 62 vehicles, usually, of varying shapes of condition, there would be chase vehicles, "fix-it" stops, meals, motel rooms, gas, bathrooms and many other stops for sure. Besides, Uncle don't give a phuck about money when it comes down to it at times. Further, expediency trumps saving money.
Also, in my years, I've seen some gigantic wastes of money and this would only be a drop in the bucket. A couple of small examples; how about flying a KC-10 refueler from NJ to Afghanistan to see if off-loading fuel can be accomplished. Or maybe the FedEx over-nighted 4k pound pallet from the States to Afghanistan. Yea, it was so badly needed when it got to Afghanistan, the cargo sat in the yard long enough for the plastic cover to start disintegrating.

Two drivers taking turns...it's 45 hours of driving, add in a few fuel stops and meal stops.

I'm not convinced that equipment will really arrive any sooner or in any better shape.

Let me re-emphasize the bolded. Also, I'm not defending what's going on, I'm only presenting one of many sides to the situation. One of the others is politics that can go all the way to the highest levels. Which means someone in a position decides upon an idea and the lower levels will make it happen. Cost will only be an after thought....if even then.

[boracayjohnny]

Oh the stories I could tell...

Shipping a pallet of bubble wrap from Balad, Iraq to Fort Campbell, KY? The look I got when I asked, "Don't they make bubble wrap in the States" was.... o0.

:D

[PortDawg]

Shipping a pallet of bubble wrap from Balad, Iraq to Fort Campbell, KY? The look I got when I asked, "Don't they make bubble wrap in the States" was.... o0.

:D

Shipping sand to Baghdad from Dover... for Volleyball courts.

[boracayjohnny]

Shipping sand to Baghdad from Dover... for Volleyball courts.

It just boggles the mind at some of the shit.

Oh yea another fine one; hydro-seeders into Balad. They were gonna make the Wing Kings "yard" among other things. Yea, I'm sure that grass is still growing.

[xXBUDXx]

The government is paying to ship trucks from California, when trucks were just turned away from Alabama (that were not shipped by the government)?


:skep: Am I missing something?

[Burnt C6]

The government is paying to ship trucks from California, when trucks were just turned away from Alabama (that were not shipped by the government)?


:skep: Am I missing something?

the trucks from Cali are probably Union

[polarbear]

Puget Sound Power (Seattle) and Idaho Power trucks got loaded at McChord AFB yesterday evening.

http://media.komonews.com/images/121103_seattle_city_light_FS.jpg