While millions
of civilian military personnel prepare to endure unpaid furlough days under the
sequester cuts allowed by Congress, The Washington Post recently reported that
the Pentagon has spent millions of dollars to develop new types of camouflage
uniforms that represent a classic Washington example of duplication and waste.
David Fahrenthold
of the Post reported that in 2002, the military had just two kinds of
camouflage uniforms. One was green,
for the woods. The other was brown,
for the desert. Today, there are 10.
pattern just for Marines
in the desert. There is another just for Navy personnel in the desert. The Army has its own “universal” camouflage pattern, which is designed to work
anywhere. It also has another one just for Afghanistan, where the first one
doesn’t work, according to Fahrenthold.
Unbelievably,
even the Air Force has its own unique camouflage. But it apparently has flaws.
So in Afghanistan, airmen are told not to wear it in battle.
Here is
Fahrenthold’s assessment:
is one of Washington’s most expensive traditions: Multiple agencies do the same
job at the same time, and taxpayers pay billions for the government to repeat
itself.
“The habit remains stubbornly hard to break, even in an era of austerity. There
are, for instance, at least 209 federal programs to improve science
and math skills. There are 16 programs that teach personal finance.
Pentagon, the story of the multiplying uniforms has provided a step-by-step
illustration of how duplication blooms in government — and why it’s usually not
good.”
