Senator Blocks 850 Promotions in the Air Force

The New York Times ^ | 06/09/03 | ERIC SCHMITT

[Pokey78]

WASHINGTON, June 8 — Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho is blocking the promotions of more than 850 Air Force officers, including young pilots who fought in Iraq and the general nominated to bail out the scandal-plagued United States Air Force Academy, in a rare clash between the Pentagon and a senior Republican lawmaker.

Mr. Craig's price to free the frozen promotions now awaiting final Senate approval? Four C-130 cargo planes for the Idaho Air National Guard.

Pentagon officials express outrage that for more than a month Mr. Craig has single-handedly delayed the careers of hundreds of officers and stymied important Air Force business for a handful of parochial planes. They are vowing not to give in to his pressure. Calling the move blackmail, one senior military official said, "If we say yes to this, Katie bar the door." The official, like others contacted for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing retribution from the senator.

But Mr. Craig contends that the Air Force has reneged on a promise made seven years ago to station a squadron of eight C-130's at Gowen Field, an Air National Guard base in Boise, his spokesman said. There are now four C-130's and another training aircraft based there. "This is a problem created by the Air Force that can be easily solved by the Air Force," Will Hart, the spokesman, said.

In the courtly world of the Senate, Mr. Craig's hardball tactics have angered and frustrated even some of his Republican colleagues, including Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, who is chairman of the Armed Services Committee and has tried to mediate the dispute. The committee approved most of the promotions weeks ago. Mr. Warner declined through a spokesman to comment on the issue.

Under a Senate practice intended to encourage consensus, any senator can block action indefinitely and anonymously on a nomination, promotion or legislation. These secret holds are used frequently by senators of both parties to express displeasure not necessarily with a nominee but with an administration's action or policy. But military promotions are typically whisked through the approval process without objection. A former military official disclosed the dispute over the planes to The New York Times.

Four years ago, Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, then the majority leader, blocked the final confirmation of Richard C. Holbrooke to be chief diplomat to the United Nations. Mr. Lott's demand? That President Bill Clinton appoint a conservative Ohio law school professor to the Federal Election Commission.

But in recent years, the anonymous holds have proliferated to the point where some senators are pushing for new guidelines to identify any senator who delays a nomination or promotion. The Senate Rules Committee, now led by Mr. Lott, has scheduled a hearing on the issue for June 17.

Mr. Craig's action has been felt throughout the Air Force, especially within its senior ranks, where the promotions or new-job nominations for more than two dozen generals are in a holding pattern with no end in sight.

Gen. Robert H. Foglesong, who has been picked to be commander of all American air forces in Europe, is cooling his heels in Washington in his current job as vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who commanded allied air forces in the Iraq war, is waiting to receive his fourth star and succeed General Foglesong as the vice chief of staff.

Maj. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr. was tapped to pin on a third star and be in place as the new superintendent of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs by last month. But his assignment is still in limbo. Brig. Gen. John A. Weida, the academy's commandant, is filling the position until General Rosa's promotion is approved.

Military officials say to give in to Mr. Craig now would only invite more holds from other senators.

"We obviously can't operate like that," another senior military official said. "Idaho is a great state, but we can't put more planes in there without taking them out of somewhere else." The official called the holds a misuse of the confirmation process.

Why after seven years Mr. Craig is exercising his Senate prerogative now to delay these promotions is a bit of a mystery. The planes have not been a pressing concern for most of his constituents.

"It's not something people here are tapping their fingers over, waiting for them to show up," said Lt. Col. Tim Marsano, spokesman for the Idaho National Guard.

Mr. Hart would say only that "Senator Craig's record of overwhelming support for the military speaks for itself" and blamed the Air Force leadership for disclosing his hold "as some sort of strategy to renege on promises made to Senator Craig."

A buildup of the guard forces could help shield Gowen Field from a new round of military base closings scheduled to be decided in 2005. Increasing the number of C-130's at the field could make it a less attractive installation to close, defense officials said. Gowen's C-130's returned in January from a tour in Oman, where they supported operations in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

Several states are organizing committees to defend their military bases, which provide jobs and lucrative Pentagon contracts to local communities. "What a lot of people are trying to do is extort such-and-such a service at such-and-such a base to BRAC-proof their base," one senior defense official said, using the acronym for the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which would recommend such closings.

As for Mr. Craig, defense officials say their arguments have so far fallen on deaf ears. "We've tried to explain the facts of life to Senator Craig that the Air Force is getting smaller, not bigger," one official said.

Gen. John W. Handy of the Air Force, the head of United States Transportation Command, which controls all transport aircraft, met with Mr. Craig in Washington on May 23 to broker an end to the stalemate, but apparently to no avail. Said one defense official, "Craig is essentially saying, pound sand."

[Bedford Forrest]

Consider the source.

[TopQuark]

If true, this is indeed blackmail. Regardless of legality, it's truly unbecoming to see this in our government.

And the worst part is, no other senators give a d--n.

[FairWitness]

The Senate is really one screwed up organization, what with this and filibusters.

[gcruse]

Good Gawd. Do you have custom blinders or do you get new ones each time articles come you don't want to deal with?

[deport]

FYI..... What's the talk within the Air Force or have you heard anything?

[Dave S]

Time for Bush to cut him off at the knees. Eliminate all pork for his state and make sure he dont get Jack Shit.

Either that or activate all Idaho National Guard units and send them overseas UNTIL Craig relents. Maybe after 2 or 3 years of overseas duty he will want his people back rather than a few planes.

[deport]

Consider the source....

---

What does the source have to do with Sen. Craig's holds? Did the source manufacture them for him? Craig seems to admit that he has placed them.....

......Mr. Craig's price to free the frozen promotions now awaiting final Senate approval? Four C-130 cargo planes for the Idaho Air National Guard.

[Drango]

Senator Craig has no right to take his beef out on the men and women of the Air Force. Shame on him, and more shame on the Senate that allows this BS.

[Jhoffa_]

I don't think this is right.. Even if the AF did go back on their word, that's not the fault of those men who earned their promotions.

They earned it, so give them their damn promotions already and stop punishing them for the sins of their superiors..

[McGavin999]

I'm going to wait before I pass judgement on Senator Craig, but if it turns out to be true, it's beyond disgraceful, it's absolutely reprehensable.

[Jhoffa_]

Either that or activate all Idaho National Guard units and send them overseas UNTIL Craig relents. Maybe after 2 or 3 years of overseas duty he will want his people back rather than a few planes.

I don't like that idea..

Again, it's punishing the wrong people.

These are good men who shouldn't be abused like this. This is a battle that should be fought between the senator and the AF PTB's.

[Teacher317]

Oh joy. Now the GOP has discovered the wonders of obstructionism to further individual goals.

[thegreatbeast]

A number of things:
The Air Force today has nothing to do with the Air Force extant seven years ago, thank God! Craig is presenting a bill to a new management that has no responsibility for the bill.
Craig should be spoken to quietly. I don't doubt that Secretary Rumsfeld can make this guy an offer he can't refuse. Hopefully, it will be behind closed doors as you don't want the kids to see this!
Geez Louise, how many times are we going to have these base reductions? Where did this idea of having 5 or 6 companies(AOLTIMEWARNERSEARSSONYTARGETCOKE.com) or 5 or 6 bases is the best way to go? This base closing process has been going on for an awful long time.
A lot of analysis is still going on regarding the War in Iraq. We are hardly over the first blush of a campaign well executed. A little time might serve while we digest who did what over ther and over here. I don't see rushing to give high brass more brass. It'll keep.

[Chu Gary]

Orders are orders. A set of orders could be cut, 4 130's land and the crew unpacks, etc. Two days later after this idiot changes his stance, the 130's get TAD orders to another location or PCS orders depending on the status of the moron's position.

[Cicero]

This strikes me as really bizarre. He may have some reason for doing this that the NY Times isn't reporting, but I can't imagine what it is.

I usually say "consider the source," but this kind of conduct just won't wash.

[FairOpinion]

"Under a Senate practice intended to encourage consensus, any senator can block action indefinitely and anonymously on a nomination, promotion or legislation."

---

This is preposterous. ONE Senator can hold up the entire Senate INDEFINITELY, and anonymously, yet!!!

It's time to change the rules.

[Lucy Lake]

Ping

[CFC__VRWC]

Oh joy. Now the GOP has discovered the wonders of obstructionism to further individual goals.

True, but I think there's a more basic problem here, that being a Senate that seems to think that it is the only part of the US government that matters. I for one am getting real sick and tired of this body's "too big for their britches" attitude, an attitude that crosses the aisle.

[FreeReign]

What does the source have to do with Sen. Craig's holds? Did the source manufacture them for him? Craig seems to admit that he has placed them.....

The establishment in this article of a Sen. Craig "hold" is based solely on the credibility of the source. The source in this case is the NY Times quoting anonymous sources.

NYTIMES: Pentagon officials express outrage that for more than a month Mr. Craig has single-handedly delayed the careers of hundreds of officers and stymied important Air Force business for a handful of parochial planes. They are vowing not to give in to his pressure. Calling the move blackmail, one senior military official said, "If we say yes to this, Katie bar the door." The official, like others contacted for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing retribution from the senator.

[Amelia]

but if it turns out to be true, it's beyond disgraceful, it's absolutely reprehensable.

I agree completely.

[Pukin Dog]

We dont have to consider the source, this is done all the damn time.

The only difference is that the AF spilled the beans. Craig will have to give in. And that Idaho base now stands a better chance then before of being closed.

There was a gentleman's agreement not to discuss things like this in public, because no one wins in the end. Now that it is out, expect more of it, not less. Every Senator is someone who THINKS they should be President.

[DakotaGator]

If this is true, it's an outrage!

One of the things that makes the country strong is that our Armed Forces are not political. If Senator Craig is doing this he is politicizing the Armed Forces. And he should be recalled now!

[Pukin Dog]

"Armed Forces are not political"

Nor is the sky a bluish color, my friend.

How do you think we got people like Wesley Clark running Nato, or Shiseki running the Army? Two truely inept losers, except for the fact that they knew which asses to kiss.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

But Mr. Craig contends that the Air Force has reneged on a promise made seven years ago to station a squadron of eight C-130's at Gowen Field, an Air National Guard base in Boise, his spokesman said. There are now four C-130's and another training aircraft based there. "This is a problem created by the Air Force that can be easily solved by the Air Force," Will Hart, the spokesman, said.

Mr. Hart would say only that "Senator Craig's record of overwhelming support for the military speaks for itself" and blamed the Air Force leadership for disclosing his hold "as some sort of strategy to renege on promises made to Senator Craig."

Sounds like his spokesman has confirmed the hold to me...

[optik_b]

It is pathetic that these hick states like Idaho can hold sway and get money out of all the other states because of the institution of the Senate that rewards them with 2 senators despite the fact they have 1/100th the population of states like California and Texas.

[Trace21230]

Having just finished a six-plus year stint in the Air Force last May, pardon me if I don't feel too sorry for these officers.

My opinion, they are overpaid and over-recognized. Give the promotions to the enlisted personnel. They don't need Congressional approval for a promotion, and they do more work anyway.

Poor, poor officers.

Trace

[SCHROLL]

Tell Mr. Craig in no uncertain terms either he backs off or is in line for the Trafficant treatment. No more committee asignments, no more pork, and no more of his BS.

[CFC__VRWC]

And that Idaho base now stands a better chance then before of being closed.

I hope the Air Force DOES close it, just to make an example out of Sen. Craig. We have, as a country, spent so much time kowtowing to and bowing and scraping before the US Senate that these 100 men and women, Democrat AND Republican, have gotten egos and senses of self importance that have swelled WAY beyond what they should be. They may THINK they should be President, but that doesn't MAKE them President. They have been allowed to forget this lesson, and we really need to teach it again by issuing a major smackdown.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Why on earth did you post that to me? I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other (as far as the officers are concerned. When it comes to a Senator using political blackmail to extort pork... that's a different story...).

[Trace21230]

Yours was the last post in the thread. chill out.

[AFCdt]

With that attitude and your obvious respect for authority, I'm sincerely happy that you have completed your time in the USAF.

[dogbyte12]

Think of those 850 officers, and their families. Many of them risking their lives in combat, and their reward is to be a blackmail threat from a Senator. I don't give a crap if he is a republican. We can't play that nonsense. This is wrong, wrong, wrong.

I hope the Idaho members here send some nasty calls and letters Craig's way.

Picture this... a pilot has just flown several dangerous runs, gets back, is due a promotion. Maybe he and the wife can take a little vacation, buy a house with the extra income that was well deserved. There are stories like that going on right now.

Craig obviously thinks that his pork is more important than these families. Honestly though, I would bet that 90 out of 100 senators feel the same way though. Most of the lot are bastards. They do not represent we the people anymore, if they ever did.

Think about that next time as you travel out of W. Virginia on the Robert Byrd Highway, or the Trent Lott shipbuilding boondoggle that you all are paying for by working longer hours, spending less time with your family in the process.

Hey Senator Craig, I know a good place to shove one of your planes. It's where the sun don't shine.

[El Gato]

He may have some reason for doing this that the NY Times isn't reporting

Of course he does, and it's very telling that the Times only hints at what it might be:

Mr. Craig contends that the Air Force has reneged on a promise made seven years ago to station a squadron of eight C-130's at Gowen Field, an Air National Guard base in Boise

They don't say what Senator Craig traded for those extra C-130s. A curious oversight.

[FreeReign]

Charles H.:Sounds like his spokesman has confirmed the hold to me...

NY Times:But Mr. Craig contends that the Air Force has reneged on a promise made seven years ago to station a squadron of eight C-130's at Gowen Field, an Air National Guard base in Boise, his spokesman said. There are now four C-130's and another training aircraft based there. "This is a problem created by the Air Force that can be easily solved by the Air Force," Will Hart, the spokesman, said.

No confirmation here. The "problem" in the above statement as defined by the context of the statement is the lacking number of C-130's and not any "hold" problem.

NYTimes:Mr. Hart would say only that "Senator Craig's record of overwhelming support for the military speaks for itself" and blamed the Air Force leadership for disclosing his hold "as some sort of strategy to renege on promises made to Senator Craig."

Not sure. The last quote in this sentence is badly butchered. If Hart is admitting to a "hold" then why the freep not quote the entire sentence on what Hart says?

I can not draw any conclusions from this article about Senator Craig and any potential "hold".

[DakotaGator]

How do you think we got people like Wesley Clark running Nato, or Shiseki running the Army? Two truely inept losers, except for the fact that they knew which asses to kiss.

No debate there. We've always had those who play political games. But the Armed Forces are not political. Three things were never discussed in the mess; work, women, and politics.

To hold an entire promotion list hostage to political pork risks dragging the entire Armed Forces into political activism.

The country cannot endure that prospect.

[Kay Soze]

Amen!

And re Craig he needs to be removed and replaced with a Repulican Senator

[El Gato]

Geez Louise, how many times are we going to have these base reductions? Where did this idea of having 5 or 6 companies(AOLTIMEWARNERSEARSSONYTARGETCOKE.com) or 5 or 6 bases is the best way to go? This base closing process has been going on for an awful long time.

I agree that the BRAC business has gone far enough. During the Vietnam drawdown, the Air Force reduced the number of Air Material Areas, big logistics bases, (Air Logistics Centers since about '74) to five. BRAC reduced that to three, larger ones. Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, is now so crowded that there is little space to put anything else, which if they closed still another ALC, they would need to do. (Warner-Robbins GA, Ogden UT, and OK city OK are the current three). Additionally they've assigned all the AWACS and the Navy E-6s there.

We've mothballed, or sent to museums, 1/3 of the B-1B, fleet, not because we don't need them, but in order to save enough money on flight hour costs to keep thd other sixty some flying. (UPDATE, I've just discovered Congress has overuled that plan, even though it was already underway, with B-1B. See Air Force Association We've only got about 20 B-2s, and less than 100 B-52Hs. The B-52 is undergoing an avionics "mid-life" upgrade. It needs new engines, the ones it has are as old as the airframes, the last of which came off the line in 1964, and have been rebuilt many, many times and they are tired. Boeing has done much of the design work required to replace the 8 relatively fuel hungry (although not as hungry as those on earlier models) with 4 newer and more fuel efficient engines of the sort used on 747s, 767s, etc. Even though it would save money in the long run, politicians don't care much about the long run.

How is it that, with about the same fraction of total GNP going to government, we can now afford only about 1/3 as much of the GNP going to the military than we did in 1962 ? See AFA Percentage of GDP table. The answer..DemoRat giveaway programs. Yes there is pork involved in the military budget, but at least we get planes, ships, or armor, and trained troops to operate them, out of the deal. What do we get for those other vote buying schemes? Incumbent protection is what they get, we get nada.

Defense has been sucking hind teat since the end of the Vietnam war, with only the Reagan years giving some real relief. Those B-1B mentioned above were Reagan era aquistions. Sinc then the only long range heavy bombers we've bough have been the 20 or so B-2s.

[El Gato]

Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, is now so crowded that there is little space to put anything else, which if they closed still another ALC, they would need to do.

In fact they are in the process of expanding the space available by condeming some housing and businesses accross the highway to the North.

[WOSG]

He response is appropriate.

The NYT supplied puff pieces on Blanche Lincoln yesterday, whw? to boost their bush-bashing agenda and line up with Democrat talking points for the week in introducing a modified tax cut proposal - Rush managed to expose the artful deception of them voting agains thte tax cut then proposing it to make it sound like GOP was against tax cuts after just passing a large tax cut bill that was whittled down boy moderate and Democrat objections .... the same day they had anonymous sourced articles that were poopooing WMD finds ... only on the innerpage 15th paragraph did they bother to mention that most analysts take the find seriously and dont agree with the 'skeptics' the NYT was trumpeting. The bais of the Times is dispicable. I could go on there were at least 6 (count 'em 6) articles from the NYT in our local paper on saturday alone *all* of which had a clear bias or "spin". they take any chance they can to make Republicans look as bad as possible, and advance Liberal agenda and ideas.

Here the article fits the template of 'divide and conquer the Republicans' by highlighting infighting.

So please, consider the source!

[Atchafalaya]

It does my heart good to hear that Idaho is a "hick" state; I thought that was only applied to us southner's. Welcome to the fold; you have wide open spaces, we have bayou's and the Gulf. We, Mississippi, Alabama, and occasionally Georgia(when LSU wins) are the definition of hickness. We are a friendly and gracious people that welcome all refugees. I'll show you how to make a roux, take me pheasant hunting.
BTW optik-b there are rules and I'm thinking you are one of the reasons we make them!

[leadpenny]

With the Estrada Filibuster, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

I celebrate gridlock.

[patj]

Nicely done!

[Bonaparte]

"This strikes me as really bizarre. He may have some reason for doing this that the NY Times isn't reporting..."

IMO, that's a virtual certainty. His ACU ratings --

Senator Larry Craig

2002 - 100
2001 - 96
Life - 94
Years of service - 22

[Bonaparte]

"...because of the institution of the Senate that rewards them with 2 senators..."

What could the authors of the Constitution have been thinking? Too bad they didn't have you there to guide them.

[Trace21230]

"With that attitude and your obvious respect for authority, I'm sincerely happy that you have completed your time in the USAF"

After having given over 6 years of my life to this country, I'm entitled to my opinion.

Since you know nothing about my tour of duty, or my decorated service to this country, your opinion about the value of my service to you and the country is meaningless.

Telling someone to "chill out" is hardly "attitude."

Trace

[gaspar]

This is the worst Senate since Reconstruction. Bush could end this tomorrow (and a man like Lyndon Johnson would) by threatening to run a television commercial in Idaho. Come to think of it, maybe he's afraid of all the nut-cases that live there.

[AFCdt]

I'm not talking about you saying "chill out".

I don't question your service or dedication to this country, and I am grateful for your service. In addition, I'm completely supportive of you expressing your opinion.

I'm merely saying that your lack of faith in the leadership is quite apparent, and so now was probably a great time for you to get out of the USAF before your disgust poisons morale.

In addition, rather than going on a general rant about the poor leadership of USAF officers, why not instead make a poignant criticism of specific instances of poor leadership from poor officers?

[Dog Gone]

The Senate is a pain in the ass.

[Trace21230]

"In addition, rather than going on a general rant about the poor leadership of USAF officers, why not instead make a poignant criticism of specific instances of poor leadership from poor officers?"

To be honest, I don't have the time to engage in this kind of exercise. But I can type a few paragraphs for you.

Let's just say that in my experience, I found most officers to be woefully incompetent and genuinely unlikable characters to boot. There were some good ones, but they were rare. In general, they were interested in themselves, even if their self-interest came at the expense of the people they were supposed to lead.

The problem with the Air Force is institutional. The "whole person" concept they rely upon for promotions is a joke. Basically, it means that job performance means nothing, just as long as you're busy sucking up to the higher-ups and running raffles to fund the squadron picnic, you're qualified for a promotion, regardless of whether you are capable of doing your job.

I understand that any organization will tend to reward those that politic and suck up better. I can't even say the entire USAF has this problem. But in my field, intelligence, it was miserable.

My superior officers were not capable of doing what I did every day. Many of them had less education than I did. Yet, they worked half-days, golfed, and got paid twice as much.

When there was credit, they would take it, and when there was a failure, they would shift blame to the "stupid" enlisted personnel.

So yes, it is probably a good thing that I left when I did.

Trace