Ski - no worries - I believe a little passion in a discussion is a good thing - keeps us from getting too comfortable in our ideas.

Good point about the MRAPs - I've heard the Marines are considering shrink wrapping a portion - while the MRAPs has degrees of utility in OIF (based on where and which MRAPs get fielded and what units use them for (Joe will probably find a good use for any piece of equipment) - In Afghanistan conditions create different requirements - I don't suspect you'll see to many heavy MRAP in the high altitudes. So maybe our answer is like the Marines - and coincides with Ken's point about Multi-Purpose forces vs. GPF on the "Retooling the Artilleryman" thread - if a BCT was going to be tagged with working a COIN mission set in supportive terrain - maybe they get fielded a supporting package to include among other things a suite of MRAP vehicles as opposed to going with what is on there books. I don't know - but that might work.

Agree with you about the fiscal flexibility - particularly when t applies to supplementals - we need to make some decisions about where we're turning this super tanker pretty soon - I did read something today ref. justification for a larger % of the GDP toward Defense and other security related stuff.

All military forces should be integrated into a consolidated and logical "homeland defense" force. That's why it's called the Defense Department, not the War Department or the Offense Department. Semantics matter...
This is something we're going to be struggling with for awhile I think - at least until we can regain some flexibility that allows for better planning - hard to do with a limited strategic reserve - maybe that will change over the next year.

FCS is what it is. At some point, the Army has to field these forces. We cannot afford another Comanche or Crusader. We also have to understand that the expense of creating these forces has a limit - if it sounds like I'm banging the drum on spending, it's because we are the largest debtor nation in the world. Cuts are going to come at some point.
Largely agree with you here as well - I think the big value that will come out of this to us is contingent on how we view its utility. If its viewed as a program to test and field useful tech to enable the soldier then we're probably in good shape - the moment we view it as a panacea or as a replacement for people - we've lost sight of how war is different then anything else. Allot of what is under the FCS umbrella of tech makes it to the Force in other ways - I think in the end - no matter if we call it FCS or not - it will be a gradual evolution of stuff that better equips the Force - in some cases it will just come across as some new LINs with a NET program, or maybe it'll be even more transparent. I worried allot about the FCS MGVs when I sat in a mock up - however I know the EBCT CDR down at Bliss and have enough faith in him a leader to believe he will not mortgage our future - personalities matter and he is the right 06 - one that understands well how to tell more senior leaders why something does not work, and how Industry might be trying to hide it. Honestly, among the best leaders I've ever known.

As I said, we live in interesting times. "Ours not to wonder why, ours but to do or die"
Agreed - ultimately its comes down to our ability to play a better game with the cards we've been dealt then the other guy - and to hope his hand sucks more then ours
Best, Rob