'Careless Mark' Means Higher Costs For Space Program; Cut With Care, General Urges Hill

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http://defense.aol.com/2012/11/08/careless-mark-means-higher-costs-delays-for-space-program-cu/




'Careless Mark' Means Higher Costs For Space Program; Cut With Care, General Urges Hill
By Otto Kreisher
Published: November 8, 2012

WASHINGTON: Congress sometimes has a strange way of rewarding the armed services when they actually manage to save some of the taxpayers' money. For example, when an Air Force program manager managed to reduce the expected cost of a program in half Congress cut half the funds allocated for his program.

That was the complaint yesterday of Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, who gently cautioned his "congressional teammates" about "the danger of careless marks" when crafting defense appropriations bills.

During a talk to a friendly audience (the Air Force Association), Shelton talked about the importance of teamwork with his command's partners, including Congress, which he said "has come to recognize the vital role" that the space and cyber capabilities fielded by AFSC.

But Congress, he added, needs to recognize that those "careless marks" may result in higher costs, program delays and greater risk.