Air force sought anti-terror funds so generals could fly in "World class" comfort

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Air Force has sought millions of dollars in "war on terror" funds for "comfort capsules" so that the military brass can fly first class to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, a spokeswoman confirmed Friday.

The capsules, which are loaded into the bay of a military transport plane, come with a sofa, work space, two leather seats, a flat-screen TV, ports for a satellite phone and a separate module with two bunk beds and closets, the air force spokeswoman said.

Air force generals added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the costs with upgrades to leather, carpet and wood choices, according to the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a non-profit watchdog group that obtained internal emails about the program.

One email alluded to concerns of General Robert MacMahon, an air force deputy chief of staff, that the capsules be designed for the highest standards of luxury travel, POGO said.

"General MacMahon's concern is so significant that we need assurance by the end of the week from AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) that the SLICC will be 'World class' inside," the e-mail is quoted as saying...

A request that the color of the leather seats be changed from brown to air force blue, and that seat pockets be added alone cost more than 68,000 dollars

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hDbQj3WpozWuXJtE4UJRcu8cuvkg

[Catch22Dem]

1. This USAF veteran is shamed by Gen. MacMahon

But I'm confident he doesn't represent the Air Force as a whole. I hope folks can appreciate that.

[Bluebear]

2. Absolutely. More of those on the very top diverting funds meant for those on the bottom.

[lonestarnot]

3. sick bastards!

[Captain Angry]

4. I asked this last night when this was posted...

What operation, current or future would require any Air Force official to be in constant contact, airborne and extra comfy?

Now they'll want to start something with somebody so they can test out the new digs.

[JHB]

13. A "comfort capsule" seems to just be a fully-loaded RV rolled onto a cargo plane...

...and we have recently-declassified photos of just such a vehicle:

http://yawoot.com/post/432

:evilgrin:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. It's not THEIR fault...

they were FORCED to sit in the comfy chair!

[EFerrari]

6. I saw this on my local news this morning.

It's impossible to be surprised any more.

Thank you, Bluebear.

[mr_hat]

7. Needs more blue leather Bibles.

[Ian David]

8. I once sat in Coach Class next to Colin Powell on Screaming Baby Airlines.

No, not really.

But "comfort capsules" ?

Seriously?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. I remember fondly the "comfort module" the Marine Crotch flew me around in.

Oh, wait, it was on top of seabags in a C-130. I guess that's not the same.

[tkmorris]

10. Loud ride, wasn't it?

Nothing like being treated as the "cargo" on a cargo plane.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Actually, it was one of the best rides I had.

For once, I wasn't stuffed in a too small seat, or hanging in one of those net thingies.

And, it was a helluva lot more comfortable than the lousy, smelly, miserable, decks-awash-in-puke, LST that we'd taken to Taiwan and we're retuning from in that C-130.

[tabasco]

12. The top officers promoted by Bush are corrupt, gutless yes-men.

This is no surprise. They lie for Bush. They steal for themselves.