Massey 1
Joe W. Massey
Karen Eddleman
ENG1301
19 April 2011
Out Sourcing,
It is Not the Answer.
Introduction
In order to lower day to day operating cost major cooperation’s within the United States have outsourced their support operation to other countries. The responsibility to protect the United States cannot be outsourced to different country but; theDepartment of Defense (DoD) has out sourced many of the day to day operations, and non-combat support roles to civilian contractors. “According to a report by the Congressional Research Service. There are 68,197 contractors in the theater or 67% of the total U.S. force—more than any other war in U.S. history” (Weigelt, p10-10).As members of the Defense budget committee this is will know.
Problem
In the past twenty years the role of civilian contractors not only working with the military but deploying with the military in conflict area. Increasing civilian contractor’s roles in conflict area have presented several problems, many stilled not clearly defined. With no clear laws or guidelines, there has been many misinterpret or misguided actions in just as many different conflict areas. With the fast pace and many different operations the DoD has relied more and more on out sourcing non-combat roles.
“In 2002, the Department of Labor's share of DBA premiums was $18 million a year. Today, it's $400 million. This twenty-fold increase is due to the unprecedented surge in the number of military contractors—and the Pentagon manages to shift the costs from its own budget onto DOL's books” (Beyerstein).
Solution
“Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz on Wednesday had some tough talk for defense contractors, saying firms must stop “blowing smoke” and over-promising about what they can deliver. “Don’t blow smoke up my ass” about what a military platform can do and when it will be ready, Schwartz told a tense and silent ballroom filled with defense industry executives. “There’s no time for it. There’s no patience for it. OK” (Bennett)?
“Overall, our findings suggest that the boundaries of the military profession
are being challenged by the outsourcing of more and more functional
tasks that had hitherto been performed by military personnel. Contracting
out support functions in particular had somewhat stemmed the civilianization
of the military42 and allowed it to focus more on its core function, the
management and application of violence in support of the political aims
of the state. The use of civilian contractors as armed security guards, operational
planners and participants in raids by special operations forces, 43
however, suggests that the outsourcing trend now endangers the basic tenets
of the military profession itself”(SCHAUB, JR., and FRANKE, p17).
Benefits
The article focuses on a U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released in August 2008 which analyzes the role of militarycontractors in Iraq. The report found that the military is increasingly dependent on contractors largely because of reductions in the military and greater emphasis on outsourcing duties that are not inherently governmental functions. The report enlightens why there are as many private contractors as U.S. military personnel in the war zone. The report added that the high ratio of private contractors to military personnel also reflects the effort of the U.S. to begin reconstructing Iraq now, instead of waiting until hostilities have subsided(Weigelt, p10-10).
Conclusion
Work Cited
Weigelt, Matthew. Federal Computer Week; 8/18/2008, Vol. 22 Issue 26, p10-10, 1/2p, Internet and Personal Computing Abstracts. Web. 10 Apr. 2011
Lindsay Beyerstein. Outsourcing Bites Back: Hidden Cost of Military Contractors Balloons
Working In These Times. In These Times. Thursday, Oct 15, 2009, 9:14 am. Web. 12 Apr. 2011
John T. Bennett . General gives stinging rebuke to contractors. The Hill.com. 02/09/11 09:07 PM ET Web. 13 Apr. 2011
SCHAUB, JR., GARY, and FRANKE, VOLKER. Contractors as Military Professionals?Parameters: U.S. Army War College. Winter2009, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p88-104, 17p