LF: Trump's military parade has been delayed to at least 2019

Title: Trump's military parade has been delayed to at least 2019
Source: Business Insider
URL Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/tru ... -parade-delayed-to-2019-2018-8
Published: Aug 17, 2018
Author: Lolita Baldor, Associated Press
Post Date: 2018-08-17 11:38:11 by Willie Green
Keywords: None
Views: 2338
Comments: 24

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department said Thursday that the Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump won't happen in 2018.

Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said the military and the White House "have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."

The announcement came several hours after The Associated Press reported that the parade would cost about $92 million, according to US officials citing preliminary estimates more than three times the price first suggested by the White House.

According to the officials, roughly $50 million would cover Pentagon costs for aircraft, equipment, personnel and other support for the November parade in Washington. The remainder would be borne by other agencies and largely involve security costs. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss early planning estimates that have not yet been finalized or released publicly.

Officials said the plans had not yet been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Jim Mattis Joseph Dunford Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, left, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, right, outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, September 3, 2017. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

The parade's cost has become a politically charged issue, particularly after the Pentagon canceled a major military exercise planned for August with South Korea, in the wake of Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said the drills were provocative and that dumping them would save the US "a tremendous amount of money." The Pentagon later said the Korea drills would have cost $14 million.

Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said earlier Thursday that Defense Department planning for the parade "continues and final details are still being developed. Any cost estimates are pre-decisional."

The parade was expected to include troops from all five armed services — the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard — as well as units in period uniforms representing earlier times in the nation's history. It also was expected to involve a number of military aircraft flyovers.

A Pentagon planning memo released in March said the parade would feature a "heavy air component," likely including older, vintage aircraft. It also said there would be "wheeled vehicles only, no tanks — consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure." Big, heavy tanks could tear up streets in the District of Columbia.

The memo from Mattis' office provided initial planning guidance to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His staff is planning the parade along a route from the White House to the Capitol and would integrate it with the city's annual veterans' parade. US Northern Command, which oversees US troops in North America, is responsible for the actual execution of the parade.

Earlier this year, the White House budget director told Congress that the cost to taxpayers could be $10 million to $30 million. Those estimates were likely based on the cost of previous military parades, such as the one in the nation's capital in 1991 celebrating the end of the first Gulf War, and factored in some additional increase for inflation.

One veterans group weighed in Thursday against the parade. "The American Legion appreciates that our President wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation's support for our troops," National Commander Denise Rohan said. "However, until such time as we can celebrate victory in the War on Terrorism and bring our military home, we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veteran Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible."

Trump decided he wanted a military parade in Washington after he attended France's Bastille Day celebration in the center of Paris last year. As the invited guest of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump watched enthusiastically from a reviewing stand as the French military showcased its tanks and fighter jets, including many US-made planes, along the famed Champs-Elysees.

Several months later Trump praised the French parade, saying, "We're going to have to try and top it."

Gotta consider all the costs that would go into this production (security, time, transportation, staging, theatrics)...

But MOST of all, we've got to presume at least half the parade budget is allocated for the Earl Scheib/Maaco PINK paint job. Sure, some might confuse THIS as merely an excuse to queer-up the tanks, jeeps, military hardware in pink (especially ROCKETS).

However we all know this PINK EVERYTHING TREND is only about "raising awareness for "Breast Cancer".

I mean, how many personnel from each branch would march in the parade? All of them?