Bush Defense Department Seeks To Outsource Craf Pr

[Fly]

Bush Defense Department seeks to Outsource CRAF program

AFA is greatly disturbed to hear recent news reports that the Defense Department is seeking to open up military transport contracts to foreign carriers. We adamantly oppose such efforts and strongly urge our Members to oppose any efforts that would allow the Pentagon to proceed in this manner. AFA is concerned about the dramatic loss of American jobs that will result from such an action. “Outsourcingâ€￾ our jobs to government subsidized foreign airlines is no way to reward the employees and companies who have been there when their country needed them, not to mention that fact that it is counterintuitive for our national security. We encourage all Members to contact their Senators and Congressman and tell them that allowing the Pentagon to contract out to government subsidized foreign airlines is a dangerous precedent that will only result in the outsourcing of many U.S. aviation jobs. We will keep you advised on any changes with this important issue.

 

[Albatroz]

No doubt this is something we need to be against. American Tax Dollars should not go to foreign carriers, much less for them to transport US troops!
I would like to add something: This idea that foreign airlines, ( I think we are talking Europe here, I just don't see the Pentagon hiring airlines out of Africa or Asia or anywhere else), are still on the dole from their governments just is not so anymore.

 

[local 12 proud]

outsourcing american job's is going to kill our way of life in this country if we just stand by and elect leader's who favor this for big buissness profits, this is a disturbing trend that is going to continue to snowball unless '' WE THE PEOPLE" control this government. they, being the government, work for "WE THE PEOPLE" not the other way around.....secondly allowing foriegn carriers to transport our troops should make all the terrorist just about giddy, being they have more lax security in place in places like france where 10,000 unmarked passports can just up and walk away. like my dear old departed granddad use to say "WHAT HAS THIS COUNTRY COME TO"

 

[Fly]

I can't imagine what our troops would think, boarding a plane after fighting in a war, to hear the announcements in French! I've done enough of these flights to know that these boys and girls like AMERICAN made flight attendants and pilots! Why don't we ask them. When we first starting flying the troops over early last year, I remember having a supervisor come to briefing telling us, regardless of how we personally felt about the conflict, we were to keep the mouths shut on the issue. Apparently some French and German crews were originally doing the trip and had said some awful things to the troops going to Kuwait. Effective immediately, the foreign crews stopped flying the trip and the Americans took over. I hope the people of authority in the military send a reminder to the Prez about this.

 

[avek00]

I can't imagine what our troops would think, boarding a plane after fighting in a war, to hear the announcements in French! I've done enough of these flights to know that these boys and girls like AMERICAN made flight attendants and pilots! Why don't we ask them. When we first starting flying the troops over early last year, I remember having a supervisor come to briefing telling us, regardless of how we personally felt about the conflict, we were to keep the mouths shut on the issue. Apparently some French and German crews were originally doing the trip and had said some awful things to the troops going to Kuwait. Effective immediately, the foreign crews stopped flying the trip and the Americans took over. I hope the people of authority in the military send a reminder to the Prez about this.

AFAIK, the DoD request only covers intra-third country traffic, NOT flights to or from the United States. For example, the DoD would be allowed to utilize a foriegn carrier for the likes of Kabul-Baghdad, but not for Houston-Frankfurt. That said, I haven't read the text myself, so I could be mistaken...

 

[Fly]

Our troops are the most important line in the "war on terrorism". Aren't we putting them in a very precarious position flying on a foreign carrier? United States has no ability to monitor who works and maintains those planes. Seems an extremely dangerous thing to put 400 troops into the hands of an unsympathetic government. They (terrorists) have already proven they have no regard for human life (including their own) so what would stop them from sabotoging an aircraft?

 

[jimntx]

Our troops are the most important line in the "war on terrorism". Aren't we putting them in a very precarious position flying on a foreign carrier? United States has no ability to monitor who works and maintains those planes. Seems an extremely dangerous thing to put 400 troops into the hands of an unsympathetic government. They (terrorists) have already proven they have no regard for human life (including their own) so what would stop them from sabotoging an aircraft?

Amen. Ask the average GI whether he wants to be transported by a crew that has passed a 10-year background check on an aircraft maintained according to U.S. DOT standards, or by a crew that may or may not speak fluent English with who knows how extensive a background check (if any) on an a/c that may or may not have had a "C" check since it started flying.

I know what my answer would be. I've flown on Aeroflot where they just stacked bags on the floor at the front of the cabin when they ran out of overhead bin space. And that was without fear of terrorists.

 

[jimntx]

I forgot to add,

WRITE/EMAIL/CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS TODAY TO OPPOSE THIS STUPID IDEA!

Go to Write your Congressman. All you have to do is enter your Zip Code and the system will look up your Congressman and Senators.

 

[jimntx]

Here is the letter I sent to President Bush, the Senators from Texas, and my Congressman...

"I am writing you in strong opposition to the the Defense Department proposal to allow transport of American troops on foreign flag airlines. How dumb could they be to even consider this?

Ask the average GI if he wants to be transported by a crew in which every single crewmember has passed a 10-year background security check on an a/c maintained according to U.S. DOT standards, or by a crew that may or may not speak fluent English who may or may not have had their backgrounds checked at all on an aircraft that may not have seen a maintenance hangar since it started flying.

And, need I mention how badly U.S. airlines need all the business they can get right now? With an election rapidly approaching, do you really want to see more American jobs given to foreign companies?

If you do not block this move by the DOD, I can assure you that I will remember it come November."

If you wish to send a similar message from Congress.org, you can find this letter by clicking on the Letters to Leaders link on the home page, then look under the Defense/Military topic. It will be labeled Transporting American Troops on Foreign Flag Airlines and show Dallas, TX as the source.

 

[avek00]

Our troops are the most important line in the "war on terrorism". Aren't we putting them in a very precarious position flying on a foreign carrier? United States has no ability to monitor who works and maintains those planes. Seems an extremely dangerous thing to put 400 troops into the hands of an unsympathetic government. They (terrorists) have already proven they have no regard for human life (including their own) so what would stop them from sabotoging an aircraft?

Actually, depending on the circumstances, it could be SAFER to use a foreign-flag outfit vs. a US-flag carrier.

 

[Fly]

Safer, if the people on the ground are shooting.....definitely NOT safer if the people flying are the enemy.

 

[laura62]

Do you remember hearing rumors of how some of our very own United Airlines f/as were giving the troops a hard time when they were working CRAF? I heard some were fired/disciplined (rumor?).
Now can you imagine our troops being carried to and from these stressful dangerous missions with French or Spanish or German crew? Those countries certainly gave us a lof of....support....during the war.
If our own people didn't support them on their way to Iraq I can't imagine Air France or Lufthansa or non US carriers giving them anything but hell.

 

[Fly]

Yes Laura, you are correct. Those were United flight attendants that DID give some troops a bad time.....and they were French and German United flight attendants based in France and Germany. They weren't American. God help us if our own government sells out our American troops.

 

[trollydolly]

Fly;

It is unfortunate that someone did mention their personal feelings to our troops, but I must tell you, that the flight attendant who expressed his opinion on a the craf flight, is indeed an American citzen. I know exactly who did it, and it was not a German Citzen, but an American.

Sincerely,

Trolly

 

[Fly]

Then we are really, really in trouble. I flew with 2 FRA flight attendants who proudly stated that they, themselves, had done it (and would do it again...sigh)