The price of supporting the troops is paid to the NFL
The scene is familiar at any sporting event. The PA announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to our Hometown Hero,” and the JumboTron shows Petty Officer Binotz or Master Sergeant Jones, waving humbly, flanked by cheerleaders. The moment, though perhaps reductive and saccharine, is nonetheless touching: a fleeting opportunity to connect to whatever we feel toward the troops — memories of friends lost, of family members’ service, of the people we might have been.
In some NFL stadiums, that moment is a paid commercial. A report by NJ.com revealed that several such salutes were the product of marketing contracts bought with taxpayer money:
The Department of Defense and the Jersey Guard paid the Jets a total of $377,000 from 2011 to 2014 for the salutes and other advertising, according to federal contracts. Overall, the Defense Department has paid 14 NFL teams $5.4 million during that time, of which $5.3 million was paid by the National Guard to 11 teams under similar contracts.
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McCain Questions F-35 Operability, Marines Provide Cover
Last week, Senator John McCain, in his role as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned the U.S. Marine Corps’ declaration that the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121), based in Yuma, Arizona, has reached initial operational capability with the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. According to sources, the F-35 currently only has 20 percent of the full intended capability, so now even the definition of operational capability is in question.
However, given the fact that the “Marine’s F-35B order only represents about 14% of the DoD’s total F-35 buy, yet the other 86% of aircraft will handicapped by the F-35B’s unique design requirements, according to Tyler Rogoway writing for FoxTrotAlpha, the Marines have to celebrate even the most modest achievement as a milestone.
That might explain why McCain appeared to be very careful to commend the Marines for achieving “initial” operational capability.
“However, I remain concerned about the capability and reliability this aircraft,” stated McCain. “As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue to do everything I can to make sure that our military improves aircraft reliability and maintenance, software development and integration, and weapons capabilities and integration.”
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