[Hotrod]

Off the subject a little but about congress, here's a tid bit. I'm stationd on the USS John F. Kennedy an air craft carrier, the second oldest in the fleet. It's been skiped over the last two cycles for a complete overhall due to $. It has a hole the size of a compact car below the water line, it has as of this year been deemed unsafe and can't land any aircraft without major repairs. The Navy wants to decommission it as of last year where congress voted to keep her yet we recieved no additional money for repairs as so we are operating on a shoe string. This year any orders for supplies or repairs or "normal" operation over 1 cent that's right one penny is considered high dollar and requires the supply officer's review and signature to allow the order to be replaced. Last year it dropped to $100.00. The Navy again says it doesn't want it and it can't afford to repair it on the budget it operates on nor does it want to afford the opperating costs. One day out to sea is over 1 mill. just for fuel. Now I don't want to actually have to move and pick new orders nor am I disgruntle of the ship or Navy but this ship is just sitting at port rusting away. The last out to sea period was for 4 days and we watered down the jet fuel we had on board since we can't land planes anyways for diesel because our request to be refueled was denied and that was the only way we could perform the out to sea period which is required to maintain our status of a sea going vessel in the Navy. Well congress has as of now choosen to keep the JFK yet another year.Now will say they gave the Navy and extra $280 mil for her repairs but never stated that money was required to be used souly on the kennedy and as you can guess, I along with my shipmates do not recognize any additional funds spent on our ship and with the budget to .01 being high dollars for parts and supplies it appears that money didn't get used for the Kennedy. Waist of money to keep a carrier that can't land planes and will not without millions and over a year to complete along with the Navy giving no idication these repairs are ever going to begin, I'd say another waist of tax dollars there too. Ofcourse the local area wants to keep the ship, 3000 sailers and thier families don't hurt the local economy but wouldn't destroy it if the ship left either.