Trump Sought Military Equipment For Inauguration, Granted 20-Plane Flyover

[brooklynite]

Source: Huffington Post

During the preparation for Friday’s transfer-of-power, a member of Trump’s transition team floated the idea of including tanks and missile launchers in the inaugural parade, a source involved in inaugural planning told The Huffington Post. “They were legit thinking Red Square/North Korea-style parade,” the source said, referring to massive military parades in Moscow and Pyongyang, typically seen as an aggressive display of muscle-flexing.

The military, which traditionally works closely with the presidential inaugural committee, shot down the request, the source said. Their reason was twofold. Some were concerned about the optics of having tanks and missile launchers rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue. But they also worried that the tanks, which often weigh over 100,000 pounds, would destroy the roads.

...snip...

The Pentagon didn’t reject all of Trump’s ideas. At the request of the president-elect, there are five military flyovers ― one for each branch of the armed services ― planned for Friday’s inaugural parade, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Jamie Davis told HuffPost.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-military-equipment-inauguration_us_58811f4ae4b096b4a23091f7?ijatt9

---

Nothing for the Coast Guard?

[Freedomofspeech]

1. Five times to honor his deferments?

[DK504]

48. And this SOB

wants to start slashing the VA, their Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. Will he go after vets pensions net?

But this asshole wants to use the military as props? I can not take this for much longer.....I'll end up on a street corner screaming at the top of my lungs.

[LisaM]

2. Seriously, what's the matter with these people?

I guess the good news is that this might cause some in the military to re-think voting GOP.

[tazkcmo]

5. There are more Dems in the military than people think.

All of the African Americans I knew in the Army were Democrats and just under half of the white guys I knew. Can't speak to other ethnic groups though I suspect most of the Latino civilian workers I knew at Ft Bliss (El Paso, TX) were Democrats. This may have changed after 9/11. I served 1985-1991.

[Baconator]

7. I find the breakdown to fall along enlisted / commissioned lines...

Majority of enlisted lean right...

More of a spread in the Officer ranks...

I'd ask a Warrant but they are tough to track down to ask...

[tazkcmo]

15. In other words

Along economic lines. It would be interesting to know how the senior enlisted voted, E-7 and up. I suspect they'd be slightly more conservative but it's just a guess.

[Baconator]

31. Haven't seen it..

So possibly more along education lines which are influence by economic ones.

[tazkcmo]

35. It would be interesting.

A study by grade, years in service, branch, enlisted/NCO/Officer, gender, race, age, combat vs peace time, etc. Interesting.

[rpannier]

51. That must have changed since I was in

Because it broke heavily repub officer corps and democratic enlisted

[JonLP24]

57. Same here

Officers were very Republican while many of the enlisted were poor Democrats in 2005-20008.

[tazkcmo]

59. Thank you

I was wondering if the Republican numbers might have gone post 9/11. Many young folks joined out of a sense of patriotism that was manufactured by the Cheney/Bush regime through lies. Some Republicans still think Iraq was behind 9/11 and are more gullible so maybe there was an uptick in Republican volunteers.

I just re-read what I typed and I can't believe my own words! "...so maybe there was an uptick in Republican volunteers."
lol Sorry all. I'm o.k. now. I know the GOPee talks a tough talk but they'll always just be chickenhawks!

[SeattleVet]

61. Not necessarily an uptick in conservative volunteers...

but a definite uptick in the amount of right-wing radio beamed to the troops. AFM (used to be AFRTS) did manage to carry Limbaugh and some other wingnuts, without any balance from the reality side.

[tazkcmo]

62. That's some BS

I didn't know that. Dammit.

[Baconator]

65. I have a unique job...

... So my data may be skewed based on who is around.

[yeoman6987]

18. I so agree. Did 24 years and a large chunk are democratic supporters

And officers especially pilots in the navy are Democratic. So agrivating hearing the military is repug. Not true at all.

[tazkcmo]

30. Suddenly your DU handle makes sense!

Have 2 Navy vets for brothers. Thanks for your insight! It irks me a bit, too.

[yeoman6987]

41. Oh cool. Thanks.

[Kingofalldems]

42. Wow. I thought you posted once that you were 24 yrs old.

Could have sworn I saw that. Must be someone else.

[tazkcmo]

60. Maybe born in 1924?

lol Just joshin' ya yoeman! (Unless you WERE born in 1924!)

[JonLP24]

55. It was the same for me

I served in 2005-2008. Ft Lewis was over 50% black like much of the military and my experience was the same as yours.

[Dawson Leery]

33. Military is 60/40 GOP/Dem. Same with the gun vote.

While both vote majority Rethug, it is not lopsided 9.99999:1 as the media would suggest.

[tazkcmo]

36. That reflects my experience.

And passes the smell test. Are you citing a study or survey you've seen? I'm not demanding a link, it's not THAT big of deal! lol If you do have one though, I'd be interested to see it.

[Dawson Leery]

38. Studies and exit polling say such.

[tazkcmo]

39. k, thnx n/t

[tenorly]

3. Perfect for a coup d'etat.

Far be it from me to applaud such things; but if not now, when.

[stevenleser]

20. Coup d'etat against whom? Trump and the Repugs already control the government.

No one can stop them if together they are determined to ignore the Constitution.

[tenorly]

22. I meant it only in jest.

We are indeed lucky to live in a country with institutions strong and solid enough to withstand the likes of Trump - even if this was a stolen election.

Having said that, if Agent Orange insists on governing as a Putin asset and constantly sticking his thumb in the intelligence community's eye as he clearly enjoys doing then he may indeed not be President that much longer.

Which would be especially tragic because it would leave us with something even worse than Trump: President Pence - one of the most medieval and sociopathic people in government today.

God help us all, Steve.

[atreides1]

53. For the moment, the institutions are strong

But those institutions can be compromised by putting Trump loyalists in positions of authority!

I believe if Trump goes, Pence is going with him...why get rid of one nut bag...only to come back later and dump his partner in crime!

Pence was in on the Russian coup, from the beginning...he knew what was going, because Trump is the kind of man who wants to make sure he isn't held solely responsible!!!

[tenorly]

56. You captured the very essence of the incoming regime I think.

What he can't ban, he'll infiltrate; what he can't infiltrate, he'll just undermine.

And I'm referring to Putin, more than Trump. God help us all.

[Historic NY]

4. So thats why the ANG base has been busy here in NY....

[Quayblue]

58. Ooohhh.

I work near Stewart ANG base and a coworker was asking if I'd heard the noise of the flyovers. She lives in Cornwall, but I'm further southeast so haven't heard much of anything.

[elmac]

6. Well, troops voted for sniffles over Clinton

by a 3 to 1 margin so I guess he's just thanking them. Of course, when he starts slaughtering them in his wars I won't be shedding any tears. When massive demonstration, unrest happens as our country is torn apart the military will play a big roll in defending the Fourth Reich.

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/05/09/military-times-survey-donald-trump-beats-hillary-clinton/84132402/

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/data-points/poll-trump-leads-clinton-among-military-veteran-voters-n643501

[mahina]

24. I would hope not, but should he do so, I will shed tears for them.

May none of that come to pass.

[mindem]

8. So,

how much is that little bit of frivolity going to cost?

[tazkcmo]

32. No more than they cost

at football games, baseball games, etc. Having said that and as a veteran: F him and his party.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Il Douche. The Mango Mussolini. Putin's Puppet. No wonder he likes military hardware on parade. .nt

[biglib63]

21. perfect

I really like Il Douche, but I think I'm going to stick with Benedict Donald

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. That's damn good too! . . . nt

[Hekate]

46. GMTA. I've been calling him that for months.

Red Don (Red Dawn) works too.

[hack89]

10. The Coast Guard is the fifth service mentioned - they have plenty of airplanes and helocopters. nt

[jmowreader]

11. Brooklynite, according to the article...

USAF: all fighters - 1 x F-15, 1 x F-16, 1 x F-22, 1 x F-35
US Navy: 4 x F/A-18
Army: 4 x UH-60 Blackhawks
Marines: 4 x MV-22 Ospreys
Coast Guard: 4 x HH-65 Dolphin helis

The Pentagon is declaring all this flight time to be "proficiency" work, so there's no increase in anyone's budget. It still doesn't yoogely impress me as something they need to be doing.

[longship]

14. Let's hope the Ospreys stay in the air. nt

[hack89]

25. They have developed into very reliable aircraft

the Marines and Air Force are flying hundreds of them around the world every day.

[Justice]

12. Heaven help us.

[tanyev]

13. So he didn't actually want a quiet, understated, softly sensual inauguration?

Also, eww.

[modrepub]

16. Its a show of force

It's a "Don't F@*k with Me" signal to anyone who doesn't respect him.

[underpants]

17. Tracked vehicles can tear up roads

But putting hardware in the parade???

[Hekate]

47. Kim Jong Un would approve. And it IS an old Russian tradition, so Vlad would too.

What could possibly go wrong?

[dhill926]

19. awesome.....can't wait to not see it....

[democrank]

23. Including missle launchers?

Perhaps Trump "always wanted" a missle launcher, like he "always wanted" a Purple Heart.

Just because Trump has 5 Vietnam War deferments, it doesn`t mean he`s not a real soldier. Believe me.

[DeminPennswoods]

26. You'd be surprised to learn

how bare bones regarding big equipment the military is. They don't have a lot of extra stuff sitting around waiting to be rolled out for show. Now, I suppose they could've dragged out some old tanks and things from the boneyard in AZ, but the real working equipment is deployed or otherwise in use.

[jzodda]

27. And so mussolini returns

Nt

[highplainsdem]

28. Oh, how I wish that had been from The Onion...

[Deb]

29. Wasteful spending

on the backs of taxpayer. Typical gop, steals from republican Grandmothers to stroke his own ego.

[Wolf Frankula]

37. So We'll be seeing 20 of the Russian Air Force's Latest Planes

CIA, MilInt, get your cameras out.

Wolf

[JI7]

40. small hands

[dalton99a]

43. +1

[JudyM]

44. Exactly.

[JudyM]

45. Punctuating the sharp shift from 8 years of quiet class to 4 of brash, flashy, crass trash.

[Paladin]

49. "North Korea-style." Yeah, baby.

How low can he go?

[FSogol]

54. Kim Jong-Trump

[mahatmakanejeeves]

50. Re: the Coast Guard:

That was my first thought too. The keep an HH-65 stationed at KDCA, Washington National Airport. I believe it comes from a USCG facility in Atlantic City, NJ.

By the way, I rode a Yellow Line train home tonight. The passenger behind me referred to the airport as "National Airport" more than once, and the train operator referred to the stop as "Washington National Airport."

As well they should have, because that's what it is. No one who grew up here calls it "******."

Back to the USCG. They'll have their hands full tomorrow. They're going to be out on the Potomac River on 41-foot boats.

[stonecutter357]

52. I hope the CIA has plans for Inauguration day.

[SteamAddict]

63. This is unheard of

A 20 plane fly-over? Really? It there a tank parade as well? Welcome fascist USA!

[BRMCOne]

64. Is this a reboot of The Twilight Zone?

I genuinely feel like I'm living in another dimension right now. And I'm not digging it.