That's only the the beginning!!! In Balad, Iraq they're insisting that all of the "welder/mechanics" be qualified to D1.1 in GMAW & FCAW in order to do the repair work on the Buffalo's, JEERV's, and any of the other anti-mine armoured vehicles out in the field... Does anyone want to know what process they use for the repairs and what consumable???
Get a load of this!! SMAW and 11018!!! Huh??? The person I spoke to, is'nt sure if the electrodes have an "M" letter suffix on them which reall does'nt matter but, since it's the military!!! Wait a minute!!! They do'nt have to worry about that because they're only testing to D1.1!!! Then how are they going to bend them properly unless they're using a different grade of steel and consumable for the different processes they insist on to qualify yet, will not actually use in the field??? Why bother qualifying them at all if they're only going to do what they want anyway as opposed to working to any code??? FUBAR??? Definitely reads like it!!! Taxpayers money at work!!!
Anybody read the story about the "Stretched" Coast Guard Cutters docked down south somewhere, where after the work was completed, they were no longer seaworthy!!! One of the congressmen from Mississippi asked if they could be used as river patrol boats down in Colombia for Drug interdiction, and the Coast Guard's response was: "They do'nt think that they're seaworthy enough to even make it down there!!!" The Coast Guard denied access to the congressional member in charge of the Coast Guard's oversight committee so that he could see for himself what specific types of problems these cutters had as a result of the lengthening of these cutters a mere thirteen feet in order to have motorized rafts launch from the rear of the ship!!! Sound's like the cart before the horse working here :( :( :(
Respectfully,
Henry