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In testimony before congress George Miller made this statement:
"The Workforce. The Stockpile Stewardship Program's most valuable and
irreplaceable assets are the unique individuals who sustain it. Confidence in the stockpile ultimately depends on confidence in the stockpile stewards at the NNSA laboratories and production facilities. We must attract top talent to the program and sustain over time specialized technical skills and expertise, which provide the basis for judgments about the stockpile and stewardship actions taken, through mentoring and hands-on experience."
Given that we now have a two tier retirement system and any new employee will be in tier 2 and the lab has a penchant for term employees, will the expertise be lost because there will be no disciples to pass on the secrets?
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If the scientific and highly educated staff at the NNSA weapon labs are their most "irreplaceable assets", then NNSA and the "for-profit" LLCs sure don't act like it!
This is just BS window dressing. In truth, the LLCs and NNSA would like to hire new staff at cheaper wages and benefits. As far as the required "experience", they can wing it and just lie to Congress.
Frankly, if the DoD and Congress had any true idea just how damaged these labs have become in terms of the workforce morale, loss of critical expertise, etc, they would be very worried.
LLNS/LANS/Bechtel are doing an excellent job in hiding the truth from both the public and policy makers. I guess that's what they are really being paid for with the NNSA's mandated LLC profit fees. Heck, science and research aren't even in any of the infamous PBI metrics, so what do you think that is telling you?
The transition to inferior private industry work practices is a major upset of almost everything that we knew how to do -- a massive organizational STROKE.
Under these new crippled conditions we must relearn to walk, talk, and retain and train talented personnel.
I don't really think that retaining weapons technical expertise will be that daunting in the long term as long each new generation is allowed full-scale underground testing, so that each generation can figure out its own mistakes, and deploy results with confidence.
Without testing, they will eventually become posers, no matter what their IQ or credentials.
This applies to weapons scientists worldwide, not just our side. Functionality, including safety demands regular testing. The resource must be renewed, and the purpose of testing isn't that the design works, its that the scientists understand what is going on.
Its simply the scientific method.
7/23 1:31 am: Your argument is irrefutable and is clearly based on solid experience. However, it WILL be disputed on this blog by those who are unaccountably enamored of their modeling capabilities without any real data on current modifications. Also by those who oppose testing on any grounds, including the current Administration. They think the only way to keep the bad guys from testing is to not test ourselves, which has already been proven false in the cases of India, Pakistan, North Korea, and possibly others. Iran to follow, and probably Myanmar. Good luck.
The #1 nuke idea by the Obama administration is, "Zero Nukes In The World," in reality: "Zero US Nukes," and deeply present in the NPR 2010, in the US-Russia NEW Start Treaty, as well as, theirs and Congress´un-American NO!!!, towards new US nuclear weapons systems, and/or new US nuclear weapons modernization, new US delivery systems. enhancement of US missile defense, and US underground testing.
But, this dangerous idea, and argument for, "Zero Nukes In The World," i.e. "Zero US Nukes," is NOT NEW, it´s already DEEPLY ROOTED in "The Communist Takeover Of America - 45 Declared Goals," January 10, 1963, at http://www.commieblaster.com/dl/Communist-Takeover-America.pdf, with an in-depth analyse of the document, at http://www.commieblaster.com/news/communist-takeover-plan.html, as well as, http://www.commieblaster.com/ has an in-depth analyse of the Obama administration, and its purpose of, "Exposing Communists in US Gov´t."
Conclusion
Say No To Zero US NUkes
Say No To NPR 2010
Say No To The New Start Treaty
Say Yes To New US Nukes
Say Yes To US Missile Defense
Say Yes To US Underground Testing
"Top 10 Reasons Not to Trust Russia," This is a Factsheet on Russia and Eurasia, Published on July 29, 2010, at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Factsheets/Top-10-Reasons-Not-to-Trust-Russia, short summary:
1. A Long History of Arms Control Violations.
2. The West Is Still Their #1 Theat.
3. Helping Iran and North Korea.
4. Still Building a Nuclear Arsenal.
5. Not in Compliance on Other Treaties.
6. No Regard for Georgia Independence.
7. Responds Offensively to Defensive Measures.
8. Ties to Terrorist Organizations.
9. Natural Gas as a Political Weapon.
10. An Authoritarian Regime.
Conclusion
Don´t TRUST Russia, and say NO to the NEW Start Treaty.
Some video links on the New Start Treaty, Communism, and the destroying of the US nuclear arsenal:
1. http://www.nmatv.com/video/6037/Glenn-Beck-062410.
2. http://armed-services.senate.gov/hearings.cfm, June - August, 2010.
3. http://www.heritage.org/Events/2010/07/START-Obama-Arms-Control-Agenda.
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