Monday, July 21, 2008

Air Force To Use Counter-Terrorism funds to build "comfort capsules"



comfort-capsules.jpgGoing by what the Washington Post says, the Air Force, in the last three years has been diverting $16.2 million from the counter-terrorism funds to build "comfort capsules". These sealed rooms will be installed in large military planes and will be fitted with beds, a couch, 37-inch flat-screen monitor, and other facilities "to reflect the rank of the senior leaders using the capsule." The Project on Government Oversight says that these capsules actually have "no special communications or work capabilities beyond those already available for top officials." They presently have "two high-end add-ons for top brass, as well 100 special VIP planes." An Air Force document specified that the capsule's seats are to swivel such that "the longitudinal axis of the seat is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft" regardless of where the capsules are facing. A series of demands for modifications by Air Force generals resulted in the color of the leather for the seats and seat belts in the mobile pallets be changed from brown to Air Force blue and that seat pockets be added; these changes cost at least $68,240. Although they ordered ten capsules, the order has been cut down to three, plus four Senior Leader Intransit Pallets with chairs. Making that a grand total of $7.6 million. This what Gen. Robert H. McMahon, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for logistics, had to say: They're trying to "create an environment that whoever was riding in that would be proud of" and that the "the people of the United States" would be proud of too. Via - Luxurylaunches
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