In WW2 we had a ratio of under 2 generals and flag officers per 10K troops in the field. Now the ratio is 7 generals and flag officers for every per 10K troops or over 3 times the REMF's as my BIL would say.
I read somewhere that there are more generals per peon now than there were during WWII. Significantly more.
And there's less ships and planes and tanks, too.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I have a brother in law retired from the USAF. He flat out told us the Pentagon and most of the staff commanders could be wiped out and the US military would save 200 billion in costs a year. There's over 50k personal at the Pentagon alone. That's 2 Army divisions of troops and all they do there is write memos about who knows what. Or as my BIL put it waste more trees for their paperwork than Paul Bunyan could cut down.
DOD is well known for their "commercial activities" studies in which existing activities must complete with the commercial world. The problem is that most DOD support activities involve a wide range of work. The post engineers plow snow, do electrical work, carpentry, building maintenance, the list goes on. You're not going to find many companies that operate the same way in the commercial world.
The existing activities do get a certain advantage, but one had better believe that when their bid is submitted, it had better be 20% less that what the current cost to run the activity is...
That just means that when ~20% of the employees lose their jobs, it can be blamed on the activity not properly sharpening their pencils, not on the government conducting a "reduction in force."
If the existing agency loses, the employees may be able to find a job with the contractor that takes over that department...
Zardoz, I never before heard of such degradation.
When I was working, at one time I changed from Materials to Production; I did have an interview with one of the managers in production before beginning there. When I went back to materials, it was a move from one area to another, without even an interview. At one time or another, I was given different responsibilties--pruchasing, receiving, managing the chemical and cylinder gas inventories (which involved shipping empties), looking after the general stockroom, and/or taking care of the incoming raw material. In these changes, I was simply told that I would have new responsibilties.
I was initially hired on the recommendation of my next door neighbor, who was my first supervisor.
Johnny
BaltACDthe existing cadre of Dispatchers were required to take a battery of various types of tests.
Where my wife worked (public library) before retiring, management "reclassified" all of the jobs of the worker drones. The 'Reference Desk' became 'Patron Information', the 'Clerks' became 'Asset Coordinators', etc. Even though the responsibilities and duties did not change, the new pay scale was not in favor of the workers (is it ever?).
Anyway, the point I was drifting towards was that her and her fellow workers all had to REAPPLY for the very same jobs they had been doing all along. REAPPLY as in a new resume, references, the whole shtick. What a joke! Of course, the effect it had on morale I will leave you to guess....
You all should hear the screaming that can come out of the dispatchers room around here sometimes when OTR driver dispatch bingo hits around here. The worst one for our guys is the dreaded someone please get Chemtrec on the freaking phone now.
Many, many moons ago there was a computer simulation game called "Train Dispatcher". A friend gave me a copy of it. One morning when I got home, I loaded it up, saw that it had the UP Little Rock Sub on it (which was part of my territory) so I decided to try it. Got everything cranked up then about daylight the program would randomly pop in "track and time" for MofW, then Amtrak showed up, half the freights were no fitters. I decided it was too realistic and was too much like work so closed it and never played it again.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
CShaveRRDown in the dungeon, I have "Dispatcher", a more recent version called "C&O/B&O", and "Rail Baron". Haven't thought of any of them for years. I'd always been told that "Dispatcher" was based on the PRR, but I can see where B&O might fit, too.
I'd always been told that "Dispatcher" was based on the PRR, but I can see where B&O might fit, too.
Avalon Hill subsidery of Hasbro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalon_Hill
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Down in the dungeon, I have "Dispatcher", a more recent version called "C&O/B&O", and "Rail Baron". Haven't thought of any of them for years. I'd always been told that "Dispatcher" was based on the PRR, but I can see where B&O might fit, too.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
zardoz Deggesty Who knows--perhaps playing it would interest some in coming involved in railroad occupations? Perhaps the railroads could use it as a pre-employment exam to see who has the "knack". Although from what I understand, the railroads already have a sufficiently difficult time hiring.
Deggesty Who knows--perhaps playing it would interest some in coming involved in railroad occupations?
Perhaps the railroads could use it as a pre-employment exam to see who has the "knack". Although from what I understand, the railroads already have a sufficiently difficult time hiring.
And the various tests that are used to test new applicants are many and varied.
On CSX shortly prior to their big hiring efforts to acquire and train new Train Dispatchers - the existing cadre of Dispatchers were required to take a battery of various types of tests. I can only presume that they were using the results of these tests to in someway validate the observed results of the 'new hires'.
Not being in personnel, I have no idea what was actually being looked at and have never seen results of the tests - either the ones administered to existing Dispatchers or whatever was administered to the new hires.
DeggestyWho knows--perhaps playing it would interest some in coming involved in railroad occupations?
I have Rail Baron somewhere in my basement, a most entertaining game.
I have that game in the attic of my old house. I liked Avalon Hil games, In particular Bismark and Tactics.
There are at least two on eBay now.
Think I still have mine somewhere up in the attic. Game was losley based on B&O's Baltimore Terminal, Old Main Line, Capital and Metropolitan subdivisions. Note the CPL's on the box.
Anyone remember Avalon Hill board games...I had a lot of them.
tree68You know, a few years back, I conceived the idea for a railroad board game. It would be a cross between several existing games in that players would move tokens around the board on rolls of the dice.
Kind of an expanded "Express" card game. I used to have that as a kid - don't think I've ever played it. Liked the cards, though. We need to get a group together in the NE sometime and play it. I'll buy first round.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Larry, it looks interesting--but I doubt many in the general public would really enjoy it.
Who knows--perhaps playing it would interest some in coming involved in railroad occupations?
Semper VaporoDoes the center square always have a token in it?
NO! Most Dispatchers will have one to three of these situations every trick they work.
You know, a few years back, I conceived the idea for a railroad board game. It would be a cross between several existing games in that players would move tokens around the board on rolls of the dice.
This would kind of be an open access thing - all players could go anywhere.
Each player would begin the game at a "home terminal" with several randomly drawn "cars" that had specific destinations. So a player would start with, say, a five car train. This number becomes significant as the game goes on, as there would be "passing sidings" of specified length where meets between the players would occur. Obviously, they could only pass if one or the other fit in the siding. If both fit, there would be some sort of rule regarding who went in the hole.
As players reach the various industries, the car card for that industry would be returned to the stack. There might be a "penalty" card that says they will pick up a car (load or empty) when they drop a car.
There might be several yards where a train could be relieved of unassigned empties. Maybe, if players chose to cooperate, there might be a procedure for meeting in a yard and exchanging cards. Trains needing to reverse direction might be limited to doing so except as those yards or other specific locations.
Like Monopoly properties, a player's train would be laid out in front of them. Their token on the board would only take up one square. Moving several tokens every time would be cumbersome.
Like Monopoly, there would be squares where players would pick up a card that might have some sort of penalty (derail - lose a turn), new task (pick up a car somewhere) or even a reward (green signal, roll again). Lot's of possibilities on Balt's bingo board. These might be called Form 19's and Form 31's.
Ending the game might involve first player to get back to their home terminal light, or maybe just with empties. Or there might be a limit to the turns taken - the crews would "run out of hours." Players would then be scored on what was left in their train, f'rinstance.
There are dozens of possibilities, and details I haven't worked out - but the game will probably never be published anyhow.
Does the center square always have a token in it?
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
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