Congresswoman to Air Force: Put down the tuba, pick up a gun

Perhaps if someone actually read the article and put it into context it would be helpful. What she said was:

"If we really had a manning crisis, from my perspective, we would really tell people to put down the tuba and pick up a wrench or a gun," McSally said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing at which Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford testified. "But we're not at that place, and I'm just concerned over these conflicting statements."

She was partaking in a bit of hyperbole about the "manning crisis" and "IF we were there" She wasn't literally calling upon anyone to box up tuba's and grab rifles although the idea of the USAF getting some range time and PT time in isn't a bad idea. She also said "but we are not at that place" as well. I was at an air show recently on an AF base and the number of overweight airmen was staggering. Certainly not all of them but far too many looked like PT was not a concern for them.

(epic face palm)

Ok-So it really comes down to this folks; the Congresswoman is overstating a case to make a point, which is almost 100% of the time, a bad idea. Anyone with a medium level of intelligence realizes that a few hundred people do not financially offset the costs of billion dollar defense programs.

Maybe she should've said something to the effect that there is an obvious fiscal imbalance across all the Armed Forces leading to a perpetual "yo-yo" effect of recruitment and discharge, funding and de-funding, initiative and counter-initiative. Taking a harder look at just how much of the "Defense" dollar goes to critical manpower and equipment for continued national security...how much goes to ancillary needs...and moreover, how much is wasted inside of politically driven contract decisions...would probably have gone over better.

CMSAF Benken's comment.