I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.

On 4/1/2014 3:23 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.



Agreed. I'd like to see a $$ value on all that. That would be the
true financial cost of the wars.

On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:50:00 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 4/1/2014 3:23 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.



Agreed. I'd like to see a $$ value on all that. That would be the
true financial cost of the wars.


Here's an interesting article, and something I hadn't included above:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/study-iraq-afghan-war-costs-to-top-4-trillion/2013/03/28/b82a5dce-97ed-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html

"The biggest ongoing expense will be providing medical care and disability benefits to veterans of
the two conflicts."

I'm still receiving benefits from the Vietnam war, for example, so those costs will definitely mount
up.

On 4/1/2014 4:14 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:50:00 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 4/1/2014 3:23 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.



Agreed. I'd like to see a $$ value on all that. That would be the
true financial cost of the wars.


Here's an interesting article, and something I hadn't included above:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/study-iraq-afghan-war-costs-to-top-4-trillion/2013/03/28/b82a5dce-97ed-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html

"The biggest ongoing expense will be providing medical care and disability benefits to veterans of
the two conflicts."

I'm still receiving benefits from the Vietnam war, for example, so those costs will definitely mount
up.



Not to trivialize benefits to vets (which are earned) *everyone's*
medical care costs are going through the roof.

Civilians receive disability benefits from the government as well as
military vets. Who receives more in federally financed disability
payments, vets or civilians who never served in the military?

On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 16:52:55 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 4/1/2014 4:14 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:50:00 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 4/1/2014 3:23 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.



Agreed. I'd like to see a $$ value on all that. That would be the
true financial cost of the wars.


Here's an interesting article, and something I hadn't included above:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/study-iraq-afghan-war-costs-to-top-4-trillion/2013/03/28/b82a5dce-97ed-11e2-814b-063623d80a60_story.html

"The biggest ongoing expense will be providing medical care and disability benefits to veterans of
the two conflicts."

I'm still receiving benefits from the Vietnam war, for example, so those costs will definitely mount
up.



Not to trivialize benefits to vets (which are earned) *everyone's*
medical care costs are going through the roof.

Civilians receive disability benefits from the government as well as
military vets. Who receives more in federally financed disability
payments, vets or civilians who never served in the military?


That's a good question.

On 4/1/14, 3:23 PM, Poquito Loco wrote:
On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:31:20 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

I've searched unsuccessfully for an accounting of what our military
costs are in excess of normal operating costs that have resulted from
our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, there is an
established cost and budget for the number of military personnel
involved, their training and their equipment and deployments that exists
as a baseline. What is the additional cost for the deployments to Iraq
and Afghanistan? Certainly more, but how *much* more? I am curious
because I think some of the claims made by some people are wrong and
misleading. Some make it seem that the costs would have been
non-existent. That's simply not so.

In the course of searching for the answer, I did come across some
interesting numbers though. Here are a few:

Hourly cost of War in Iraq since 2003: $365,297
Hourly cost of War in Afghanistan since 2001: $10.17 million
Total hourly cost of Wars Since 2001: $10.54 million

Now, let's compare that to some domestic spending just for FY 2014:

Hourly cost for Education (FY2014) $8.16 million
Hourly cost for Environment (FY2014) $3.23 million
Hourly cost for Food &
Nutrition Assistance programs (FY2014) $13 million
Hourly cost for Housing Assistance (FY2014) $4.76 million
Hourly cost for Medicaid and Children's
Health Insurance Program (FY2014) $32.02 million
Hourly cost for Homeland Security Since 9/11*: $6.82 million

Total hourly FY2014 cost for just these programs: $68 million

Not included are general DOD budgets and costs and other specific programs.

* Homeland Security hourly costs are in addition to regular DOD costs.

I'd like to know what part of the $10.54 million/hour for the Iraq and
Afghan Wars would have been spent anyway if there had been *no* wars.
It certainly would be less but it still costs money to maintain, equip
and train those personnel.

Source of info: National Priorities Project
http://nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


I'm not a cost analyst, by any stretch, but here are a few additions:

Contracts awarded for maintenance of buildings, equipment, food, etc, awarded to civilian firms.
Transportation of equipment, troops, fuel, etc. that wouldn't be needed if the troops were
stateside.
Combat pay and income tax exemption.
If Reservists with dependants are activated, then their dependants receive military benefits to
include quarters allowance. For my SIL, that's about $2640/month.
Ammunition expenditures over and above training allotments.



Ahh, political posts are ok so long as the righties are doing it. I get it.