SLIPping and a SLICCing

Some Air Force leaders expect to travel in comfort, quite a bit of comfort, in fact. A lot more comforts than GI Joe. For example, they want the Senior Leader In-transit Pallet (SLIP) and the Senior Leader In-transit Conference Capsule (SLICC) to have ar least these amenities:

• “The wall mounted flat screen/flat panel monitor must have a diagonal measurement of at least 37 inches”;

• “A full length mirror”;

• “Aesthetically pleasing wall-to-wall carpeting”;

• “Aesthetically pleasing wall treatments/coverings”;

• “Aesthetically pleasing ceiling treatments/coverings”;

• “Internal illumination level will automatically adjust to ambient lighting levels”;

• “A single remote control unit which controls operation and all functions of the video playback devices as well as the wall mounted flat screen/flat panel monitor.”

SLIP and SLICC are modifications to military planes to make them fit for the brass and civilian leaders to fly comfortably. The Air Force has been trying to get money from GWOT funds to make SLIP and SLICC a reality. The leaders have also been hard at work making sure the modified planes are up to snuff; e.g., they spent $68,000 to change the color of the seats to Air Force blue. After all, how can one work if one sits a seat that is not blue?

All of this is costing us millions while our soldiers travel in less than stellar comfort.