[Webstral]

It occurs to me that my first response to the DC Group's work needs to reflect more of the many positive items therein. Having spent many, many hours on Thunder Empire and other projects, I know how much effort goes into their projects.

I love the acknowledgment that the Joint Chiefs have little or no leverage over theater commanders by 2001. This is a very important dynamic that has a big effect on how recovery develops. The theater and regional commanders become much more like nobility than modern flag officers. Like the dukes of Germany in the time of Otto I, the theater commanders are, in effect, peers with the crown. They are coordinating with the throne, but they are not in a position to be removed, eliminated, or otherwise seriously affected by the crown's displeasure. Individual personalities become extremely important under these circumstances. Good call, gentlemen!

Going further with the importance of individual personalities, I love the conflict between SACEUR and CINCLANT. Equally, I love the implied effect of CINCLANT's attitude on the eastern Virginia enclave. The whole command is in the doldrums due to command influence. By the same token, the Europe veterans have a better attitude because their commander has a better attitude. I think that this phenomenon supports my contention that the returning Europe veterans need time to refit, reorganize, and reestablish the right mentality. SACEUR needs to get out there and speak to battalion formations about the sanctity of the mission, their role in rebuilding the nation, etc. SACEUR needs face time to work his magic, just as CINCLANT's presumed absence has created storm clouds over his command.

The idea of reforming the former divisions as brigades carrying division lineages is a good one. I endorse it wholeheartedly.

I'm glad Korea was covered. I'd hate to think that the 8th Army boys were abandoned to their fates in the Far East.

One item that gives me pause is the apparently large numbers of functional vehicles the forces from Europe fall in on in early 2001. The listed reorganization of combat for brigades includes heavy engineer battalions that seem to take possession of large quantities of operable heavy equipment. Who has been maintaining this equipment? What have they been doing with it? How is all of this gear suddenly available for the troops from Europe? I'm not saying answers aren't possible, but they should be provided to make the equipping of several battalions of combat engineers more believable.

I like the creative approach to using Seabees in support of each new corps.

You've added a lot of high-end functional naval vessels to the US arsenal, not least of which are three nuclear submarines. Who has been providing maintenance for them?

The notes on the South Jersey enclave are appreciated. Although everyone has suffered, not every location is going to experience the same level of degradation. I wonder, though, whether one simply restarts a nuke plant. If so, why have so few other plants been restarted? Again, I'm not saying it can't be done it deserves some explanation, if only to set it apart from other non-functional nuke plants around the country.

I appreciate seeing First District mentioned. The threat of withdrawn resources will mean more if the Joint Chiefs actually possess the means to distribute resources thus the desire for airships.

The resumption of classes at Princeton is an interesting idea. I like it, but it also begs further explanation. How have the faculty and staff kept themselves alive during the interim? Who is feeding them now? As before, I'm not saying it can't be done. I'd like to see it done very much. Nevertheless, how the academics find themselves not among the half of the US population that has died by early 2001 and available for the resumption of instruction deserves explanation.

I love the creativity and optimism!

Webstral