The Long View

There may not be “out” gays in the military, but there appear to be Queer Eyes among Air Force officers.

An article by R. Jeffrey Smith in The Washington Postreveals that top brass among Fly Boys have lobbied Congress to spend counter-terrorism funds for “comfort capsules” (and we’re not talking about Qualudes, girl friend), modular suites that can be installed inside the fuselages of AF aircraft that include comfortable reclining chairs, beds, couches, stereo, full-length mirror (I guess to practice voguing or throwing shade) and flat-panel media devices.

According to Smith, “at least four top generals [were] involved in design details such as the color of the capsules’ carpet and leather chairs.”

Smith reports: “One request was that the color of the leather for the seats and seat belts in the mobile pallets be changed from brown to Air Force blue and that seat pockets be added; another was that the color of the table’s wood be darkened.” The seat color change is reported to have cost nearly $70,000. As everyone knows, you can’t have brown leather with a blue uniform. Or as St. Oscar might have said, Either that leather goes or I go.

Over all, the Air Force has tried to divert over $16 million for this upgrade to first class.

And you can sleep more soundly at night knowing that the top brass are tanned, rested and ready for action. This is, of course, the same Air Force that can’t keep track of its nuclear weapons.

Please thank the folks at the not-for-profit Project on Government Oversight for digging and dishing.