By Julian E. Barnes
The Los Angeles Times, March 29, 2010
As part of an effort to extend the military’s “warrior culture” to unmanned planes, the Air Force is overhauling how it trains the crews that operate its rapidly growing fleet of Predators, Reapers and other remotely piloted aircraft.
The changes in training will affect hundreds of personnel who fly the unmanned aircraft remotely over war zones from distant bases and control their powerful cameras and targeting systems.
The effort is part of a move by the Air Force to put as much emphasis on drones as it does on traditional fighters and bombers, officials said.
. . .
The new training is a mix of the technical — details about the radar, camera and laser systems — and what Allen calls “infusing the Air Force warrior culture” into the job.
“They need to understand the battle space. They need to understand working with a crew,” Allen said. “This is absolutely flying a vehicle, and we want someone dedicated to this duty.”
. . .
“You do not want to feel you are not in the actual fight,” said Airman Paul South, 20, of East Smithfield, Pa., a member of the first class of new sensor trainees. “You are in the fight, and you need to realize what is on the line every time you are doing your job.”
The Southern California War Tax Resistance supports nonviolent refusal to pay for war. The ultimate vote of the populace is whether they give their lives and labor and earnings to the war system. People affiliated with SCWTR hold a variety of opinions about specific wars and war in general, and practice various forms of war tax resistance. We oppose the destruction warfare wreaks on civilians, on soldiers, on the environment, and on the societies and economies war touches, and we favor redirection of those energies and materiel to peaceable fulfillment of human and environmental needs.
SCWTR provides counseling on war tax resistance, education about the methods and consequences of various acts of refusal, public presentations, and activities such as the Southern California War Tax Alternative Fund. The Fund grants interest earned on a fund of refused taxes to many constructive projects and organizations (see more detailed description).
SCWTR was established in 1979. It is an affiliate of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee.
One of SCWTR’s goals is to make war tax resistance a known option for the many who march or work for peace – but pay for war.
Some supporters of SCWTR are not themselves refusers. Others refuse small amounts of income or excise tax. All are welcome.
REMINDER:
How wtr activities continue and grow depends on your suggestions for outreach opportunities and your participation. Please send you ideas (and offers of help) to:
The Southern California War Tax Alternative Fund (SCWTAF) is made up of money not paid as taxes by people who have not paid part or all of our federal income and/or telephone excise taxes due to the belief that since we work for peace we ought to refuse to pay for war. The Alternative Fund serves in the following purposes:
A Holding Account for Unpaid Taxes: The money may be recovered from the Fund at any time by the war tax refuser, or if she/he experiences a wage, fund, or property seizure by the Internal Revenue Service.
Distribution of Interest on the SCWTAF: Depositors make a positive statement that we favor funding human needs while we refuse to fund warfare and destruction, by donating the interest generated by the Fund. SCWTAF is held in a bank in a low-income area; the interest the Fund “earns” is granted to organizations and programs serving peace, justice, and human needs. Grantees are selected by Fund depositors.
Confirmation of Sincerity: Many Fund members inform the public and/or the IRS that they are willing to pay their refused tax money to peaceful social purposes, but not for war or preparation for war. For them, depositing the “war tax” in the Alternative Fund demonstrates that they are motivated by a conscientious opposition to war, and that they are engaged in war tax resistance, not tax avoidance.
The War Resisters League analysis is based on federal funds, not including trust funds — like Social Security — raised separately. What you pay by April 15th goes into federal funds portion of the budget.
