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Why the US military wants troops to be able to fix their own stuff
Why the US military wants troops to be able to fix their own stuff

Business Insider

time15-07-2025

  • Business
  • Business Insider

Why the US military wants troops to be able to fix their own stuff

Troops often find themselves surrounded by gear they cannot legally fix. A bipartisan push is trying to allow troops to turn to their own wrenches to repair military equipment rather than relying on civilian contractors. Service members are allowed to fix a lot of military equipment on their own, with many troops specializing in mechanical repair for guns, aircraft, and even weapons optics. But some equipment contracts come with strict provisions that stipulate that repairs can only be performed by contractors and limit the technical data and intellectual property that can be shared with troops for repairs. Some lawmakers say these stipulations are problematic for troops in need of urgent repairs and take advantage of DoD funding. "When you're deployed in the field and you have a mission to complete and you have people's lives to protect, it just doesn't make sense to be constrained by some commercial agreement that you have with the manufacturers," said Greg Williams, the director of the Center for Defense Information at the Project on Government Oversight. Now, a bipartisan push from senators Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican, is calling for a change amid new movement on the National Defense Authorization Act. These lawmakers highlight instances of the Navy ferrying contractors to sea for simple fixes, Marines in Japan forced to send engines to the US for repair instead of repair on site, and one contractor that "charged $900 a page for upgrades to its maintenance manuals for an Air Force aircraft." These moves mark the latest in a string of actions to overcome right-to-repair barriers. A 2023 California bill, for example, spurred Apple to endorse the ability for consumers to repair and modify their own devices. Medical device manufacturers came under fire during the pandemic for troublesome restrictions on ventilator repair. And US farmers have criticized farming equipment manufacturer John Deere, now embroiled in a federal lawsuit, for what they see as prohibitively restrictive controls on repair part access and burdensome diagnostics tech tools. President Donald Trump's tariffs could strengthen the right-to-repair movement throughout the nation, as some consumers grow increasingly reluctant to toss out high-priced goods that are damaged and seek to repair them instead. Top Pentagon brass have pushed for comprehensive changes to repair policies since January. Amid major transformation initiatives within the Army, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have each called for the inclusion of right-to-repair provisions in all new and existing Army contracts. Navy Secretary John Phelan told lawmakers in June that when visiting the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, he discovered six of the ship's eight ovens, essential tools required to feed thousands of sailors, were out for repair, adding that crewmembers aboard the vessel were legally prohibited from performing repairs. "It is crazy. We should be able to fix this," he said. Such high-level advocacy comes as other military leaders have observed that future warfare will require more innovative fixes from troops on the front lines. "The force of the future will fix on the spot," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said during a congressional hearing on military spending last month. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars saw robust base build-ups for troops, where equipment could be sent for intensive maintenance needs with the near-assurance of US air supremacy. Such guarantees are almost certainly a thing of the past, experts say, at least for high-end fights. Right now, "it all comes down to the particulars of the contract involved," Williams explained. "Different contractors have arrived at different arrangements with the Defense Department about when they have a chokehold on repairs and when they don't." "And so it needs to be negotiated on a contract-by-contract basis," he said. Williams pointed to a near-miss naval incident and subsequent relief of USS John McCain's captain as a clear example of what can happen when repairs go unaddressed. The destroyer nearly collided with another vessel during a refueling operation when the ship's lingering steering problems arose unexpectedly. It's unclear whether the right to repair would have prevented that outcome, but the argument for it is that it eliminates the unnecessary tension that exists today. As things stand now, Williams said, "it comes down to a push and pull between the manufacturer and the consumer."

Meth consumption still high, no evidence of related spike in crime
Meth consumption still high, no evidence of related spike in crime

RNZ News

time09-07-2025

  • RNZ News

Meth consumption still high, no evidence of related spike in crime

Packets of methampetamine seized at Auckland Airport last month. Photo: Supplied / NZ police The latest wastewater data for the first three months of this year shows methamphetamine consumption remains at significantly high levels. Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said it was "gutting" and had concerns for the potential increase in crime and social harm. But police data shows there is no evidence yet of a significant spike in crime following the significant spike in methamphetamine use . It comes as the Ministerial Advisory Group on Organised Crime releases its most recent report, highlighting the need to 'remove the customers of drug crime' . Wastewater testing showed a 96 percent increase of consumption of methamphetamine in 2024, compared to 2023, which has been referred to as a "doubling" in meth use. Fifteen kilograms of methamphetamine was consumed every week in the March 2019 quarter. In the December 2024 quarter, about 36kg was consumed on average each week. The latest data from nationwide wastewater testing taken from January to March this year shows an average of 33 kg consumed per week. Casey Costello, the Minister of Customs and Associate Minister of Police, who is in charge of the Ministerial Advisory Group on organised crime told RNZ in a statement it was good meth use was down, but it remained "far too high". All districts continued to record above average use when compared to the respective consumption rates over the previous four quarters, the report said. "Methamphetamine use across sample sites in Q1 2025 equates to an estimated weekly social harm cost of $34.6 million." It was not clear yet whether more people started using, or whether the same people were using more. "We'd expect a massive increase in the population use. It doesn't seem that that's the case," Williams said, and more testing was being done to understand what happened to cause the uptick last July. Regardless, Williams said it was "gutting to see" meth use was still in the range of that top level, "honestly, seriously concerning." Detective Superintendent Greg Williams. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone He could not say whether the increase in meth use had directly caused an increase in crime, but said "meth is a massive driver of crime, social harm and social deprivation in communities". "So regardless of whether it's more people using or people using more it's still creating significantly more social harm and also seeing significantly more money going to the hands of gangs across the country, who are the ones selling this into the community." Williams acknowledged the price of meth had dropped, but it was still relatively high compared to the rest of the world. "You've still got to find the money to pay for that right? "That's the concern." Data from the National Drugs in Wastewater Testing Programme / NZ Police. Photo: Supplied To consider whether there had been a jump in crime related to a jump in meth use, RNZ looked at the Recorded Crime Victims Statistics , which shows how many times Police receive reports of crimes that have a victim - or "victimisations" such as assault, burglary, theft. According to Police data from the RCVS, there was not a significant and continuous spike in crime that directly aligned with the spike in meth use which began in July 2024. Over a period of two years, between the start of July 2023 and the end of June 2025, the nationwide trend was relatively steady in terms of the number of victimisations. Here's a breakdown nationwide by month over those two years (up to the latest data available) which shows the number of victimisations after the spike in meth use stays relatively consistent with the period before the spike. Nationwide victimisations: - Data from Police RCVS According to wastewater data , the police regions of Northland, Eastern, Waikato and Tāmaki Makaurau saw the highest methamphetamine consumption per capita. Here's the breakdown of victimisations in those police districts by month for the past two years, where you can see a marginal increase in some cases, but a relatively consistent trend. Victimisations by region: - Data from Police RCVS Asked whether he was seeing a correlation between the increase in meth use and an increase in crime, Detective Superintendent Williams said he did not have that data in front of him but referenced research which showed a cohort of meth users who had a conviction were committing five times more offending than a non-meth-using cohort. Williams said it was hard to say what the long-term impacts would be and when they might start to be seen, but in the meantime, gangs were getting significantly more money as a result of the increased use. "So, inherently, you have to see an impact out there in communities." Data based on reported crime can sometimes hide what goes unreported, so a victimisation survey - which asked people about their experiences of crime - was typically considered the gold standard measurement. However, New Zealand's version - the Crime and Victims Survey - is run annually, so that data was not available. The group provides monthly reports to the minister with findings and recommendations regarding New Zealand's response to organised crime. The latest report published this week, for June, was titled 'One Team Against Organised Crime', and specified the need for a sustained and concerted strategy and action at government and community levels to break long term, intergenerational cycles and address the symptoms and root causes of organised crime. It specified a need for a national strategy with local implementation to fight TASC, as well as a focus on prevention, stating "we agree that building community resilience to organised crime" should be part of the strategy. "This is consistent with the foundational objectives for national drug policies: problem limitation, demand reduction and supply control. "These principles have informed the work recently undertaken by the meth sprint team commissioned by the Prime Minister." Minister of Customs and Associate Minister of Police Casey Costello speaks about an organised crime programme that targets the causes of drug use in communities. Photo: RNZ / Ellen O'Dwyer A section titled 'Removing the Customers of Drug Crime' outlined the current situation where Customs was seizing far more illicit drugs than ever before, while there had been a substantial increase in the consumption of methamphetamine. It noted, even before the spike in meth and cocaine, there were real pressures on addiction services in New Zealand. For example, in 2023/24: a. New Zealand spent around $235 million on specialist alcohol and other drug services b. 44,850 people accessed AOD services c. Wait times into specialist addiction services within 3 weeks were 75.8 percent. The report raised the question of whether the costs of organised crime were paid for through "increased efforts to reduce demand or through enforcement, or through the longer-term costs of social harms, including, for example, the costs of imprisonment". "We have heard from community leaders that it would be helpful to see drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal issue to enable addicts to access treatment." Part of this could be increasing support for confidential drug testing services; encouraging police to refer people who use drugs to local treatment options; continuing support for community-based meth reduction programmes like Te Ara Oranga in Northland; and meeting other health needs like undiagnosed neurodiversity (such as ADHD) so illicit drugs were not being used to control those symptoms. Key recommendations from the group to prevent drug crime included: a. Reducing the stigma around being a drug user to encourage users to seek help b. Investing in the availability of effective addiction treatment services to remove the customers of drug crime c. Considering wider rollout of alternative treatment models and criminal justice pathways for users, such as Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Courts. A response from the government's 'meth sprint team' to the increased meth use is expected in due course, and could be as soon as this month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

How To Keep Your Cool When Negotiations Heat Up
How To Keep Your Cool When Negotiations Heat Up

Forbes

time01-06-2025

  • Business
  • Forbes

How To Keep Your Cool When Negotiations Heat Up

Negotiating One of the reasons negotiations grind to a halt is that one party is playing 'the heavy' and the other party seems at a loss as to how to deal with the situation. In in those moments of hesitation, the heavy gets what they want and the acquiescent party gets little. It does not have to be this way. When dealing with 'a heavy,' it is important to identify the type of person you are dealing with. That is, 'knowing what he'll do to perpetuate his efforts,' writes globally-recognized negotiation expert Dr. Greg Williams. 'This identification process is paramount to the strategies you'll create to combat him. As part of the identification process, you must be attentive to what he says, the words he uses to make his pronouncements. That means you have to listen intently and not be thinking of the rebuttals you'll offer while he's speaking.' [Disclaimer: Dr. Williams is a member of 100 Coaches of which I am also a member.] When dealing with someone who likes to play 'the heavy,' it is important to identify the type of person you are dealing with. That is, 'knowing what he'll do to perpetuate his efforts,' writes globally-recognized negotiation expert Dr. Greg Williams. [Disclaimer: Dr. Williams is a member of 100 Coaches of which I am also a member.] 'This identification process is paramount to the strategies you'll create to combat him. As part of the identification process, you must be attentive to what he says, the words he uses to make his pronouncements. That means you have to listen intently and not be thinking of the rebuttals you'll offer while he's speaking.' Understand your outcome. Knowing what you want to accomplish before you begin negotiating is essential. Keep it front and center as you converse. Do your homework. Find out as much as you can about the person with whom you will be negotiating. Ask questions of people who know them or have dealt with them previously. Read up on tactics they may employ against you. Role play. Stage a give-and-take session with your team members. Consider it practice before the game. Ask others to ask you tough questions, even if it means being insulted. Stay calm. Do not rise to the bait. Take a deep breath and stay focused on the outcome. 'Be vigilant of nonverbal cues,' advises Dr. Williams. 'Nod to display agreement, maintain an open stance to convey approachability, and mirror the opposition's positive gestures. Always give attention to the body language negotiators exhibit, and align your gestures to increase rapport and trust.' Seek common ground. Look past the taunts to find common ground. Express your desire to find solutions that benefit both parties (or all parties). Be the voice of reason. 'Use interest-based negotiation techniques, such as asking open-ended questions to uncover underlying interests and exploring multiple options before settling on one,' says Dr. Williams. 'To do this more effectively, seek to expose the 'why' the other party pursues the outcome they are after. Propose solutions that address all parties' core needs, emphasizing collaboration over competition.' Remain open to discussion. Know when to end a negotiating session, but make it clear that you want to continue exploring ways to work together. There is another solution. Silence. Too often, we become so enamored of our position that we exaggerate it, sometimes to the point of overstatement. Learn the art of the pause. You do not have to keep talking. Silence can be a stealth weapon in your arsenal. Coupling calmness with resolute silence can be masterful. Negotiating with someone who is trying to provoke you is their tactic. It does not have to be yours. Learn how to keep your cool.

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