Hi, again, from way up here!

I looked for a possible URL to the article mentioned in earlier thread; NSL. Watertown Daily Times does have a site (www.wdt.net) but no archives of articles. Sorry!

Someone mentioned the 10th Mountain Division... there was an article in the Fort Drum weekly newspaper about Y2K that appeared about 2 months ago. The writer is the head of a division of the Info Services Directorate on the installation (FYI, I went to school with the guy; he's good people, and no dummy - gov't job notwithstanding!) Info on DOD's Y2K status IS classified (that was on CNN), but the article indicated absolute confidence in meeting the challenge.

Having had mucho experience with the Gov't & Army administration, I am skeptical. The only thing that I am sure of is that when the Commanding General asks about compliance, NOBODY will want to say they won't be ready. I have often heard from dear friends who work for Uncle Sam toss around phrases like "by the time that happens, Gen So-and-so will be gone.." or "hey, I only have 9 months 'til retirement, then it's SEP" (Someone Else's Problem). My personal favorite: "an action passed is an action completed" which essentially means that as long as it's off my desk, I've done my job.

Since the actual proof of compliance is so far down the line, I really believe that some "optimistic" and "enthusiastic" reporting will occur.

Don't tell anyone you read me say that!!!

-- Arewyn (nordic@northnet.net), October 01, 1998

Answers

Where military compliance is concerned.....

I volunteer two afternoons a week at the local county Humane Society...feed the pups and the kitties, scoop poop, change the water, etc.

The gal out there who's 2nd in charge was in the Army for years, a supply sergeant. We've talked about Y2K from our first acquaintance. She's very aware of the problem, and says the military's in deep puppypoop. Has told me stories about relatively minor computer glitches in her area that took weeks to fix...as in Excedrin headache number 1,459,751 --

-- John Howard (Greenville, NC) (pcdir@prodigy.net), October 01, 1998.