«

~BD~ wrote:
> Jane_Galt wrote:
>>
>> Here are ALL the powers that our Constitution gives the government:
>> http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A1Sec8.html
>>
>
> Interesting item. Thanks.
>
> I note:-
>
> "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval
> Forces;"
>
> I see no mention at all of Air Forces though. Is that an oversight?
> (or have I simply missed it?)


The Air Force

The Constitution was ratified in 1787, long, long before the advent of the
airplane. It provides, specifically, for a navy and an army in Article 1,
Section 8. Though they were aware of lighter-than-air flying craft, the
Framers could not have reasonably provided for an Air Force. It should be
noted at the outset that the Constitution does not provide, specifically,
for the other uniformed services, the Marines and Coast Guard. The Marines,
however, as an arm of the Navy, could be excepted; and the Constitution does
provide for "naval forces," and the Coast Guard could thus be excepted. How,
then, do we except the Air Force? The first way is via common sense - the
Framers certainly did not intend to preclude the use of new technology in
the U.S. military, and because of the varied roles of the Air Force, it
makes sense for it to be a separate branch. The second (and less desirable)
way is historical - the Air Force originated as the Army Air Corps, an arm
of the Army, similar to the Navy/Marine relationship. Basically, unless your
interpretation of the Constitution freezes it in 1789, the Air Force is a
perfectly constitutional branch of the U.S. military.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html#af

--
Jenn (from Oklahoma)

Jane_Galt wrote:
> "Jenn" <> wrote :
>
>> ~BD~ wrote:
>>> Jane_Galt wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Here are ALL the powers that our Constitution gives the government:
>>>> http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A1Sec8.html
>>>>
>>>
>>> Interesting item. Thanks.
>>>
>>> I note:-
>>>
>>> "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and
>>> naval Forces;"
>>>
>>> I see no mention at all of Air Forces though. Is that an oversight?
>>> (or have I simply missed it?)
>>
>>
>> The Air Force
>>
>> The Constitution was ratified in 1787, long, long before the advent
>> of the airplane. It provides, specifically, for a navy and an army in
>> Article 1, Section 8. Though they were aware of lighter-than-air
>> flying craft, the Framers could not have reasonably provided for an
>> Air Force. It should be noted at the outset that the Constitution
>> does not provide, specifically, for the other uniformed services,
>> the Marines and Coast Guard. The Marines, however, as an arm of the
>> Navy, could be excepted; and the Constitution does provide for
>> "naval forces," and the Coast Guard could thus be excepted. How,
>> then, do we except the Air Force?

> My dad served in WWII, in the Army Air Corps, the precursor of the
> USAF.
>
> And it would actually be far more efficient if all the branches were
> combined anyway.

My dad was a marine.

--
Jenn (from Oklahoma)

Jane_Galt wrote:
> "Jenn"<> wrote :
>
>> Jane_Galt wrote:
>>> "Jenn"<> wrote :
>>>
>>>> ~BD~ wrote:
>>>>> Jane_Galt wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Here are ALL the powers that our Constitution gives the government:
>>>>>> http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A1Sec8.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Interesting item. Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> I note:-
>>>>>
>>>>> "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and
>>>>> naval Forces;"
>>>>>
>>>>> I see no mention at all of Air Forces though. Is that an oversight?
>>>>> (or have I simply missed it?)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The Air Force
>>>>
>>>> The Constitution was ratified in 1787, long, long before the advent
>>>> of the airplane. It provides, specifically, for a navy and an army in
>>>> Article 1, Section 8. Though they were aware of lighter-than-air
>>>> flying craft, the Framers could not have reasonably provided for an
>>>> Air Force. It should be noted at the outset that the Constitution
>>>> does not provide, specifically, for the other uniformed services,
>>>> the Marines and Coast Guard. The Marines, however, as an arm of the
>>>> Navy, could be excepted; and the Constitution does provide for
>>>> "naval forces," and the Coast Guard could thus be excepted. How,
>>>> then, do we except the Air Force?
>>
>>> My dad served in WWII, in the Army Air Corps, the precursor of the
>>> USAF.
>>>
>>> And it would actually be far more efficient if all the branches were
>>> combined anyway.
>>
>> My dad was a marine.
>>
>
> See? Just another branch of the army.
>
Wrong. Marines are "Navy Department" along with the "Department of the
Navy".