Over the last three years the Air Force's leadership sought counterterrorism funding to build "comfort capsules" for its top ranking officers.  These new luxury suites would allow senior officers and civilian leaders to travel the world in style and comfort, all on the U.S. taxpayers' bill.

In long email dialogs and budget documents four top generals planned such minute details as color and style of the carpet and leather chairs for the suite.  Production of the first capsule has already begun and it will feature two posh rooms.  According to the generals, who are defensive about the efforts, the new capsules are essential to allowing the leadership to talk, work and rest comfortably in the air. 

However, the expensive efforts are not meeting with such glowing praise among lower ranking officers, among members of Congress, and among the American public.  Many are calling the program a waste of valuable antiterrorism funds.

Well, each citizen will have to examine the expenditures and form their own opinions.  To consider this, we must look at the rooms in a bit more detail.  The capsules are to be "aesthetically pleasing and furnished to reflect the rank of the senior leaders using the capsule."  Each features designer furniture -- beds, a couch, a table.  Also included are a 37-inch flat-screen monitor with stereo speakers and a full length mirror, so the leadership can always be sure they're looking good.

The project has been slowed, to the generals' frustration by Congress being skeptical about the use of counterterrorism funds for the pet project.  Further the generals numerous demands for upgrades in the suites were also the subject of some incredulity in Air Force proceedings.  Among these requests were for 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.  These little changes were expected to carry a little price tag of $68,240.

In total, the project leaders have begged Congress to let it use $16.2M USD in funds, coming from the resources for the GWOT, or global war on terrorism, on the project.  Congress has refused each time, demanding the funds be spent on higher priority items.

Nevertheless the Air Force continued planning and construction.  Then came a $331,000 budget overrun last year, thanks in part to the design changes.  This time the Air Force managed to take the money out of the counterterrorism funds.  A senior officer has said that based on inquiries since, the Air Force has reversed the decision and will be returning the funds and looking for alternative sources of financing.

The story first came into the public eye thanks to a series of emails delivered to the Washington Post by nonprofit group Project on Government Oversight (POGO).  They have since been independently authenticated and it has been revealed that pressure was applied to lower ranking officers to created "world class" accommodations well beyond the standards of a regular business-class flight.

In a March 2007 email to a colleague, an officer at the service's Air Mobility Command said, "I was asked by Gen. [Robert H.] McMahon what it would take to make the [capsule] . . . a 'world class' piece of equipment.  He said he wanted an assurance . . . that we would be getting a world class item this week."

The Air Force says that the program dates back to 2006, when Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb decided that existing accommodations aboard transport aircraft was good enough airmen and troops, but not good enough for top brass.  At the time General McNabb was Air Mobility commander; he is now the Air Force's vice chief of staff and has been nominated to be promoted to head of the military's Transportation Command.

In a complaint letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who nominated him, POGO's Danielle Brian, the group's executive director, asserts that the capsules have no special communications or work capabilities useful in the war against terrorism, and are "a gross misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars that could otherwise be used to train and equip soldiers."