JFK, Jr. Search: The Cost?
Guide Extra: 07/26/99
How much did the search for JFK, Jr.'s missing plane cost? I don't know. Frankly, we will probably never know. Those who think it was too high will come out with "estimates," but that's all they will be. Before you make up your mind, consider these factors:
Personnel Cost --
Most of the personnel used in the search were members of U.S. uniformed services (Coast Guard, Navy, NOAA Corps). As such, their non-combat duty pay is fixed. Basically, "it all pays the same."
Equipment Cost --
The ships, helicopters, aircraft, sonar, etc. cost the taxpayer far more when they are not being used than when they are. You can bet that today, the crew of the NOAA ship RUDE and her side-scan-sonar are back at work doing pretty much the same thing they did off the coast of Martha's Vineyard -- mapping the bottom of the ocean. The Navy and Coast Guard helicopters, planes, and divers are either rescuing somebody you never heard of, or training to do so.
This is to clarify three issues which have been debated in the Discussion Group on this topic:
- The use of a Navy vessel for the burial at sea was requested by Senator Ted Kennedy, not
President Clinton.
- The burial from the destroyer, USS Briscoe, was a civilian ceremony. There were no
military honors presented and a civilian priest presided.
- The USS Briscoe was already deployed off the coast of Virginia on a training cruise making her a ready and prudent selection.
If you would like to express your opinion on the costs involved with this search, please visit the related Discussion Group.
