Hound Dog (and others),

This is my personal opinion and I mean no ill will or wish any hardship on you...

While I sympathize with you, this is something most at-will employees have had to deal with in their careers.

Because of the dysfunction of our government, you are in a little different spot. Not that you asked my opinion, but I would respond to the "5 bullet" e-mail without giving up sensitive information.

I was "riffed" once along with any entire engineering department because the company was in financial trouble (like our government). I was the most senior person in that group and was 1 step away from VP. I had been there 17 years. I had never received a merit rating below 5 on a 5-point scale. I was always the go-to guy for things within my expertise and outside (I led a lot of special projects). I was told my job had been eliminated the day after I received an occupancy permit for a $17 million dollar expansion of a manufacturing site (it was completed early and under budget). I was given 6 months severance for my time (less than those in the government who have been offered a buyout are getting).

I have a family member that has worked for the same company for over 20 years. Every year this kind of thing happens. You present your argument of why you are an asset to the company and if you cannot provide proof that you provide more value than you cost the company, you are gone.

In my experience, this is how many companies are run.

It sucks. But this is what many non-government and self-employed forum members deal with at some point in their life.

I wish you and your colleagues the best. People lose jobs everyday through no fault of their own. Many take the challenge head on and overcome it. I did so by landing an even better job (better pay, better benefits, more personal satisfaction, etc.).

Again, I know you did not ask for my opinion. Do with it what you will.

Best,

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bozman, March 02, 2025 06:23 PM

I'm self-employed and start every Monday out $1000 in the hole for the week. I'm 100% commission and I don't know where my next check is coming from. But I make more now than I ever did working for the man.

When I worked for the man, I have gone to work twice and the doors were locked and lights were off. I've been fired three times. This is normal life in the non-gov't. employee world. I'm having a hard time working up any sympathy for people being offered eight mos. of severance or being asked to jot down five things they accomplished the previous week. I don't think I've ever had a salaried job where I didn't have to do that every Friday. I was doing it on paper before email existed.

My son works for the .Fed and not everyone is being given severance. These are real families just like the pipe line workers were. In my son’s case he had a lengthy hiring process and took a pay cut. If he is fired there will be nothing to help them relocate or hold them over until he finds another job. Because he is on probation there won’t even be unemployment. It seems like there is not much thought just cut, cut, cut. I agree that there needs to be a huge evaluation and overhaul but this feels wildly unorganized.

This is going to be painful for many, including people I personally know.

It is necessary. Even if we lose good people and it is done in a way that does not make sense to us. This needs to be done quickly for many reasons.

The days of "Get yerself a gubment job and be set for life" have to come to an end quickly.

^^^^^^^^^ I totally agree with both of your posts boz. Spot on.

Like The "Boz", I've BTDT, and I agree with him 100%. I didn't like it, I hated the company for doing it, but I understood it. It's called life, and it goes on with or without you. When you work for someone else, you're not entitled to job security. We are entitled to the unalienable rights to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". We're not guaranteed happiness, which job security is one. Don't ever think your position or your talent is indispensable. They can always reorganize and make things run more cost-effectively. Look at Musk firing 80% of Twitter employees upon acquiring it. Did it come to a halt? You already know the answer. Don't want to be fired? Open your own business. Be your own boss.

quote:

You present your argument of why you are an asset to the company and if you cannot provide proof that you provide more value than you cost the company, you are gone.

And in ‘real life’, outside of being employed by the fed.gov, even this may not ‘save’ you, especially if one is not of the preferred HR race and gender profiles, you know, the ones that the gooberment demands of ‘private industry’.

I have seen people get let go who I thought held the whole place together, were just irreplaceable. Nope. Company did just fine without them. Every. Single. Time. Sure, there were some bumps in the road. I was pretty stunned by one of my firings, thought they'd call me back and pay me a consulting fee to transition my premier accounts to someone else. Nope, never heard from them again. "The graveyards are full of indispensable men."

Unfortunately for the essential and hard-working gov't. employees, the level of corruption, waste fraud and abuse being uncovered now is not going to make the taxpayers very sympathetic.

OK, guys, let's bring it back on track, please.

If posted elsewhere please forgive, I could not find it.

Please help me under the “why” of this. Russia is not exactly our friend.

Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations

The cybersecurity outlet The Record originally reported that under Trump’s new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to “stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions.” The outlet cites three anonymous sources who are familiar with the matter. The order reportedly does not apply to the National Security Agency.

The policy shift represents a complete 180-degree turn from America’s posture over the past decade, which has consistently considered Russia one of the top cybersecurity threats. Credible reporting and government investigations have shown that Russia has hacked into U.S. systems countless times.

^^^^^
Dunno – likely some tit for tat. Time will tell. Maybe cooperation on Ukraine.

Glad to see the thread back on track though.

Maybe discovered that China, N Korea, Iran, etc., are more of a threat than Russia so they are refocusing cyber operations.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Russia is not exactly our friend.

The idea that Russia and Putin are suddenly going to become our buddies for some reason—or any reason—beggars belief. As I think back over the history of the last decade or so, this is just one more 1930s and ’40s déjà vu. I’m reminded of the fact that Roosevelt thought that “Uncle Joe” (Stalin) wasn’t all that bad a fellow and that he could somehow be changed and restrained from continuing to act as the monster that he was. At least FDR was motivated not only by incredible naivete but also the need to destroy the other monster that we and our allies were fighting against, and the Red Army was doing a good job of that, but now?

The United States has dangerous enemies and Russia is one. If it’s not (now) as dangerous as China, that’s only because the Russians aren’t as smart as the Chinese, and are more motivated by greedy individual self-interest rather than ideology. Appeasing the Russians may tamp down their efforts against us for a few years, but one day they’ll “be back.” If this isn’t an example of the 5D level chess that we’re confidently being told is being played out and is beyond the ability of us mere mortals to comprehend, all I can hope for is that I’m not still around when the consequences come due.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

The United States has dangerous enemies and Russia is one. If it’s not (now) as dangerous as China, that’s only because the Russians aren’t as smart as the Chinese, and are more motivated by greedy individual self-interest rather than ideology. Appeasing the Russians may tamp down their efforts against us for a few years, but one day they’ll “be back.” If this isn’t an example of the 5D level chess that we’re confidently being told is being played out and is beyond the ability of us mere mortals to comprehend, all I can hope for is that I’m not still around when the consequences come due.

sigfreund, you make some relevant points but ignore the most important thing; it’s not 1939 anymore, or 1989.

The population of the Soviet Union in 1989 was 286 million, far greater than the 246 million US population (and that’s not including East Germany and Poland, plus other Iron Curtain countries which is easily 60 million more). The fear then was huge armies crossing the Fulda Gap, which would be difficult for the US, West Germany, France and the UK to overcome.

Since then, Germany is reunified, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Hungary etc are now part of the EU. This is a significant change, the calculus is completely different. Now the border is 1000 miles further east, and there’s an additional 120+ million people who are strongly incentivized to be anti Russian in former Soviet bloc states, and the population of Russia is now just 140 million.

They are annoying, they are nuclear armed, and they can cause minor regional issues - but Russia today is about as relevant as Italy was in 1939, geopolitically. The danger is China, because they have the key qualities that made Japan such a formidable adversary, and nearly none of the strategic impediments that Japan faced (small population, weaker industrial base, limited energy access).

I'm not buying it. Lot of mentions of it but none from sources I'd trust. Sounds like a DOD commie spreading a rumor.

Ask yourself, does this rumor help or hinder President Trump? I'm seeing lots of lefty's posting about this on X, so you kind of get an idea if it's assisting with the narrative engineering of: "Trump is helping Putin"

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
If posted elsewhere please forgive, I could not find it.

Please help me under the “why” of this. Russia is not exactly our friend.

Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations

The cybersecurity outlet The Record originally reported that under Trump’s new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to “stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions.” The outlet cites three anonymous sources who are familiar with the matter. The order reportedly does not apply to the National Security Agency.

The policy shift represents a complete 180-degree turn from America’s posture over the past decade, which has consistently considered Russia one of the top cybersecurity threats. Credible reporting and government investigations have shown that Russia has hacked into U.S. systems countless times.

quote:

I'm not buying it. Lot of mentions of it but none from sources I'd trust. Sounds like a DOD commie spreading a rumor.

My initial thoughts as well, especially after reviewing the initial sites ‘breaking’ the news. But after talking with some friends in circles who would know, The Record is a highly trusted source of all things ‘cyber’. I know these guys well enough to say, ‘if they trust it to be true’, I’m inclined to believe it to be true.

Which brings me back to my original question…

Why? Russia has been on the Cyber offense from Day One…what is the up-side to the US to do this?

quote:

Originally posted by reloader-1:
sigfreund, you make some relevant points but ignore the most important thing ....

I believe there is far more ignorance being demonstrated about the state of the world than mine, but I’ll leave it at that.

My opinion means nothing but at least I have vented my vent.
If I’m wrong anyone who remembers it will be able to get a chuckle over the Chicken Little fearmongering by an old man who knows too much about history—not to mention human nature—to remain willfully oblivious.

If I’m right, then opinions expressed today will matter even less.

quote:

Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations

I'll take a $20 from George Floyd before that.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
If posted elsewhere please forgive, I could not find it.

Please help me under the “why” of this. Russia is not exactly our friend.

Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations

The cybersecurity outlet The Record originally reported that under Trump’s new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to “stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions.” The outlet cites three anonymous sources who are familiar with the matter. The order reportedly does not apply to the National Security Agency.

The policy shift represents a complete 180-degree turn from America’s posture over the past decade, which has consistently considered Russia one of the top cybersecurity threats. Credible reporting and government investigations have shown that Russia has hacked into U.S. systems countless times.

Sounds like fake news that CNN and MSDNC and all the rest are jumping on as they go back into RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA mode

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has reaffirmed that it will pursue its mission to defend against all cyber threats to US critical infrastructure, including those from Russia, under the Trump administration. Reports have recently emerged of an internal memo sent to CISA staff members introducing new priorities for the agency. According to The Guardian, this directive included China but did not mention Russia. Additionally, an anonymous source told The Guardian that CISA analysts have been verbally informed that they were not to follow or report on Russian threats.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

My opinion means nothing but at least I have vented my vent.
If I’m wrong anyone who remembers it will be able to get a chuckle over the Chicken Little fearmongering by an old man who knows too much about history—not to mention human nature—to remain willfully oblivious.

My apologies sigfreund, I may have come across as dismissing Russia as a threat. It most certainly is, one that would inflict significant casualties on the US in a direct conflict (non-nuclear), but one that we could overcome fairly readily.

China is a different beast entirely. There is not a single other country on this planet that can, within the next 20 years, be a near-peer or even surpass the US in the manner that China can.

Russia/USSR has always had a surplus of manpower, a huge ground army, and the ability to take tremendous losses while occupying ground - but zero ability to project power beyond that.

China has every single one of those advantages, at a scale 10 times larger, plus the world’s manufacturing base. In WW2 terms, they combine the best that the US (Manufacturing), USSR (Population) and Japan (Assymetrical focus) had to offer.

We are rapidly turning into WW2 Germany, with a focus on expensive wonder weapons to win conflicts, with no ability to sustain production. This is NOT good.