The deputy commandant for programs and resources of the Marine Corps, Lt. Gen. Gary Thomas, says that readiness in the aviation community is falling far short of the standards set for readiness. The deputy commandant said less than half the Marine Corps's aircraft are ready to fly – far short of the 75% goal the Corps sets for itself.  Washington Examiner: The service's goal is to have 75 percent of its aircraft on the flight line ready to go, a number he called "reasonable" since routine maintenance will always take some aircraft out of commission. But the actual number now is just 45 percent, mostly due to aircraft exceeding their planned service life, Thomas said. The statistic seemed to shock Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee. "I'm sorry, can we go back for a second," Turner said. "That's pretty abysmal. To have that be closing the gap, we...(Read Full Post)