They slipped this one past me.
Marine Forces Europe touts the training mission that its engaged in with the Georgian military and training exercises with our NATO allies.
What they've been less forthcoming about is the fact that Marines are involved in the fighting in Africa.
KONY 2012 supporters should be pleased. Force Recon is training Ugandan soldiers. Check out this article from Shadow Spear. Read the whole thing but this stood out to me....
Amazing.
What isn't making sense is how the Marine Corps is approaching this. The Georgian military has conventional US Marines doing the training. In Africa, its being done by Force Recon. A reserve unit at that.
What gives? Are we doing a SOCOM light and are we going to start tasking Force Recon with training or is it like I suspect.
US Marines are engaged in the fighting in Africa.
It shouldn't be surprising. The stories have been leaking out for months but I didn't want to go ahead with saying anything because I didn't want to be called a loon. But with Australian SAS, SEALs, a HUGE number of Special Forces and Air Force Special Ops (Para-rescue, Combat Controllers and Weathermen...along with a couple of MC-130's that I saw at Djubouti) its beyond apparent that the US is involved in the fight against terrorist on that continent.
The problem is this WILL turn into a 3 way affair. The US and its allies on one side. Terrorist on another and then China on the other.
More to come on SPMAGTF-12.
Marine Forces Europe touts the training mission that its engaged in with the Georgian military and training exercises with our NATO allies.
What they've been less forthcoming about is the fact that Marines are involved in the fighting in Africa.
KONY 2012 supporters should be pleased. Force Recon is training Ugandan soldiers. Check out this article from Shadow Spear. Read the whole thing but this stood out to me....
“We are answering a stated need by our African partners,” said Lt. Col. David L. Morgan, commander of SPMAGTF-12 and 4th Force Reconnaissance Company. “Our mission in Uganda is yet another example of what this versatile force can do.”So we have a Special Purpose MAGTF setup thats sending units into Africa.
The task force has dispatched teams across a wide swath of Africa over the course of their six month deployment in support of Marine Forces Africa, sending anywhere from five to 50 Marines into partner nations for days to months at a time. The unit is among the first of its kind and the mission in Uganda is one of its last.
Amazing.
What isn't making sense is how the Marine Corps is approaching this. The Georgian military has conventional US Marines doing the training. In Africa, its being done by Force Recon. A reserve unit at that.
What gives? Are we doing a SOCOM light and are we going to start tasking Force Recon with training or is it like I suspect.
US Marines are engaged in the fighting in Africa.
It shouldn't be surprising. The stories have been leaking out for months but I didn't want to go ahead with saying anything because I didn't want to be called a loon. But with Australian SAS, SEALs, a HUGE number of Special Forces and Air Force Special Ops (Para-rescue, Combat Controllers and Weathermen...along with a couple of MC-130's that I saw at Djubouti) its beyond apparent that the US is involved in the fight against terrorist on that continent.
The problem is this WILL turn into a 3 way affair. The US and its allies on one side. Terrorist on another and then China on the other.
More to come on SPMAGTF-12.
Sol, this is offtopic, but there have been rumblings about fighters leaving from MCAS Miramar to the middle east. Have you heard anything about this?
ReplyDeleterock solid info USSHelm.
ReplyDeleteone thing i know for sure is that the US must have an additional base in the area. i still can't find info on the unit that the CH-53's belong to .
China? Where did that come from? No way, in this time frame.
ReplyDeleteoh yeah in this life time sir!
ReplyDeleteChina is making a huge push into Africa because they're after minerals and other resources. they won't directly fight the US but their proxies might....especially if we're interfering with established goals. one of which appears to be trying to corner the market in rare earth minerals.