Pic of the day. June 16, 2010.

Via Joe Stemph's Flickr Page.

CH-53E Super Stallion of HMH-464 "Warhorse" kicking up debris on landing at West Wetlands Park in Yuma, Arizona during a noncombatant evacuation exercise.

WAM-V Proteus.

This vessel has intrigued me since I first saw it a few months ago.  Well I finally tracked it down and still love what I see.

I wonder if it could possibly have military applications?

WAM-V website.

HP Proteus photo site.

Hemet CA Police Dept. under siege.

The police dept is under siege.  When you have the bad guys firing rockets and placing bombs under police cars then you're dealing with a different breed of gang-banger.  I wonder if the ATF or FBI is assisting or if they're too busy hanging out at gunshows to help?  Watch the vid and be amazed. 

Magpul is now making... wait for it....motorcycles?

I had to see it to believe it and I'm still not sure.  First the Magpul Unimog (well actually that's quite cool) and now this.  Amazing.

Check out the Magpul Ronin here.

And the regular Magpul site is found here.

Wow.  I wrote "what for it"...amazing.  Sleep and spell check can help.

Style over Substance.

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen transport a simulated casualty to a Marine Corps MH-53 Super Stallion helicopter while conducting a combat search and rescue exercise outside of Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, June 1, 2010. DoD photo by Master Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson, U.S. Air Force


I've been monitoring a conversation occurring on Kit-Up Blogspot.  You can read the articles here, here and here.  But instead of adding just my voice to the debate, I think a pic is worth a thousand words.  Click on the picture and blow it up.  What do you see.  I'm talking gear wise, nothing else.

I see multi-cam, pro-tec helmets, what looks like 3 different types of packs, a soft cover, some type of civilian high speed pants and 4 different sets of boots.

Kit-Up has taken the position that a soldier with the 101st should be allowed to wear the multicam gear that he purchased.  This NCO, in my opinion, is seeking style over substance.  In small units ... read SOCOM...they can get away with dissimilar uniforms.  The average Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airmen is older, more mature and to be quite honest is supervised at a much closer ratio of Officer and SNCO to troop ratio.  Conventional forces are not.  Unit cohesion and discipline will be put in jeopardy by lax uniform standards.

But to add fuel to the fire we have this item from SoldierSystems.net.

On Monday, LGEN A.B. LESLIE, Chief of the Land Staff for Canada, released a message entitled, “Prohibition on Acquisition of Soldier Personal Equipment, Clothing and Camp Stores.” The point of the message was to remind units that they cannot use Operations and Maintenance monies to procure Soldier Systems items. Specifically, guidance was issued that, “THE LF CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT REMAIN WORLD CLASS. AS SUCH LOCAL PURCHASE OF CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT WITH O AND M FUNDS BY LF UNITS IS PROHIBITED.” The list of equipment units CANNOT use O&M to purchase is pretty extensive and includes basically everything that is covered on SSD.

 It seems that the goochie gear craze has spread.

Does anyone remember standing for an inspection and being asked by the inspecting officer...How much did you have to spend to get ready for this inspection??? 

In the Marine Corps if you answer anything more than a few dollars for polish or to replace a broken insignia then you were wrong...and your immediate supervisor was wrong too.

It seems that that type of thinking is not in vogue with certain NCO's in the 101st or with certain members of the Canadian military.  Thank goodness they have Officers and SNCOs that will square this away.

Clarence Leonard "Kelly" Johnson. His 14 Rules.

Kelly Johnson, the famous aeronautical engineer was a revolutionary thinker.  What's even more revolutionary but often overlooked are his management principals.  Maybe we should insist on making his 14 rules a part of any reform that's pushed through the Defense Dept.

(You'll need to enable full screen to read his rules)

Http Www.lockheedmartin.c..

Royal Air Force knocks down the Rolling Stones.

Wow.  Things are different in the UK.  Read the whole thing here.

The Royal Air Force Squadronaires have scored the highest ever chart position for a military band when it's album "In The Mood: The Glenn Miller Celebration" reached No.9 in the UK pop album charts, overtaking The Rolling Stones. The album also knocked Michael Bublé off his long-standing position at the top of the jazz charts.

Either they have great military bands or the British public has weird taste in music.

Just plain cool.

Under water free fall!  This guy is crazy cool.  I like the sound track too.

Pic of the day. June 4, 2010.

via Joe Stremph Flickr Page.

Off Topic.

This is off topic and maybe I have a weird sense of humor (as in juvenile) but I found this funny as hell.
Hat tip to Jalopnik...Read the forum link at DSMTuners to get the joke (or not).

Weird Timing.

Remember the dust up in the blogging community yesterday.  Well later that same day BlackFive contributor "Uncle Jimbo" was on the Rachel Maddow show supporting the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"...talk about a weird set of circumstances.  Blogger accused the guy of being a right wing fascist and then he shows up on the most liberal of talk shows promoting the repeal of a regulation that is supported by the majority of the Marine Corps (I have nothing to back that up, just going by conversations I've had)...Amazing!  Please note.  I haven't gone over to the dark side.  I watch her show to keep up with enemy opinion!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Blogger War.

I'm not touching this with a ten foot pole.  I don't know what I don't know but its interesting reading.  Follow these links....

http://www.warisboring.com/?p=5333 

http://nextnavy.com/blogger-intervention-milblogs-and-anti-government-rhetoric/ 


http://www.qando.net/?p=8526


http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=19243

AVX updates.

AVX is upping the communication on their efforts to modernize the OH-58.  One of their biggest selling points is the ability to hover out of ground effect and the virtual elimination of brownouts when landing.  The info below is from their website.

AVX 509.

Remember the AVX Aircraft Corporation.  They're the makers of the innovative OH-58 ducted fan design, but they've also come up with a beautiful civilian derivative.

Hybrid-Defense Reconnaissance Assault (Hy-DRA)

Major Hat Tip to Jonathan.

Sorry about the quality of the video. This came from the Raytheon website and the quality wasn't good.



Rtn Rms Products Hydra Data

Different subject. UFC 114. My predictions.

I decided to take a time out and give my take on the upcoming fight.

Rashad Evans vs.  Rampage Jackson
Rashad and it will be easier than everyone thinks.  Rampage has been gone and hasn't looked good in his warm up.  Rashad is a PT God!  His training regime looks beyond intense and I don't see the fire coming from Rampage.

3rd round knockout of Jackson.

Bisping vs. Miller
I'm no fan of Bisping but he's got heart as big as the outdoors.  He doesn't quit and he leaves it all in the octagon.  Miller is vicious though.  His technique is better and he has better stand up.  A brawler vs. a fighter.

Miller by decision.

I know you disagree, but at least give me courtesy of explaining why I'm wrong.

Afghan War Photos.

Hat Tip to Marcase.  These pics are stunning, David Duttenfelder has put together an amazing collection.  Check it out.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2009/10/30/photographer-collection-david-guttenfelder-in-afghanistan/