The F-22 is back....

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft takes flight at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 21, 2011, on a training sortie. Four Raptors were launched as Holloman’s premiere aircraft return to the sky. The return to flight of the F-22 ensures air dominance for combatant commanders around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss.)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft crew chief begins the procedure of releasing the aircraft from a hangar at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 21, 2011. Four Raptors were launched as Holloman's premiere aircraft return to the sky. The decision by the commander of Air Combat Command to lift the stand-down ensures F-22 crews will return to combat mission readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft awaits release from the end of the runway at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 21, 2011, to taxi out for a flight. Four Raptors were launched as Holloman’s premiere aircraft return to the sky. An expedient and safe return-to-fly ensures F-22 crews will return to combat mission readiness for the F-22. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft awaits release from the end of the flight line at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 21, 2011, to taxi out for a flight. Four Raptors were launched as Holloman’s premiere aircraft return to the sky. An expedient and safe return-to-fly ensures F-22 crews will return to combat mission readiness for the F-22. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft crew chief speaks with the aircraft's pilot at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 21, 2011, to ensure all of the pre-flight checks are done properly before takeoff. Four Raptors were launched as Holloman's premiere aircraft returns to the sky. An expedient return-to-fly means F-22 crews will return to combat mission readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss)

Silhouette pics are all the rage...

Sgt. Steve McCann, a vehicle commander with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and a native of Boston, MA, provides overwatch during a transfer of authority ceremony aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Sept. 13. 1/23, nicknamed “The Lone Star Battalion”, handed over responsibility to a wide variety of operations to 1st Bn., 25th Marines after a successful seven-month deployment.

A security detail keeps overwatch during a Relief In Place (RIP) ceremony at the Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC), Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, to commemorate the Transition Of Authority (TOA) from 1/23rd to 1/25th United States Marines on 13th September 2011. ..Royal Air Force Photo by Sergeant Mitch Moore/Released

31st MEU Marines return to USS Denver

Photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Casey Kyhl

Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit pilot an amphibious assault vehicle towards the well deck of the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver, not pictured.

Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit pilot an amphibious assault vehicle into the well deck of the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver.

Royal air force conduct operations in Helmand province

All photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Chandle

Two Royal air force CH-47 Chinooks take off from Task Force Helmand headquarters in Lashkar Gah district, Helmand province, Sept. 22.

A Royal air force CH-47 Chinook soars over Lashkar Gah district as the sun sets, Sept. 24.

212th Rescue Squadron and 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne) train

All photos by Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf

*Note*
This is my only complaint with Air Force Para-Rescue. They do great work but they change up how Infantry units operate when they show up. If its simply Marine Corps or Army or even an Allied Dust Off then the grunts on the ground are running things and no assessment by a "Para-Rescue" Officer is necessary. Your perimeter is set, you get the wounded aboard and they're on the way. I'd love details on the hows and whys of this force.

First Lt. Aaron Hunter (left), 212th Rescue Squadron combat rescue officer, and Tech. Sgt. Brandon Stuemke, 212th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, assess the scene upon arrival during training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Sept. 21. The training focused on quick-care-under-fire and also gave training to Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), on how to react when pararescuemen arrive.

Pararescuemen from the 212th Rescue Squadron and members of Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), load a casualty into an HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter during training on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 21. The training focused on quick-care-under-fire and also gave training to Baker Company on how to react when pararescuemen arrive.

An HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter transports the casualties and members of Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), and the 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen during training on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 21. In this specific training scenario, the pararescuemen used the helicopter to evacuate members of Baker Company who were hit by an improvised explosive device.

An HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter prepares to land during joint training of the 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen and members of Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Sept. 21. In this specific training scenario, the pararescuemen used the helicopter to reach members of Baker Company who were hit by an improvised explosive device and were under heavy fire.

Pararescuemen from the 212th Rescue Squadron and members of Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), look for the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter during training on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 21. The training focused on quick-care-under-fire and also gave training to Baker Company on how to react when pararescuemen arrive.

Staff Sgt. BIll Cenna, 212th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, briefs Staff Sgt. Jason Ruiz, 212th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, on his patient's status during training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 21. The training focused on quick-care-under-fire and also gave training to Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), on how to react when pararescuemen arrive.

Spc. Michael Hillhouse, Baker Company, 3rd Platoon, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), radio telephone operator, provides security as an HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter lands to evacuate casualties during a training exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 21. The training focused on quick-care-under-fire and also gave training to Baker Company on how to react when pararescuemen arrive.

Carter gets the nod...

Few people noticed it but Ashton Carter was confirmed as Deputy Defense Secretary.  Via AFA...

Carter Gets Senate Nod: The Senate last week unanimously confirmed Ash Carter as the next deputy defense secretary. Carter, who has been the Pentagon's acquisition executive since April 2009, will replace Bill Lynn, who is stepping down after serving in the Defense Department's No. 2 post since February 2009. "Ash has a steady hand, a keen intellect, and an effective management style that will help this department keep faith with our troops and protect our nation," said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in the DOD release announcing Carter's confirmation. Panetta added, "He is already an essential part of my team as an outstanding undersecretary of defense, and I look forward to his continued guidance and leadership as he assumes his new responsibilities." President Obama nominated Carter for the post in early August.

So where does that leave the leadership of the DOD?

Panetta is solidly behind the F-35...in statements at least.  Carter has been the point man when it comes to defending the program.  The Commandant of the Marine Corps is behind it...The Navy is wavering but appear to be cautiously optimistic---if it works (and it will) then they'll be clamoring for it.  And the USAF has no other options.

The Senate can play all the games that they like but in the end, who is going to want to risk middle class jobs that will result from defense cuts?  Same applies to the House.

And we haven't even talked China yet.

The program is safe and the naysayers are spitting in the wind. 

The Police are not ready for outbreaks of rioting.

I saw this on Drudge....suffice it to say that the NYPD is supposedly the best equipped and most highly trained big city police department in this county.

If a few protesters in Wall Street could cause this much commotion then what will happen if the Bronx goes crazy?

The police aren't ready.  Our leadership isn't ready.  And I'm betting that with all the alarming reports coming out of Europe about Greece about to default and the EU being on the brink that we're on the edge of a financial meltdown that will shake the entire world.

Interesting times I tell ya...interesting times!

The enemy of my enemy is my friend...

Wow...I wonder what Turkey thinks about this development between the Greeks and Israeli's?  The enemy of my enemy is my friend!

Three IAF helicopters, two Apache longbows and one Blackhawk, fly above Greek mountains during a joint exercise with the Hellenic Air Force, on June 2011.

Ok...this bag stuff is getting ridiculous!

I've watched the modern day preparedness movement and have even adopted some of the ideas.

But parts of it are getting just plain goofy.  Specifically this bag stuff.  Its getting ridiculous!

1.  A Get Home Bag.

2.  Vehicle Bag.

3.  Every Day Carry Bag.

4.  Bug Out Bag.

Now my boy SootchOO is talking about a home defense bag?!?!  Really?  Seriously?  Check out his vid...

Looking forward to buying this video game...

A book that you must read...

Want a story of the Korean War that everyone has forgotten and even the Marine Corps doesn't teach in full?  Then you've got to read this book!  Here's the review from the Marine Corps Association...

Lesson From the Past

Review by: 

LtCol Mike Parkyn, USMC(Ret)

If you can, find one of the Chosin Few. Let him transform a 60-year-old story into knowledge of trial, fear, endurance, and triumph that makes the Chosin Reservoir breakout one of the Corps’ proudest moments. Do it today.
   
But if you can’t, read Give Me Tomorrow by Patrick K. O’Donnell. Written largely from interviews with the Marines of George Company, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1), Give Me Tomorrow recounts their participation in the Inchon landings, the urban combat in Seoul, and in GEN Douglas MacArthur’s ill-fated attempt to wrest the entirety of Korea from Communist control in 1950.
   
O’Donnell first encountered the George Company veterans when he returned from Iraq with Lima Company, 3/1, where Lima Company had participated in the battle for Fallujah in 2004. As a combat correspondent, O’Donnell recorded his experiences with Lima Company in what would become We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder With the Marines Who Took Fallujah (Da Capo Press, 2007). While witnessing Lima Company’s homecoming at Camp Pendleton, O’Donnell was befriended by George Company Marines, who watched the Fallujah veterans return home with the guidon carried by George Company at Chosin. In a dialogue that began at Camp Pendleton, George Company’s Marines shared their story with O’Donnell over the course of the next 5 years.
   
Most of my growing library of Chosin books are either first-person accounts, such as Joseph R. Owen’s Colder Than Hell (Naval Institute Press, 2000), or third-person accounts like Martin Russ’ Breakout (Penguin, 2000), which broadly samples the experiences of soldiers, Marines, and Communist Chinese forces who participated in the battles. O’Donnell’s work bridges the two extremes by telling the story of one rifle company, focusing on the company’s formation at Camp Pendleton, its combat experiences at Inchon and Seoul, and its part in the 1st MarDiv’s legendary struggle against the Chinese in November and December 1950.
   
By giving voice solely to the Marines of George Company, O’Donnell acquaints the reader with a relatively small number of men—some who were veterans of World War II island campaigns and others from the Marine Corps Reserves who had not been trained at recruit depots—allowing the reader to follow them vicariously as they relive their experiences from 1950. The subjective nature of Give Me Tomorrow’s primary source material is also its most exceptional strength, and through it we learn what these men most loved and feared. We know what sustained them through a modern Thermopylae, and we know what haunts them 60 years later.
   
Don’t be surprised if you are unable to learn about the Chosin Reservoir breakout from a veteran. Even if you meet one, he may—like an uncle of mine—gloss over the horrors, only to laud the bravery of his brother Marines. In either event, Give Me Tomorrow is a fitting tribute to these Marines and an excellent addition to your bookshelf.

PACCOM CO bets on F-35 or F/A-18 for Japan...

via Reuters...

(Reuters) - The head of U.S. military forces in Asia and the Pacific predicted Friday that Japan's choice of a new multibillion-dollar fighter fleet would reflect plans to stay "very complementary" with U.S. air forces.
Proposals are due in Tokyo on Monday from the three rivals for Japan's so-called F-X deal -- Boeing Co (BA.N) and Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) of the United States and Europe's Eurofighter GmbH consortium, made up of Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.Japan is expected to buy 42 planes, a deal experts say could be worth $6 billion to $8 billion, including spares, pilot training and related gear.U.S. Navy Admiral Robert Willard, head of the Hawaii-based, U.S. Pacific Command, stopped short of predicting that Tokyo would pick Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or Lockheed's radar-evading F-35 Lightning II over the Eurofighter Typhoon.But he said Japanese defense forces "understand the importance of remaining interoperable with the United States, their ally that is home based in Japan or being hosted in Japan, as well as U.S. forces that are deployed in the region.""And I think have confidence that the decision that they make on this next fighter will reflect that," he added in an interview with Reuters.Pressed to say whether the Americans would best the Europeans, Willard replied: "No, I wouldn't go that far."But he said he was confident that Japanese commanders will make sure that whichever plane they buy "remains interoperable and very complementary to our capabilities."

Lets see...a rising China...no European capability or forces in the area...two of its major allies operate the F-18 and will soon operate the F-35...and despite the thoughts by some that the F-18 is inadequate, most know the truth--its a very effective fighter.

All that add up to Willard probably being right.  Welcome aboard the F-35 program Japan!

Mountain Warfare Training

CPL Jose Pacheco a soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, practices rappelling techniques during the basic-mobility portion of Mountain Exercise 08-11 at the Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center in Northern California’s Toiyabe National Forest, Sept. 22. Pacheco and his fellow Soldiers will use the technical skills they learn during basic-mobility to gain a tactical advantage over their adversaries during the subsequent force-on-force exercise.

Cpl. Jose Pacheco, a soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, practices rappelling techniques during the basic-mobility portion of Mountain Exercise 08-11 at the Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center in Northern California’s Toiyabe National Forest, Sept. 22. Pacheco and his fellow soldiers will use the technical skills they learn during basic-mobility to gain a tactical advantage over their adversaries during the subsequent force-on-force exercise.

Spc. Brian Short from Company D, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, is conducting Assault Climbers Training at the Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center in northern California’s Toiyabe National Forest, Sept. 22. The Assault Climbers Course is three weeks of training that is both technically and physically challenging, intended to take the most capable junior leaders from a formation and give them the skills and confidence necessary to lead their units through complex terrain.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, attend a three week-long Assault Climbers training at the Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center in Northern California, Sept. 22. This is the first non Special Forces unit to attend this physically challenging exercise.

Jacked up road march...

I never heard of so many heat casualties in one training evolution.  Wonder what was going on?

FORT BRAGG, N.C. --- Dozens of Soldiers at North Carolina's Fort Bragg suffered heat-related problems after participating in an early morning march.Base spokesman Ben Abel said Friday that 37 Soldiers required medical treatment. Of those, 13 were taken to Womack Army Medical Center.One Soldier remains in the hospital's intensive care unit.About 60 Soldiers from various units at the sprawling Army base in the southeastern area of the state set out at about 5:30 a.m. for a road march in full combat gear as part of final training to receive their expert field medical badge.

Temperatures were in the 70s but with a light rain and humidity as high as 95 percent.

Doesn't seem like it was crazy hot...I wonder what the pace was and the type of Soldiers involved (their MOS...if these were grunts then something weird is going on).

Pics of the day...

Add caption

Recon gets into the breeze...

Reconnaissance Marines with the 11th MEU watch their fellow service members parachute from a CH-46E on Camp Pendleton

Reconnaissance Marines with the 11th MEU prepare their gear before they jump out of a CH-46E on Camp Pendleton

Reconnaissance Marines with the 11th MEU jump out of a CH-46E on Camp Pendleton Sept. 22

24th MEU trains at Army base Fort Pickett

Photos by Sgt. Richard Blumenstein

Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, collect information on a simulated enemy target during a raid on Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, collect information on a simulated enemy target during a raid on Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, collect information on a simulated enemy target during a raid on Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, collect information on a simulated enemy target during a raid on Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

Pfc. Cassius Johnson, a rifleman with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and Summit. Miss., native, posts security as an MV-22 Osprey lands near Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the deployment for training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, collect information on a simulated enemy target during a raid on Fort Pickett's Cherry Villiage, Va., Sept. 19, 2011. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training.

First Steps To The Deck

Qualification flights to land the F-35B Lightning II on the deck of an amphibious assault ship at sea began at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, on 14 September 2011. Four test pilots started with expeditionary airfield, or EAF, landing practice, which will lead to field carrier landing practice, or FCLP, where shipboard landings are simulated at a land base. EAF and FCLP testing is part of the pilot certification process for landing aircraft on a ship’s deck. The first ship trial on board the USS Wasp (LHD-1) for the F-35B is on track for late 2011, and is scheduled to include the first short take-offs, vertical landings, deck handling, and shipboard landing systems Deck environmental data will be collected as well.

Dept. Of Defense sees the value of STOVL aircraft.

via the Washington Times..

In addition to announcing the Taiwanese military upgrade, the Pentagon this week will release a congressionally mandated study on Taiwan’s air power.
The study concludes that Taiwan's military should buy short-takeoff and vertical-landing jets such as the British-design AV-8B Harrier jump jet or the new F-35B vertical-takeoff version, according to the officials familiar with the aircraft.
That conclusion was based on anticipated Chinese missile strikes against Taiwanese airfields with cratering munitions that would thwart takeoffs by F-16s and other jets

Read the whole thing.  Understand that the WT was able to find an "expert" that shot down the report as simply being justification not to sell new F-16's to Taiwan.  But in my opinion there is more to it than just that.  It should be obvious to all that the nation of Taiwan is vulnerable and that the only aircraft that will be able to get into the air after a missile strike is on that is STOVL.

C-130J in Action