Notice.

I had planned to be at Modern Day Marine at Quantico but an illness in the family is going to make that impossible. 

Blogging will be spotty until further notice.

Sup

Delta Bravo Sierra

All the hallmarks of Quds Force training.

The more I look at this incident the more it looks like the terrorists had specialized training.  Military raid training.

I'm spitting in the wind but I would guess that the Iranian Quds Force trained these bastards to conduct this attack and that's another of the dirty little secrets that no one wants to talk about.

Its just a guess, but an educated guess.

Japanese soldiers integrate with 31st MEU

Respect.

Marines kneel down beside the battlefield cross to pay their final respects to Sgt. Bradley Atwell during a memorial ceremony, Sept. 20. During the ceremony, Marines paid tribute to Atwell, an aircraft electrical, instrument and flight control systems technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, from Kokomo, Ind. Atwell was killed in action while engaging insurgents during an attack on Camp Bastion, Sept. 14.

General John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, pays his final respects to Lt. Col. Christopher Raible during a memorial ceremony, Sept. 19. During the ceremony, Marines paid tribute to Raible, commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron 211, from Huntingdon, Pa. Raible was killed in action while engaging insurgents during an attack on Camp Bastion, Sept. 14.

An AV-8B Harrier II Plus with Marine Attack Squadron 211, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), awaits its next mission on the tarmac at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2012. The aircraft provides air support to the ground units throughout Helmand and Nimroz provinces. Despite a roller coaster week for the squadron, VMA-211 remains fully operational and continues to provide support to ground troops throughout Regional Command Southwest’s area of operations.

NOTE:  The only way this Squadron can be considered fully functional after losing over half its aircraft is if its in cadre status or another Squadron was stripped of its airplanes.  More on this later.

RAF Regiment. This is becoming a bit unseemly.

The Brits are rightfully proud of their RAF Regiment but this is becoming a bit unseemly.  Lets not lose sight of the sad fact that the enemy breached this base.  It was a failure all the way around--by all involved.  The chest pounding is unwarranted.

Recon Marines Jump into Alaska

Wow.

via CDR Salamader from SLDinfo.

From: Commanding Officer, Marine Attack Squadron 211
To: Squadron Attack Pilots
Subj: COMMANDER’S GUIDANCE FOR SQUADRON ATTACK PILOTS
1. Professional hunger.
My goal is to identify those Officers who want to be professional attack pilots and dedicate the resources required to build them into the flight leaders and instructors that are required for the long-term health of our community. This is not a socialist organization. We will not all be equal in terms of quals and flight hours. Some will advance faster than others, and because this is not a union, your rate of advancement will have nothing to do with seniority. Your rate of advancement will instead be determined by your hunger, professionalism, work ethic, and performance.
If flying jets and supporting Marines is your passion and your profession, you are in the right squadron.
If these things are viewed simply as your job, please understand that I must invest for the future in others. Your time in a gun squadron might be limited, so it is up to you to make the most of the opportunities that are presented.
2. Professional focus.
Our approach to aviation is based upon the absolute requirement to be “brilliant in the basics.”
Over the last few years Marine TACAIR has not punted the tactical nearly so often as the admin. Sound understanding of NATOPS, aircraft systems, and SOPs is therefore every bit as important as your understanding of the ANTTP and TOPGUN. With this in mind, ensure the admin portions of your plan are solid before you move onto objective area planning. Once you begin tactical planning, remember that keeping things “simple and easy to execute” will usually be your surest path to success. If the plan is not safe, it is not tactically sound.
3. Attitude.
I firmly believe in the phrase “hire for attitude, train for skill.”
Work ethic, willingness to accept constructive criticism, and a professional approach to planning, briefing, and debriefing will get you 90% of the way towards any qualification or certification you are pursuing. The other 10% is comprised of in-flight judgment and performance, and that will often come as a result of the first 90%. Seek to learn from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others. Just as a championship football team debriefs their game film, we are going to analyze our tapes and conduct thorough flight debriefs. It has often been said that the success of a sortie is directly proportional to the caliber of the plan and brief. The other side of this coin is that the amount of learning that takes place as a result of a sortie is directly proportional to the caliber of the debrief.
4. Moral courage.
Speak up if something seems wrong or unsafe.
We all know what the standards are supposed to be in Naval Aviation and in the Corps. Enforce them! When we fail to enforce the existing standards, we are actually setting and enforcing a new standard that is lower.
5. Dedication.
If you average one hour per workday studying, 6 months from now you will be brilliant. That is all it takes; one hour per day. As you start to notice the difference between yourself and those who are unable to find 60 minutes, I want you to know that I will have already taken note.
Then, I want you to ask yourself this question: “How good could I be if I really gave this my all?”
6. When all else fades away, attack pilots have one mission: provide offensive air support for Marines.
The Harrier community needs professional attack pilots who can meet this calling.
It does not require you to abandon your family. It does not require you to work 16 hours per day, six days per week. It requires only a few simple commitments to meet this calling: be efficient with your time at work so that you can study one hour per day; be fully prepared for your sorties and get the maximum learning possible out of every debrief; have thick skin and be willing to take constructive criticism; find one weekend per month to go on cross country. When you are given the opportunity to advance, for those few days go to the mat and give it your all, 100%, at the expense of every other thing in your life.
To quote Roger Staubach, “there are no traffic jams on the extra mile.”
If you can be efficient during the workweek, give an Olympian effort for check rides and certifications, and are a team player, the sky will literally be the limit for you in this squadron.
C. K. RAIBLE

Just plain wow.

I can think of a certain writer on USNI Blog that wouldn't last 10 minutes in this guys Squadron.  We lost a great one.

F-22 and F-35 Over Mount Whitney

Nice find Sferrin!  Thanks for sharing.

F-35 and F-22 fly together for the first time

A new version of the RG35 from BAE.

via ADS.

BAE Systems today launched the latest 6x6 variant of the RG35 family of vehicles – the RG35 multi-purpose blast protected fighting vehicle – at the 2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition (AAD).
“The RG35 family of vehicles incorporates 30 years of experience in tactical mobility and protection,” said Johan Steyn, managing director, Land Systems South Africa.
The RG35 6x6 has an 8.5 ton payload, a 12 cubic meters volume under armor, can seat up to 14 crew members, and carry light and medium remote controlled weapon stations. Like the 4x4 variant, the latest 6x6 variant includes independent suspension and a side mounted powerpack that can be replaced in less than one hour.
The RG35 family of vehicles can be deployed in many different roles and offers a choice of variants and configurations while maintaining 80 percent vehicle commonality. RG35 combines the high levels of survivability of the RG31 Mine Protected Vehicle with the tactical capability of an infantry fighting vehicle.
Integrated onto the vehicle at AAD will be the TRT-B25 (Tactical Remote Turret) also from Land Systems South Africa.

Interesting.

With the way that some police forces are gearing up I wouldn't be surprised to see this being used in that role.  As usual though, BAE comes up with some nice designs but no one seems to be buying them. Instead they stick to old stale, semi-improved models.

They ran TOWARDS the sounds of gunfire...

via BlackFive...

I hope that these two sheepdogs made those Arab hill-billy, Stone Age, ass-pirates pay dearly for every inch of territory between them and the ambassador before they were overrun.  God Bless them, their families, and may they find peace now that they have been called home.

Well said BlackFive!

This is beyond hardcore.  These guys could have E&E'ed and probably made it out alive.  I can imagine they were in an overwatch position and could see the numbers against them...

But they went anyway.

Fucking hardcore man.  Hard as woodpecker lips.  Read the whole thing at B5.

Another victory lap. RAF Regiment on display.

The Brits are currently smitten with their RAF Regiment.  The photos below are from a photo dump by their Ministry of Defense highlighting not only the Regiment but also their primary combat vehicle...the Foxhound.

Marine Jets Destroyed, Damaged in Insurgent Attack

Something screwy is going on.  I've been monitoring this shit closely and now suddenly I see this vid and supposedly it was out on the 17th?  Hmmm.

Australian Convoy Support Ops in Afghanistan...

The 3RAR Task Group Mobility Support escorts a convoy in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Coalition road moves in Uruzgan province have an armoured escort to move assets whether in support of mentoring missions or movement of materiel for Operation SLIPPER. The 3RAR Task Group Mobility Support are frequently called upon to assist safe movement in the province. Convoys are often combined during tasks such as escorting US logistics assets to and from patrol bases. Afghan National Army presence on convoys also has brought the relationship with the community closer, allowing greater interaction with the greater local population and better ground knowledge.
'

China trains with the US Navy.

I wonder what our Japanese allies think about this?  Especially considering they're nose to nose with the Chinese over disputed islands....as a matter of fact I wonder what all our Pacific allies think about this.  S. Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and others can't be too happy either.

GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) A U.S.-China combined visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team comprised of Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) conduct a VBSS boarding during a bilateral counter-piracy exercise. The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released) 120917-N-YF306-233

GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Qing Su, right, from New York, translates for a U.S-China combined visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team comprised of Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) during a bilateral counterpiracy exercise. The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released) 120917-N-YF306-255

GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) Ensign Phillip S. Neff, a member of the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), right, shakes hands with a member of the VBSS team from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) following a bilateral counter-piracy exercise. The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released) 120917-N-YF306-373

GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) A visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team member from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548) boards a rigid-hull inflatable boat after completing a bilateral counter-piracy exercise aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released) 120917-N-YF306-390

GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 17, 2012) Visit, board, search and seizure member Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Evan T. Gainer, from Lancaster, Pa., checks his surroundings aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) during a bilateral counter-piracy exercise with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) frigate Yi Yang (FF 548). The focus of the exercise was American and Chinese naval cooperation in detecting, boarding, and searching suspected pirated vessels. Winston S. Churchill is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Chase/Released) 120917-N-YF306-335

It'll damn near bring tears UPDATE:

Hey all.

I've had a tremendous response to this photo documentary but I just don't have any details on the individuals involved.  All I can do is wish them well.  God knows they've already been through hell.  If you still haven't seen it, click here...but get out the whiskey or some tissue first.

Identify this weapon please.

A Croatian soldier learns basic rifle marksmanship techniques during Jackal Stone 2012 in Delnice, Croatia, Sept. 14, 2012. Jackal Stone is an annual joint special operations exercise designed to enhance capabilities and interoperability amongst the participating special operations forces as well as to build mutual respect while sharing doctrinal concepts, training concepts and various tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jodi Martinez/Released)

UPDATE:
MDB (thanks buddy!) says its a Mk-18 Mod 1 CQB.  Time to get the stats so I can build one.  $200 tax stamp here I come.

Man up Marine Corps!

My readers will probably disagree with me on this one but I gotta go anyway.

Its time for the Marine Corps to man up!

The Brits have released their version of the action and now its time for the Marine Corps to do the same.  Give us the good, the bad and the ugly.  That's what great organizations do.  They look the public and their members in the eye and give the unvarnished truth

Unfortunately, the Marine Corps has been tight lipped, the big Defense Media is no where to be found and they're content with ignoring my e-mails.

Well enough.  This incident is too serious to ignore and the ramifications too broad to be buried.

Yeah.  The Marine Corps needs to man up and give us the after action on this battle.

It'll damn near bring tears to your eyes...

Thanks for the link DWI!  Much appreciate it.

Some of you might have seen this "photo story" but for me it was new.  I won't spoil it and I won't even attempt to post some of the pics here.  That just wouldn't do it justice. 

Do yourself a favor and go here to see it for yourself.