Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicles lands at Nellis...

Brandon Johnson, BC Customs designer, explains the specifications of the Guardian Angel Air Deployable Vehicle to Airmen that will be using it for training and real-world situations Nov. 12, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The vehicle will be able to move through rubble and debris fields during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts to transport survivors and rescue equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jason Couillard)

1,000 Marines does not make a Marine Brigade...unless we're going Army.

via Malayan Mail.

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 — The US military said yesterday it was deploying 1,000 Marines to support emergency relief operations in the Philippines following Super Typhoon Haiyan. About 900 troops will board two US Navy amphibious ships — the Japan-based USS Germantown and USS Ashland — and are due in the Philippines in about six days, Marine Forces Pacific said in a statement. An additional 100 Marines from the same unit will travel to the region by aircraft. 

Read it all at there house.

Be advised everyone.  I've had some clown come to this site defending the MEB concept as devised by Amos and company.

Its a stupid concept.

 A HA/DR response should be a SPMAGTF formation....at least if fighting wars is our number one priority.  What happens if we continue this nonsense and an incident flares up in another part of the Pacific that demands the attention of a MEB?  We won't have them available or we'll need to take one from another area.  And why?  Because we used a MEB staff when a SPMAGTF would have worked. 

1000 Marines is not a Marine Expeditionary Brigade...unless we're going Army.

Senior Leadership tries to rehabilitate its rep

Politico has a fascinating article on Obama vs. the Generals.

Once you get past the "woe is me" commentary you get to the meat of the subject.  The JCS and flag officers in general rolled over and played fetch to the Obama administration and now they're being treated like shit.

Awesome.

They deserve it.

But even more stunning is the fact that at this moment, the US military needs its boosters more than ever but they're no where to be found.  Just as the Obama administration has marginalized the JCS, the JCS has marginalized its supporters.  The Pentagon has few friends when they need them the most.  They say HELP!  We're facing a 10 percent budget reduction...the population says..."is that all?"  Pain is coming and it will be fun to watch.

Blast from the past. Carrier operations are inherently dangerous.

F-35 and Taiwan. American Mercenary gives some PME on the subject.

All I can say is wow.

When a Soldier decides to fix bayonets and attack a subject then its a beautiful thing.  I won't spoil it.  Read it here.

India soon to get its aircraft carrier.

Live Fist is in Russia to attend the commissioning ceremony of the INS Vikramaditya.  Tune into his blog to get his thoughts and impressions on this ship.

Chinese Stealth Bomber Concept via Chinese Military Review.

Damn! That had to hurt!

America (LHA 6) Builder's Sea Trials

Prediction.  The two ships without well decks will eventually be swallowed up by SOCOM for a pure Special Operations carrier.

The Social Architects at the Pentagon ruined his life and now he's found not guilty.

They used him as a poster boy of sexual assault in the military.

They plastered his face all over the internet and television to ensure that he would be fired from his post.

They guaranteed that he would be found guilty in the eyes of the public.

But he's not..at least according to the jury.

Check this out from the Air Force Times.

A jury of five men and two women found the former chief of the Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office not guilty of assault and battery related to allegations he groped a woman’s buttocks in Arlington, Va., in May.
Jurors deliberated for about one hour and 15 minutes Wednesday before clearing Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 42, of the misdemeanor charge. Krusinski was at first expressionless when the verdict was read, but within seconds he was smiling and talking with his attorney. He exited the Arlington County courthouse without commenting on the two-day trial’s verdict.

Read the story and you get an impression that there is no way in hell this guy could have been found not guilty.

I blame that on the writers at Air Force Times.  They have an agenda and are part of the de-masculinization movement that's sweeping the Pentagon.  Along with fellow travelers like Haynie over at USNI Blog, its no wonder that they wrote a story with a serious spin.

Also note that the USAF was ANXIOUS to get ahold of the case.

That tells me something too.  The idea to have those Marines crushed didn't originate with Amos.  It originated with the White House.  He was just being a good little puppy and obeying his master.  Sit Amos, Sit.

And that explains why he's still in the Commandant's chair. 

Concept Confusion Cleared.... MEB doing a MEU mission.

I wrote an earlier post asking why a MEU mission was now being given to a MEB.  It makes no sense on a number of levels.  First its a waste of personnel.  Second, it adds friction to an already chaotic situation.  And finally its not in keeping with Marine Corps precedent to assign missions to the lowest element possible.  Check this out from Marine Corps Times...

 It’s not immediately clear how many Marines will get on those ships or which of the MEU’s units will be represented.
The 31st MEU, which includes about 2,200 personnel, has a host of capabilities and routinely trains for humanitarian-assistance missions, said Capt. Garron Garn, a spokesman for the unit. As an air-ground task force, the MEU’s inventory includes a variety of helicopters, smaller seagoing vessels and nearly 200 ground vehicles — among them 30 7-ton all-terrain trucks, which would be able to drive through flooded roads and transport supplies to areas that remain cutoff or difficult to access.
Beyond aviation and logistics assets, all MEUs have a 1,000-man infantry battalion. It remains to be seen whether the top Marine commander in the Philippines, Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, thinks infantry personnel will be needed.

This is sad and pathetic.

Amos and his boys came up with a new concept, want to test it out and anyone with even a little knowledge of the Marine Corps knows its bullshit.

So what we're facing is a MEU, being placed under the operational control of a MEB...ignore the fact that the MEU is task organized as is to carry out this type mission without the need of support from a higher headquarters....

F-35 kills Army modernization.

The US Army bore the brunt of the heavy lifting in the Global War on Terror (GWOT for those that forgot) and what do they get for the hard work?  Hammered in the testicles, penis penned to the wall and a budgetary dick shoved up'em for good measure.

Check this out from Breaking Defense.

But the Army is going to have to deter and defeat future enemies with its current weapons, albeit modestly upgraded. “In the next few years, are we capable of having an Army that doesn’t look like it does today, with new technology, new equipment? I don’t think so,” said Maj. Gen. Rossi. “If you go down to the motor pools at Fort Hood five years from now, you’re still going to see [M1 Abrams] tanks and [M2] Bradleys.”
What about the replacement for the Bradley, the better-armored, larger-capacity, higher-tech Ground Combat Vehicle that the Army planned to start entering service in 2017? “We certainly have a requirement for a ground combat vehicle,” said the second general in the room, Maj. Gen. Dyess. “There are certain technologies that we are very interested in in the science and technology area.”
I notice, I said, that you’re saying “science and technology,” not “development” of a specific weapons system, let alone “procurement.”
“You’re pretty good at reading between the lines,” he answered.

And there you have it.  The US Army is not only going to get much smaller but they're also looking at a procurement holiday.  GCV?  Dead.  AMPV?  Dead.  Armed Scout?  Dead.  AH-64E?  Much delayed.

They don't even fly F-35's but they get to help pay that bill.  This one aircraft program is having an effect across the Pentagon.  It must be killed.  No program is worth the price we're paying to get it across the finish line.

Marine Corps military justice system breaking down due to Amos' interference.

via Marine Corps Times.

A combat-wounded Marine accused of defrauding the government as part of a massive embezzlement scheme was acquitted this month after defense attorneys argued during his court-martial that his command took extraordinary measures to ensure he was punished.
The criminal case against Staff Sgt. Anthony Rios Jr., 38, is significant because his legal team tied the aggressive effort to prosecute him to a presentation delivered last year to thousands of Marines around the world from the service’s commandant, Gen. Jim Amos. Amos’ so-called Heritage Brief took aim at what he saw as a rash of misbehavior in the ranks — everything from sex assault and hazing to monkey business in the war zone — and called for Marines to hold one another accountable when they screw up.

Read the entire article for yourself.

I don't know the details on this story but Marines have been pulling this mickey mouse shit since travel vouchers were first invented.

If this guy really is guilty then we can look to Amos as the reason why he wasn't properly punished.

Amos fucked up, and the stench of his stupidity is spreading throughout the Marine Corps military justice system.  If for no other reason he needs to resign.  Separating bad Marines from service just became harder because he didn't/hasn't done the right thing.

Sidenote:  Marine Corps Times is mischaracterizing the incident that is stated as undue command influence.  It had nothing to do with Amos' little ditty on sexual assault.  It had everything to do with him stating that he wanted the Marines in the Taliban urination case crushed.  Why Marine Corps Times is attempting to paint Amos with a better brush than he deserves is beyond me.

Taiwan wants more AAVs. Are we about to give our entire inventory away?

via Defense News...

The Taiwan Marine Corps has stated publicly it wishes to procure additional AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles. In 2006, Taiwan procured 54 of those vehicles to replace aging LVTP-5A1 vehicles acquired in the 1970s. The MND source indicated the marines want an additional 48 AAV-7s to completely replace the remaining LVTP-5s.

Read the entire article for yourself.  Quite honestly it almost reads like a Taiwanese shopping list.

One thing has me a bit concerned.  With the Japanese, Brazilians, more than likely Thailand and other countries eyeing AAVs....with the current commandant being totally ANTI-Ground Combat Element...and with the production line shutdown....

Are we seeing the end of tracked armor in the Marine Corps?  More specifically are we seeing the end of amphibious assault vehicles in Marine Corps service?

Ok. I'm confused. What exactly is a Marine Expeditionary Brigade????

via Marine Corps Times...

More recently at a Washington, D.C., event, Maj. Gen. Frank McKenzie, Marine Corps representative to the Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review, discussed the significance of the Marine expeditionary brigade, a force significantly smaller and lighter than the 2,200-strong Marine expeditionary units, to Marine Corps planning for future crisis response.
“(MEBs are) fully manned, they can go on very short notice,” he said. “They would have the capability to go forward, to fall in on an existing MEU, or to fall in on joint forces that are forward deployed.”
Working with two Navy dock landing ships en route from Okinawa and air support from the Ospreys and four KC-130J Hercules, Marines in the Philippines are able to play to the strength of their amphibious pedigree, the assistant commandant said.
“So this is part of the amphibious and expeditionary nature that the Navy and Marine Corps team prides themselves on,” Paxton said. “The Philippines happens to be one of those areas that is kind of uniquely, geographically relevant to the Navy-Marine Task Force.”

What the fuck is McKenzie talking about?

A MEB is suppose to be a much larger formation than a MEU!  Why would a MEB fall on to a MEU at the scene?????

This is just a bitched up SPMAGTF thats shed its ground vehicles for MV-22's.

I can't wait till we get a grunt as Commandant.  He's going to have a lot of field daying to do to clean up this huge aviation only clusterfuck thinking that these confused, arrogant, misguided son of a bitches are doing to my Corps.

I marvel at the thought that with the massive clean up thats going to take place that the MV-22 is considered the bell of the ball.  The Filipino people need a fully realized Ground Combat Component vehicle set to get real relief, not just images for public consumption.

You need engineer vehicles to remove debris.  MTVRs to deliver food.  AAVs to get to places that are remote.

All the MV-22 will do is blow around enough debris to cause further injuries. 

LCS simulated combat. A must read.

Thanks for the article Jason!

Read it here...

But a quick rundown...

1.  Grippen missiles are only good for vehicles, not warships.
2.  Harpoon missiles are essential but many of our surface ships don't have them.
3.  Airpower can be negated.
4.  When fighting a peer enemy, boutique, threat of the moment (piracy and partnership missions) can't make up for a lack of real firepower.

You'll understand my points after you read the article.

Another local PD, another donated MRAP...

Note:  Until I see these PD's going after hardcore gang bangers, drug dealers, and the like (instead of getting tough with average citizens having an "oh shit" moment) I will continue to rail against law enforcement getting these vehicles.

via ColaDaily.com

The Columbia Police Department has acquired a new armored vehicle for use in dangerous situations.
The mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle was donated through a U.S. Department of Defense program.
The program gives surplus military equipment to state and local civilian law enforcement agencies free of charge.
“The Police Department MRAP will be a barrier between the public and a hostile person or situation such as a barricaded suspect with weapons who may be threatening someone’s life. We want to protect citizens as best as possible,” Interim Police Chief Ruben Santiago said.
The MRAP is bullet-proof and seats nine officers including one in the turret.
Summit Paint and Body donated services to paint the vehicle, which is currently assigned to the city’s SWAT Team and was displayed in Monday’s Veterans Day parade.

I wonder who gives these LEO's their talking points.  Every statement from every agency is practically copy and paste...they're all the same.

Citizens need to get a cruel fact into their heads.

An active shooter situation will be a roll of the dice if they behave the way that authorities recommend.  Take a mall for example.  Shots are fired they recommend you get inside a store and lock yourself in.  Shootings as a school?  Find a room and lock yourself inside.

Meanwhile the Police are getting to the scene, securing the perimeter, waiting for reinforcements to arrive, allowing the SWAT Team to decide exactly how they're going to conduct their breach or entry, moving SWAT into position to do the plan, SWAT moves from the entry or breach point to the suspect, fire fight ensues, and finally the situation ends.

If you're lucky, you are facing a bad guy with a gun, without Police support for at BEST 45 min or more.

An MRAP won't serve as barricade for the public.  Its just a toy.  At least how they're being used now. 

A situation report on the budget and UK land forces via UK Armed Forces Commentary...

Read it here.  Its in depth and informative.  I didn't know that the UK had so much going on.  I guess they're a duck.  Calm on top, furiously peddling out of view.

F-35 now faces X-47 for carrier missions.

Thanks for the article 0802

The F-35 is suppose to be the Navy's "deep strike" asset.  It goes in using its stealth for 1st day of war missions to attack targets that the Super Hornet can't.  Now we have news that instead of the X-47 being a seagoing Predator UAV, its now competing to do the exact same mission.

via USNI News.

The U.S. Navy appears to have shifted its position on the requirements for its next generation carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Navy officials told USNI News.
Instead of developing the planned Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) to only conduct operations in uncontested airspace, the service will instead pursue a design that can be adapted over time to operating against higher threat levels.
“As a system, what we want to do as an affordability initiative is to ensure that the air vehicle design upfront has the growth capability without major modifications to go from permissive to contested [environments],” said Rear Adm. Mat Winter, Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons during an interview with USNI News on Nov. 10.
“Specific proposals and the designs that are given back to the government, those will be informing us of how much of that permissive to contested and the air refueling provision actually shows up in their designs.”

You have to search high and low but its becoming more and more apparent to me that the US Navy is willing to maintain capability, improve its strike power AND keep its carriers.

And its willing to sacrifice the F-35 to get it done. 

He didn't know the gun was loaded?

The four rifle range safety rules are:1.  Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
2.  Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you intend to fire. 3.  Never point your weapon at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
4.  Keep your weapon on safe until you intend to fire.

via Marine Corps Times...

A Marine colonel who was removed from his post last month after accidentally firing his handgun into the floor of his office was testing the weapon’s trigger, not realizing the gun was loaded, a command investigation revealed.

Read the entire article here.

Ordinarily this would have been reflected on a slightly adverse OER, but with the SECNAV and the President being so anti-gun this got pushed right up into a, if not career ender then at least an advancement stopper.

But what has me (once again) shouting at the moon is "HE DIDN'T KNOW THE GUN WAS LOADED"???????

That's some LCPL shit.

But his actions after the incident are noteworthy.

He did the hard thing after his fuck up.  He manned up.  He took responsibility instead of trying to cover up the incident (perhaps he had no choice due to staff being present but still he could have tried).

Question.  Are we once again in a zero defect Marine Corps?  Can you have a sparkling record and have it all ruined by one "oh shit" moment?