Naval Amphibious Capability in the 21st Century

Thanks Tom for hitting me with this document.  Good Stuff!

I wondered how HQMC viewed amphibious operations especially with regards to how the current administration views the military in general and the Marine Corps in particular.  Its not very encouraging.

We're seeing almost total surrender by Marine Corps leadership.  If you watch the Commandant's latest you'll see a leader almost crying because of pressure from Congress.  General Krulak would have been punching back.  General Gray would have been catching some of these Congressmen behind the building and ambushing them.  Current leadership is cowering in the fetal position begging someone to make the bad people stop.  That's the general behavior seen by all members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Its really sad.

But back to this document.  Read it all, but pay particular attention to how SOCOM and the USMC fit together.  We're no longer a battle winning organization.  We're fully into support now.  A supporting role within the MEU to the Maritime Raid Force and the Marine Corps supporting SOCOM.

Bad days are here.  Check it out.

Naval Amphibious Capability in the 21st Century

Textron wins SSC contest.

The Navy awarded on July 6 2012 a $212,722,820 fixed-priced incentive-fee contract for the detail design and construction of a Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) test and training craft to Textron, Inc., New Orleans, La. The contract also includes options for up to eight additional craft which, if exercised, brings the cumulative value of this contract to $570,451,044. The award was based on full and open competition.

Hillary's vist to Afghanistan....a feminist photo-op...

Check out these photos of Hillary's visit to Afghanistan.  It would be one thing if there were numerous photos of her speaking to and thanking the troops but these pics just pitch a feminist dog and pony show.  Notice the photos of her with the troops?  4 photos --- three of the four are of her talking to female troops and they show them being armed...empty magazines on those weapons but to the untrained eye its like..Wow!  Look at those combat women speaking to the Secretary.  Never mind the fact that they probably never head outside the wire, the impression is more important than the reality.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton greets German army Col. Hans Buhl of Munster, Germany while visiting Kabul International Airport en route to Japan today. She greeted about 50 sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines along with their NATO counterparts. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roger S. Duncan)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton greets Spanish Army Maj. Maria Sanfafosta while visiting Kabul International Airport en route to Japan today. She greeted about 50 sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines along with their NATO counterparts. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roger S. Duncan)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton waves from the plane with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker after visiting Kabul International Airport en route to Japan today. She greeted about 50 U.S. sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines along with a few of their NATO counterparts. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roger S. Duncan)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton greets a U.S. airman during her visit to Kabul International Airport en route to Japan today to greet sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines along with their NATO counterparts. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Roger S. Duncan)

2nd ID does meals on wheels...

Sgt. Tim Martin, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, shows evidence of the long journey after returning from Operation Buffalo Thunder II at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 2, 2012. During the eight-day mission, Afghan and American forces cleared more than 120 kilometers of rugged terrain and escorted approximately 60 truckloads of humanitarian aid for distribution to the people of Shorabak.
117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (Hawaii)
Photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan

The title is in jest but the Marine Corps and the Army are making a push into this humanitarian mission set like that's what the military is for.

It makes me fucking sick.

The Commandant and SgtMajor can pound sand with the bullshit they've been peddling lately.  So can Congress members.  The hollow force is here and I can tell ya one thing.  There was a better way ARE better ways to get food to people than to take an Infantry unit and put them on IED infested roads.

The powers that be should roast in hell.  They're playing with people's lives just to push an agenda.

More Saturday Funny. The Cop and the Gunny.

The Cop and the Marine Gunny.

A police officer pulls a Marine Gunny over for speeding and has the following exchange:

Officer: May I see your driver's license?
Marine Gunnery Sgt: I don't have one. It was suspended when I got my 5th DUI.

Officer: May I see the registration for this vehicle?
Marine Gunny: It's not my car. I stole it.

Officer: The car is stolen?
Marine Gunny: That's right. But come to think of it, I think I saw the registration in the glove box when I was putting my gun in there.

Officer: There's a gun in the glove box?
Marine Gunny: Yes sir. That's where I put it after I shot and killed the woman who owns this car and stuffed her in the trunk.

Officer: There's a BODY in the TRUNK?!
Marine Gunny: Yes, sir.

Hearing this, the officer immediately called his captain.
The car was quickly surrounded by police, and the captain approached the driver to handle the tense situation:

Captain: Sir, can I see your license?
Marine Gunny: Sure. Here it is. It was valid.

Captain: Whose car is this?
Marine Gunny: It's mine, officer. Here's the registration.
The driver owned the car.

Captain: Could you slowly open your glove box so I can see if there's a gun in it?
Marine Gunny: Yes, sir, but there's no gun in it.
Sure enough, there was nothing in the glove box.

Captain: Would you mind opening your trunk? I was told you said there's a body in it.
Marine Gunny: No problem.
Trunk is opened; no body.

Captain: I don't understand it.
The officer who stopped you said you told him you didn't have a license, stole the car, had a gun in the glove box, and that there was a dead body in the trunk.

Marine Gunny: Yeah, and I'll bet the liar said that I was speeding, too.

Saturday Funny. Dedicated to Trudy. Fema-Nazi!

Elite Rescue Vehicle

How does the Marine Corps select its generals?

Colonel Ripley's awards.

I was re-reading Colonel Ripley's biography.

They' really should make a movie about this guy...he was a legend.  His heroics are talked about in Boot Camps Marine Corps wide....But one thing irks me and I can't find the answer.  

Why didn't he ever pin on stars?  How could people that were less qualified, having less moral and physical courage be allowed to advance past him?  Don't get me wrong.  Attaining the rank of Colonel in the Marine Corps is NOTHING to sneeze at....but still...how did he not get selected?

If anyone knows then hit me up in my mailbox.  Thanks.