Notification. A Marine Mom's quest.

Gunny Kenefick reading Sgt Myers' award at a ceremony in Afghanistan days before the fateful battle of Ganjgal that claimed his life.

I've been communicating with Gynny Kenefick's mom, Susan Price over the course of a few days mostly by e-mail.


No slam on my readers.  Love you guys even when you disagree with me.  But let's be honest.  This blog doesn't get the type of attention or have the horsepower to properly tell the story.  Because of that, I've reached out to another blogger that I trust and has the smarts to tell me what to do to make this story get the type of reach necessary to make a difference.


I've been an observer and critic of the military in general and the Marine Corps in particular when necessary.  I don't know how to advocate for a worthy cause.  I believe getting to the bottom of that cluster fuck known as the battle of Ganjgal is such a cause.

This post services as a notification and as a call to arms.  Pretty soon (when I get guidance from my higher up) I'll be issuing the warning order.  Make sure your shit is packed right, that you're traveling light and have enough ammo for the fight.  This Marine Mom deserves it.

HMH-362: What We Do

Nicely done.

I wish some of the Infantry Battalions were able to do these types of vids.  I know they're running ranges and when not deploying down range they're deploying to other training areas but just pull a Gunny or Capt or BN Co out of the office to give a quick rundown like HMH-362 did would be appreciated.

Could a carrier battle group withstand a Chinese alpha strike?

via Air Power Australia.

Quick question.  Consider it a follow up to the "Barge" post.

If the Chinese decided to go after a US carrier how would they do it?  From this ground guys perspective they would put 100 SU-27's in the air loaded with KH-35's.  They would split the force and attack from all four directions on the compass and with each SU-27 carrying 4 of these missiles, they would be aiming for a time on target attack with 400 missiles in the air.

Now remember I'm being conservative.  That doesn't include Badger/Xian H-6K's, subs or anti-ship ballistic missiles.  It doesn't include J-10's and it doesn't include any Chinese stealth aircraft.

My point is this.  If the fleet commander is being conservative and only launches two missiles in defense against every inbound vampire then he's still going to be in a hurt locker.

More simply put.

We need more anti-missile missiles than we currently carry aboard ship.

PS.  Also note that the KH-35 is probably one of the easier missiles to kill.  It flies at high subsonic speed.  The number of attackers was kept relatively small.  You can bet body parts that with over 5000 Sailors aboard a carrier, with basically a small air force aboard each carrier and with the pride of a nation floating on each carrier that it will be a MAXIMUM effort target.  I just don't think that our current defense will be able to stand up to a concerted effort to kill one.  Oh and if you want this to go from being a bad dream to being an outright nightmare,  horrific enough to keep the Chief of Naval Operations up at night then think about the same scenario with the real beast of the Sukhoi design bureau...the SU-34.  Replace the SU-27's with SU-34's and even as jingoistic as I am, I'd start laying bets on the Chinese getting the kill.

And yeah.  More than the PAK-50, more than the SU-27/30/33 the SU-34 sends chills my way.  It carries a payload that would make the wings on an F-15E droop, has legs that almost challenge a B-1 and has the speed to outrun almost any plane in our inventory.  Plus its a deep striker.  The SU-34 is one bad mother.

Anders Light Tank going into production

Wow.  via DefenseNews.

WARSAW — The Polish Army plans to acquire up to 1,000 new tanks in different variants, reported local daily Rzeczpospolita.
It is expected that Poland’s Ministry of Defense will sign a deal to launch production of the Anders, the tank prototype developed by Bumar Group’s OBRUM Gliwice research unit, according to the Polish newspaper.
“The order will be placed with the Polish defense industry, but to boost the design and production phase, it will be vital to cooperate with top foreign defense manufacturers,” said retired . Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak, Poland’s deputy defense minister responsible for the armed forces’ modernization.
The Polish tank program is part of a plan to overhaul the country’s land forces. In January, Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said that “launching a national tank program as part of efforts to increase the [land forces’] mobility” is one of the Army’s key modernization priorities.
The amount of the planned purchase was not disclosed by the deputy defense minister.
As earlier reported, the prototype is a 32- to 40-ton vehicle, depending on the configuration. The light tank carries a 120mm gun by Swiss group Ruag, and it can carry a crew of three to seven. The Anders was fitted with a 530-kilowatt engine produced by Germany’s MTU Friedrichshafen, which enables a maximum speed capacity of 50 mph. Its turret was equipped with a Trophy active protection system made by Israel’s Rafael.
The Polish military plans to begin testing the Anders within two years, Skrzypczak said.
Krzysztof Krystowski, Bumar’s CEO, has announced plans to involve private defense companies in what could be one of the largest acquisitions of the Polish armed forces in the forthcoming years.
Set up in 2002, the state-owned Bumar Group is Poland’s leading defense industry player.

Thanks for the news Jonathan!

Fire Support at RIMPAC

Hmmm.  I thought Australia had been using the M-777 in Afghanistan.

RIMPAC 2012 and the Marine Corps story.

Did you know that RIMPAC 2012 just ended?

Did you know that its the biggest exercise in the Pacific with the most nations participating?

Did you know that even more than Bold Alligator earlier this year it highlights the Marine Corps amphibious roots and traditions?

If you didn't I'm not surprised.  Once again others are attempting to label the Marine Corps as just another land force.  Failure to publicize the Marine Corps participation in exercises like this allow the uniformed or the devious to get away with this misconception.

We have got to do a better job at telling the Marine Corps story...not just the story of the Marine Expeditionary Brigade but of the entire REAL Marine Corps.

RIMPAC 2012 - Culminating Amphibious Assault

Around the Fleet Marine Forces (FMF).

U.S. Marines perform rappelling and fast-rope maneuvers at the Jungle Warfare Training Center at Camp Gonsalves, Okinawa, July 25, 2012. The Marines are with Force Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Manning, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)

A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter lands on a beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay Aug. 1, 2012, during a training scenario as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012. RIMPAC is a U.S. Pacific Command-hosted biennial multinational maritime exercise designed to foster and sustain international cooperation on the security on the world’s oceans. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Paul Seeber, U.S. Navy/Released)

U.S. Marines with Combat Assault Company, 3rd Marine Regiment drive an amphibious assault vehicle onto the beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay Aug. 1, 2012, during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012. RIMPAC is a U.S. Pacific Command-hosted biennial multinational maritime exercise designed to foster and sustain international cooperation on the security on the world’s oceans. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Daniel Johnston/Released)