The tale of CAPT Rogers. A warning from the past.

Do you remember Capt Rogers?

Do you remember the pain and worry that his family had to face after he was forced to act on one fateful day.  A day that would see innocent people killed...not because Capt Rogers was a blood thirsty maniac, but because a couple of pilots flew into restricted airspace during a cold conflict turned hot between the US and Iran.

Read the Wiki page for yourself but here's a tidbit.

Nine months after the downing of Iran Air Flight 655, on March 10, 1989, Rogers' wife Sharon escaped with her life when a pipe bomb attached to her minivan exploded, while she was driving.^[5] The van was recorded in the name of Will Rogers III, and many people jumped to a conclusion and suspected that terrorism was involved. Five months later, the Associated Press reported that the most likely suspect had a personal vendetta against Capt. Rogers and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had ruled out terrorist activity.^[15] At that time pipe bombs were a common occurrence (over 200 each year) in San Diego County and a largely homegrown threat according to the local sheriff's department.^[16] As of 2007, the bombing of Rogers' van remains an unsolved case, despite a major investigation involving at some time up to 300 police men and FBI agents.^[17] On February 17, 1993, the case was featured on the TV show Unsolved Mysteries, but no additional information was uncovered.

The story of Capt Rogers isn't widely known or told these days.  Its forgotten been forgotten by most and only the dedicated people in historical society probably even talk about it.  Forget reading about his story at USNI blog or on Proceedings...they're stuck on stupid about insignificant and unimportant personal issues or advocating for rights.

But they should.

Its a warning to all that when you fight certain enemies today, the battle doesn't necessarily end when you get back home.  If you're part of a noteworthy battle, or extremely critical mission these bastards will hunt you AND your family down.

That's where my outrage toward this Navy SEAL comes from.  Its ok to put your own life on the line and I salute him for doing that.  But by penning this book he's painted bullseyes on the backs of his and teammates loved ones.

This book is unacceptable.  The sad part of it though is this.  If the Pentagon allows it to be published I'll read it...and so will every bad guy that SEAL Team has ever gone after.

 

Blast from the past. Comanche Recon Helicopter.

The Comanche Helicopter.

A flying marvel that was perhaps ahead of its time when it was developed but probably right on time today.

Have you ever wondered why the military doesn't dust off the designs that didn't work when they came out but might work today.  The Comanche obviously contributed to the design of the stealth helicopter that crashed in Pakistan but instead of using that tech to work up a new helicopter, the Army and Sikorsky appear to have abandoned it for conventional forces.

Too bad.  The Comanche is something our forces could use.

Arrogance on display. Courtesy USNI Blog.

I'm not a fan of the USNI Blog.  Some of the writers yes.  The majority of them?  NOT AT ALL!

They vast majority of them represent the very worst values to be found in individuals in the military...they're self serving, self important, believe the world revolves around them and they think that the military owes them something.

The latest example of this comes from a YN2.  Read the whole thing but check this out.

Get through ‘A’ School, and through a duty station, probably in/around DC.  Then apply for the sabbatical program in the Navy, and finish whatever schooling I have left.

But, even with this plan, I don’t want to leave SHAPE.  I doubt that anyone who reads this blog dislikes my Boss, ADM Stavridis.  But, I also doubt many people who read this blog have worked for him.  Trust me, he’s even better to work for than his reputation lets on.  I know that anywhere else I go in the Navy, the ideas will not be as good, the drive to bring good ideas forward will not be as earnest, and I will miss all of this so terribly much–Please, all of you out there, prove me wrong in that, let me know who next to go work for as a CTR, I beg you.

I don’t care that I will become just another CTR2 out there in the Fleet–in fact I miss the Fleet.  But, I do care about not being around ideas.  And that is why I want to get out, because in a very real sense, I know that in four years I’ve worked in that once-in-a-generation Command.

I don't know how USNI came to a point where its allowing its authors to pen articles that are this self serving.  This selfish.  This limited in its scope.

But they have.

I just wonder where the trustees are.  Where is the leadership that says this is bullshit.

And if you're sitting there saying "hey the guy is making a decision and he's sharing it with the world" then consider this.

Thousands of Marines are making this very decision right now without whining.

Thousands of Marines are facing the very tough situation of wanting to remain in the Corps but will be forced out anyway.

Thousands of Marines are making a decision and dealing with the consequences.

But not this sailor.  Not this guy.  He's important.  He's the only one that's going through this.  He's special.

He makes me fucking sick.

SOCOM is operating in Mexico.

Read between the line on this one.  Check out this tidbit and read the rest for yourself.

The U.S. Embassy did not release the names of the injured workers, who it said were heading to a military training base south of Mexico City. Its statement said the employees and a Mexican naval captain traveling with them were fired on by a group of men, and were chased when they tried to escape. The naval officer was not seriously injured.

Mexico's federal police agency acknowledged that its own officers fired on the embassy's SUV, which appeared to be armored and has diplomatic plates. It said the officers were in the area looking for criminals, but it did not explain what happened.

Its statement said at least four vehicles fired at the embassy vehicle on a road south of the capital, but it did not clarify whether any or all of them were federal police units. Federal police spokesmen did not respond to The Associated Press requesting further comment.

A U.S. official who was briefed on the shooting said later that all the shots were fired by federal police.

Yeah.

A diplomatic vehicle?

US govt. workers?

Traveling with a Mexican Naval Officer?

You heard it here first.  SOCOM is operating just South of the border.

When did Laron Landry hulk out?

I remember seeing this guy play at LSU (when we won another Championship...not counting the one we'll win this year) and he was NEVER this big.  I'm not saying he's juicing but damn, he must have added almost 50 pounds of pure muscle in two years!

JLTV is a mistake.

I'm parsing this from the Commandant's latest interview.  via Reuters.

After the new ACV enters into production, the Marines also plan to start work on a cheaper new personnel carrier that would be used to transport troops on the ground. Amos said the service would also maintain some undefined number of existing vehicles and keep them running to save money.
He underscored the importance of a Humvee replacement program, and said the Marines could expand their plans to buy 5,000 of the new trucks in later years.

I'm just not understanding the rationale.

The Marine Corps just necked down aviation to save money yet at the same time we're going to buy 5,000 JLTV's to replace only a portion of the 20,000 odd HUMVEEs we have in service?

Two supply chains.  One for the new JLTV the other for the legacy Hummers.

But wait it gets better.  The ACV (unless he misspoke) is going to be in production before the MPC?  Yet the ACV is suppose to be affordable, have greater carrying capacity and yet we're still going forward with the MPC?

And while we're getting the ACV and the MPC we're going to upgrade the AAV?

You heard it here first.

This is bullshit.  It ain't gonna work, Congress won't go for it and they're spinning wheels because they're unsure of which direction they want to go.

One thing I'm sure of.  The only reason why the Marine Corps is going forward with the JLTV is because of US Army pressure.  Reports I got are that the upgraded HUMVEE shown to Marines at Pendleton got nothing but RAVE REVIEWS.  Those reports surely got up the chain because high ranking Marines were there to see it.

The Army does good work but its time to make the turn back to the sea and understand that we fall under the Dept of the Navy.

Standardization with the Army at a budget busting cost is just not acceptable.  First things first.  Dump the JLTV.

Marine Corps Muleskinners

Sgt. Justin D. Head, animal packing course chief instructor, exercises his mustang, Hondo, shortly after grazing. The animal packing course is the only one of its kind in the department of defense and teaches Marines and other military personnel how to effectively and efficiently work with beast of burden to transport munitions, supplies and wounded personnel to and from areas inaccessible to mechanized and air transportation. The course, offered at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, teaches an introduction to animal packing, an anatomy of pack animals, animal packing techniques, casualty evacuation techniques, animal first aid and bivouac considerations.

Sgt. Warren Sparks, Mountain Warfare Animal Packer Instructor, leads a group of Marines across the Sierra Nevada mountain range on his mule, Trigger. The Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center trains Marines and other service members to move across various terrains at altitudes between 8,000 to 11,000 feet. The animal packer course is one of several classes taught at the MWTC.

The bond established between Marine and animal are important to the success of every packing mission. "You put a horse in certain circumstances, he has to be able to trust you," said Sgt. Warren Head, animal packer course chief instructor. "They see we feed them and take care of them, and over time, that builds the trust between us."

Capt. Anthony F. Reynolds, maintenance management officer at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, rest his mule, Herman, following a supply transport to a training area. Marines are taught to tend to the needs of their packing animals before taking care of their own, which includes brushing, grazing and resting the animals once they arrive to their destination.

The Marine Corps animal packing course is designed to aid Marine Corps units in alternative methods of transporting crew served weapons, ammunition, supplies and wounded personnel to and from areas inaccessible to mechanized and air mobile transportation. Students are taught the necessary skills to enable them to plan, organize, and conduct animal packing, and/or provide advice to senior commanders and staffs.

Law Enforcement shoots another vet...by mistake...

Thanks for the story Joe!

I don't get it.  Everyone wants to paint Law Enforcement and the US Military with the same brush and nothing could be further from the truth.

One thing is becoming obvious though.

There appears to be a war on veterans. 

Vets are being shot, arrested and generally (it appears) targeted by law enforcement.  Something has to give or this could get even more out of hand.