3rd MAW helo pilots killed in Helmand province - MarineCorpsTimes.com

3rd MAW helo pilots killed in Helmand province - MarineCorpsTimes.com

Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan
Reserve lance cpl. dies in Helmand province
Why no mention of this USNI Blog????  Surely the courageous actions of these men is worthy of mention...or is it only Sailors and not other members of the Naval Services that are worthy of concern and praise?

But you did have time to comment about the Public Affairs Officer managing the spin on this story...
The PAO’s Nightmare: Or What Keeps CDR Charlie Brown Awake At Night

2/3 conducts NEO training.

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii-Canadian soldiers with Company G, 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian Army, move toward their next objective during a noncombatant evacuation operation at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, July 26. The NEO, an emergency evacuation involving the use of military forces and capabilities in order to provide aid, assistance and movement to safety of American citizens overseas, was conducted as part of interoperability training between coalition forces during the multi-national Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2010., Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder, 7/26/2010 3:15 AM

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii-U.S. Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Regiment utilize amphibious assault vehicles to set up a cordon around a mock U.S. embassy during a noncombatant evacuation operation at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, July 26. The NEO, an emergency evacuation involving the use of military forces and capabilities in order to provide aid, assistance and movement to safety of American citizens overseas, was conducted as part of interoperability training between coalition forces during the multi-national Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2010., Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder, 7/26/2010 3:26 AM

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii-Canadian soldiers assigned to Company G, Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian Army, provide security as a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter arrives with Marines from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during a noncombatant evacuation operation at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, July 26. The NEO, an emergency evacuation involving the use of military forces and capabilities in order to provide aid, assistance and movement to safety of American citizens overseas, was conducted as part of interoperability training between coalition forces during the multi-national Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2010., Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder, 7/26/2010 4:29 AM

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii-Infantrymen with the Indonesian Marine Corps move from U.S. Marine Corps CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters to amphibious assault vehicles during a noncombatant evacuation operation at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, July 26. The NEO, an emergency evacuation involving the use of military forces and capabilities in order to provide aid, assistance and movement to safety of American citizens overseas, was conducted as part of interoperability training between coalition forces during the multi-national Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2010., Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder, 7/26/2010 4:09 AM

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii-U.S. Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Regiment utilize amphibious assault vehicles to set up a cordon around a mock U.S. embassy during a noncombatant evacuation operation at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, July 26. The NEO, an emergency evacuation involving the use of military forces and capabilities in order to provide aid, assistance and movement to safety of American citizens overseas, was conducted as part of interoperability training between coalition forces during the multi-national Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2010., Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder, 7/26/2010 3:50 AM

Idiocy at USNI Blog.

I received an interesting post in the comments section of my post "Pompous-Arrogant-Self Censoring"


I find it even more interesting that this commenter chose to post under "Anonymous"...nevertheless here it is...I'm highlighting certain parts.

Oh yeah, I read both threads before I commented, and here is a rambling explanation of how I see it.

I do not know you Solomon however I have seen your name on the comment sections of several defense blogs/websites. I think it is safe to assume that you view the wars as something to be studied empirically, to make better decisions that will save lives.

You probably know a lot more about the prosecution of a war than 99% of most people. Your understanding of procurement and technology is undoubtedly sophisticated. From all your study of war you may even make a pretty good commander.

But I think you are clumsily walking into a fight here that does not need to be fought. The guys at USNI are coming from the perspective of possibly losing someone that they know, hell Gauthier even said he part of the funeral detachment in Afghanistan right now.

They see logical and straightforward comments such as yours as diminishing the sacrifices of those that they honor. I think that this is being a little overly sensitive (as I gather you do too). But I can respect that the viewpoint of someone with their noses still pressed in it can be a little skewed. I choose to simply read those kinds of blogs and skip over the sentimental jibberish like in the comments section from the link.

This whole thing to me is like watching someone get into an argument with the family of a dead DUIer. Questioning the fact that they should not have been drinking, is of course right logically. It is a needless loss of life. But you are taking their repudiations and calls for respect for the dead as being a personal attack against you.

Your comments I'm sure have convinced them that they are right, you are just some whacko who is trying to start arguments and not be respectful. I don't see it that way personally, but your petty hate filled comments on your own blog do not do you any favors.

I remember at one time in my life having a ridiculous respect and deference for the flag. It was nearly religious in its fervor. And if someone came up to me dropped it on the ground and said 'what does it matter? it is merely a piece of cloth'. I would probably have acted rudely. And if they took it personally, spewing verbal bile as you have here, I'd be even more convinced that I was right in my initial reaction.

Anyway I read many of the same blogs as you do, and I guess it is in my best interest to be represented by other rational people. That is why I have taken the time to comment here. I am hoping that after you take some time away from this blog, you will see that carrying this tirade even farther is only detrimental to yourself and the reputation of other defense bloggers. Even if yours is a righteous crusade, it is pretty lame to be arguing on the internet.

Oh, yeah and I'll keep reading this blog from time to time, I'll just try to skip over the irrational stuff...

Complete utter rubbish.


I don't know who this guy is but he's ignoring some pretty glaring facts.


This from the USNI Blog...before my postings here.

• 
  

  YN2(SW) H. Lucien Gauthier III Says:

  Solomon,
  Many Sailors go outside the wire. Seabees, Corpsmen, members of the PRT teams, ect. Suffice it to say, we are not allowed out there without tons of training.
  Those looking for my Shipmates don’t give a rat’s ass right now why it happened, it is not their question to ask, it is their job to find them. No one cares ‘why’ until it is over. Once it is over, you start asking questions.
  July 25th, 2010 at 3:12 pm 
• 
  

  Byron Says:

  What the YN2 said…In spades. We’ve got two sailors in danger now, and you want to talk crap. It’s not censorship. It’s common decency. Keep all that bilge trash to yourself till they are found, one way or another. Doing otherwise is the same as spitting on them…and their families memories of those who were over there serving. More to the point, open up a box of shut the hell up and start eating.
  July 25th, 2010 at 5:59 pm  
• And lets not leave the Blogs Admin out of this "stupid" party....this from the exalted ones on that site....
• 
  

  admin Says:

  @Solomon:
  How is your discourse helping this conversation?
  “Tragedies happen everyday.” how on earth does that mitigate the situation here.
  Does the circumstance of the the rank or particulars of death mitigate one death above another?
  We are speaking about two REAL PEOPLE, in peril, possibly dead.
  If…as you say..it is unlikely (following your line of logic, for the benefit of the doubt) that two individuals would leave the wire in such a way….for right or wrong reasons…now is not the time for supposition
  Wait for hindsight, which I’m sure, for those who consume the spoils, sadly, will be 20/20
  In the meantime, let us have hope in humanity and pray for these sailors.
  If you prove me wrong, if they are somehow culpable of some heinous crime, then I will pray for them just the same. Because they are sailors, because we are better than our enemy who is unforgiving and close-minded.
  July 26th, 2010 at 11:57 pm

The point of all this is simple.

While the USNI blog claims to be concerned only about the Sailors that lost their lives, they are in fact lying.

How many service men lost their lives while this story pre-occupied our friends over at the USNI blog????

I count 10 US servicemen...some of them Marines---a part of the Naval Service and we can count some of the bloggers there as being Marines.

Why no mention of their heroic sacrifice?  Why no call for prayers to go out to their families???

Is it because this was the politically correct story of the moment?  If it is (and I truly believe that is what propelled the blow back against my reasonable questions which have yet to be answered by the Pentagon...another glaring fact especially when other missing servicemen have had their motives posted within days of their disappearance) then what does that say about the people who post their?????


You be the judge.  

But understand this USNI.  Your arrogance will not be tolerated.  Your mighter than thou attitude will be confronted.

Consider it an intervention.

Amtracs in Peru.

Peruvian forces use FN2000's?  Impressive.

Blogging is light this week...

I'm in Chicago on business.  No fear, even though I had to leave the Glock 26 down South because of the insane gun laws here, I still have my Gerber Applegate Fairburn close by...

Another subject though.

Its time to take USNI blog down a notch.  The arrogant writers need to be told whats what and I plan to deliver in spades.

So have no fear and  be watching these  pages for new stuff late Thursday.

Pompous - Arrogant - Self Censoring.

This whole crew is suspect.  To not even be able to ask questions????


And this Byron guy?????  Oh I would so love to meet that sorry bastard and the Navy Puke?  They can both kiss my ass.  They're the type of feminist, East and West Coast fairies that make me sick.

The so called discussion is here.

Oh and guess what!  The discussion about the why and how have taken place before...follow this link...
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/us_soldier_captrured_by_taliban_what_happened.php

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, told reporters Sunday that he didn't have all the details, but "from what I know right now, this is an unusual circumstance."

Pic of the Day. July 25, 2010.

Another Joe Stremph special...

A Former Commander of Canadian Air Force on the F-35.

A must read...it can be found here.

Defense Spending is different.

The Telegraph.uk has an article on possible defense cuts that the UK is about to absorb.  Interesting but the difference is that in defense spending you can see the result and the spending reverberates throughout communities.

Cut a base and you hurt a local community.  Many civilians are employed by those bases and unemployment will result with the closure.

Cut planes, ships and tanks?  The logistics tail from those that work to maintain them...all the way back to those that produce them are endangered.

You don't see that type of synergy when it comes to social spending.

War on poverty?

Still not won and its been going on since the '60's.

War on drugs?

Ditto.

Social spending is a bottomless pit that results in improvements that are difficult, if not impossible to measure.

The UK will and the US to a lesser degree will cut defense spending.  The problem is that the increased domestic spending will not result in higher qualities of life.  Keeping people employed in hi-tech industries, producing gear that can be touched is a more sensible approach.

F-15SE ... a serious question....

The article on Strategy Page is an interesting read.

F-15SE Sneaking Up On the F-35

July 25, 2010: For over a year now, F-15 manufacturer Boeing has been offering a "stealthy" aircraft called the F-15SE (Silent Eagle). The target market is nations that want some stealth, but do not want to pay the high price of the F-35. The F-15SE is an F-15E with better electronics (radar and countermeasures) and an airframe tweaked to make the aircraft harder for radar to detect. A CWB (Conformal Weapons Bay) carried beneath the body of the aircraft contains two internal weapons bays. Each bay can carry two missiles or smart bombs. Each of the four hard points in the CWD can carry two smaller SDB (Small Diameter Bombs). While not as stealthy as the F-22, the F-15SE claims to be as stealthy as the F-35, which costs 40 percent more. Another option is to have existing F-15Es rebuilt to F-15SE standards, at less than half the cost of a new F-15SE. Boeing has demonstrated the stealthiness to serious customers, and the F-15SE does indeed make it much more difficult for radars to spot it. Some foreign F-15E users have expressed an interest, especially as the cost of the F-35 keeps going up, with no end in sight for the increases. .

I wondered what APA had been up to and now I know.  This article is straight out of the playbook.
First the F-35's price has been going down and the Air Force and Lockheed Martin have both stated that it will crush CBO's estimate.

Next, I can't find one customer for the F-15SE...a new build F-15 is over 100 million dollars...not exactly cheap. 

Canada has just signed on to buy 65, Israel is supposedly on the verge and Turkey has agreed to buy 120, not the 100 originally programed.

Sneaking up on the F-35?  Hardly, more like getting run out of the sky is the ticket.

Blast from the Past. XH-51A...the 270mph Helicopter.

Why are we still in Kosovo???

Sgt. 1st Class Cory R. Schall, of Devils Lake, N.D., is greeted by his daughter, Alyssa, upon his return to Fargo, N.D., after a one-year deployment to Kosovo. He was part of a NATO-led peacekeeping mission and served in Multi-National Battle Group East, which was commanded by Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann, of Bismarck, N.D.  Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp
This from the Valley City Times-Online...

“It’s a great day in North Dakota when Soldiers return home from a successful mission,” Sprynczynatyk said. “As we prepare to celebrate their return to North Dakota, let’s remember all of the other North Dakota Soldiers and Airmen still serving in countries all across the world. Their ongoing efforts in defense of our nation will always be greatly appreciated.”
About 40 North Dakota Soldiers will remain in Kosovo in order to effectively coordinate mission handover to the succeeding unit, the Puerto Rican National Guard, which will lead KFOR 13. A ceremony to formally assume mission responsibility from the North Dakota National Guard is scheduled for July 24, in Kosovo. These remaining Soldiers are expected home by the end of the month.

Geez.  Everyone is in an uproar over Afghanistan but how long has this peacekeeping mission in Europe been going on???

Time to put a stop to these type missions.  Let other forces handle this type stuff.  We are over stretched and this does not help.