Friday, January 27, 2012

And now we're about to lose amphibs to SOCOM.

Well not yet but this should appear to be rather ominous news to the Marine Corps.  Navy SEALs are about to take a soon to be decommissioned LSD and use it as a mother ship/sea base.  From the Washington Post.
Until December, the Navy had planned to retire the Ponce and decommission it in March after 41 years of service. Among other missions, it was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea last year in support of NATO’s air war over Libya.
Instead, the ship will be modified into what the military terms an Afloat Forward Staging Base. Kafka, the Fleet Forces command spokesman, said it would be used to support mine-clearance ships, smaller patrol ships and aircraft.
The documents posted by the Military Sealift Command in December, however, specify that the mothership will be rebuilt so that it can also serve as a docking station for several small high-speed boats and helicopters commonly used by Navy SEAL teams.
Why do I get the feeling that all the work done to make sea basing a reality was for the benefit of SOCOM...and SOCOM alone?

A lack of urgency is killing the Marine Corps right now.  For some reason those at the highest levels don't seem to understand this basic leadership trait.

You can bet  big dollars that when all is said and done, the sea base will be a victim of the Marine Corps limited budget and will only exist for the boys in Tampa and Coronado.

BlackFive knocks it out the park!


I wonder why no presidential candidate's mentioned this.  We've heard the usual "we will not let the Obama administration gut defense" but FINALLY someone put it into context.

Outstanding.

Here’s a little fact to keep in mind when considering the current cuts to spending at DoD (and let’s be clear, there is nothing wrong with appropriate cuts to defense spending), besides all the other ramifications it promises:
Defense accounts for less than 20 percent of the federal budget but already exceeds 50 percent of deficit-reduction efforts. And for every dollar the President hopes to save in domestic programs, he plans on saving $128 in defense.
And that’s without the looming sequestration cuts (keep in mind, most war fighting costs are not included in the budget) of another half trillion dollars.
Or said another way, the administration has decided that it will attempt to cut spending primarily with cuts to national defense.  There is no serious program afoot to cut back the myriad of other government agencies and branches.  In fact, many are expanding (see EPA, IRS, etc.).
As for sequestration, Democrats are bound and determined to see it through, because, you know, national defense is less important than winning an ideological struggle.
Charles Hoskinson of POLITICO’s Morning Defense reports (btw, if you don’t subscribe to it, you should):
BUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS are still far apart on one key issue: taxes. We caught up with SASC Chairman Levin at a breakfast Thursday and he said he's counting on public pressure to push the GOP to accept new tax revenues as part of any solution - something they've so far refused to consider. Meanwhile, Levin and other Democrats won't budge on reversing sequestration except as part of a complete package. "The dam has got to be broken on revenues, and what I believe will break it is the threat of sequestration," he said.
Shorter Levin, “we’re more than willing to hold national security hostage and see it gutted to get our way on taxes”.
It is rather interesting  approach for an administration which is hung up on everyone paying their ‘fair share’.  It seems that the lion’s share of what it will surely tout during the upcoming campaign as serious budget cutting, will come from the one Constitutionally mandated duty it has – national defense.
As for all the programs that have a future funding liability of 200 trillion dollar?
Meh.
~McQ
 Shamelessly copied from their site.  If you're not dialed into them you should. 

31st MEU ships out to Cobra Gold 2012.


WHITE BEACH, OKINAWA, Japan-Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit board the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD-46) in here, Jan. 25. Elements of the 31st MEU, including BLT 1/4 and portions of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, are scheduled to participate in the multi-lateral training exercise Cobra Gold 2012 in the Kingdom of Thailand alongside military participants from South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and representatives from approximately 20 other countries., Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright, 1/25/2012 10:07 AM
WHITE BEACH, OKINAWA, Japan-Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit board the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD-46) in here, Jan. 25. Elements of the 31st MEU, including BLT 1/4 and portions of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, are scheduled to participate in the multi-lateral training exercise Cobra Gold 2012 in the Kingdom of Thailand alongside military participants from South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and representatives from approximately 20 other countries., Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright, 1/25/2012 10:04 AM
CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan-Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit transport Amphibious Assault Vehicles to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD-46) from Camp Schwab, Jan. 26. For the month of January, elements of the 31st MEU, including BLT 1/4 and portions of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, will participate in the multi-lateral training exercise Cobra Gold 2012 in the Kingdom of Thailand alongside military participants from South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and representatives from approximately 20 other countries., Cpl. Garry Welch, 1/25/2012 9:14 AM
CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan-Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit transport Amphibious Assault Vehicles to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD-46) from Camp Schwab, Jan. 26. For the month of January, elements of the 31st MEU, including BLT 1/4 and portions of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, will participate in the multi-lateral training exercise Cobra Gold 2012 in the Kingdom of Thailand alongside military participants from South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and representatives from approximately 20 other countries., Cpl. Garry Welch, 1/25/2012 10:08 AM

Thursday, January 26, 2012

USMC Military Police changing to Law Enforcement Battalions????

Marines with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Military Police Company stand in formation for the last time Jan. 26 before de-activating during a ceremony at their headquarters building aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The company was activated on April 25, 2009 and comprised of a headquarters section and 4 platoons, located at Marine Corps Air Stations Beaufort, New River and Cherry Point. "This and all other MP Companies Marine Corps wide will be shutting down and consolidating in three large battalions that will be known as the 'Law Enforcement Battalion,'" said Capt. Jonathon C. Ajinga, the commanding officer of 2nd MAW MP Company. "Each of the Marine Expeditionary Forces will have a battalion of MP's. These Marines will be under the direct command of the MEF and will be assigned duties as seen fit."


OK.

Consider this tin foil hat time.

I don't even know if I care if you think I'm crazy but a name means something.

Why would the Marine Corps change the name of its Military Police units to Law Enforcement Battalions?

MP's have a battlefield role.  Convoy security.  Route security.  Airfield security.  POW handling.  And general grunt duties....or so they will tell you.

Talk to any MP and he'll tell you that they have "more firepower in a 3 vehicle section than a Rifle Company."

So if we're talking about an outfit that has a wartime function then why will they call themselves by a civilian moniker...Law Enforcement Battalion?

Because it'll be easier to use them for domestic missions.  The name is pure dee stupid.  And names mean something.


Another of Mike Sparks crazy ideas that I like...



Surfing the web and came across one of Mike Sparks old articles...

Hate the guy, luv the guy...whatever.  But he did his research on military history and found some fascinating concepts that were tried and discarded.

The idea of using subs and helicopters is one of them.  Of course he carried it a step too far but his foundation was solid.

The Japanese had submarine aircraft carriers and with our current state of technology the experiments carried out in the 50's might be workable today.  Imagine instead of carrying a SEAL Insertion Vehicle (or whatever they're calling their mini-subs these days) you instead carried a Night Stalker Little Bird? Or two? 

Sound crazy?  The Navy and Marine Corps didn't think so...at least during the 50's.  Perhaps they were bolder and more capable of thinking outside the box than we are today.

No news on the Amphibious Combat Vehicle?

\
I've been reading the news on the defense budget today.

No mention of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.  AAV upgrades.  Nothing.

Meanwhile we get clarity on the Army's Ground Combat Vehicle, the JLTV, the C-27, Carriers, Air Wings and end strength numbers (even cancellations provide clarity).

I find it amazing that the most important ground acquisition for the US Marine Corps has gotten no attention.

No mention.

We are lost in the woods when it comes to modernizing our ground component.

Say it out loud. 

The US Army has gone through the M-113 (with upgrades), the Bradley IFV (with upgrades), the Stryker IFV (with upgrades) and is embarking on getting the Ground Combat Vehicle.

The Marine Corps has been saddled with the AAV.

Now tell me something isn't broken in Marine land.

Are partnership missions the "meals on wheels" that Rush warned about????

The photos above are from Cobra Gold.

I'll spare you the captions.  They're not worth it in my opinion.  Understand I'm not getting on the Marines and Sailors that are sent on these missions...I am questioning our leadership.

Back during the 90's, Rush Limbaugh derided Clinton for sending the US Military on "meals on wheels" missions.  If you've taken a serious look at the current "exercises" you'll see that those fears of yesterday might be justified today.

Partnership missions appear to be glorified civics projects with little actual training taking place.

Marines playing patty cake with children.

Building schools/roads/villages.

Doing things that the Peace Corps should be doing...not the Marine Corps. 

If we are going to go back to being a force in readiness that arrives by the sea then we've got to get away from these types of programs.  If we are going to be smaller.  If we are going to have to do more with less...then we must focus on the missions at hand. 

I've never seen building villages as a critical skill for Marine Infantry.

Pic of the day. Mistral during LCAC certification.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Jan. 25, 2012) Landing Craft Air-Cushion (LCAC) 53 speeds from the French navy projection and command ship FS Mistral (L9013) to the shoreline during a well deck certification. Mistral will participate in Exercise Bold Alligator 2012, the largest naval amphibious exercise in the past 10 years. The exercise will take place Jan. 30 through Feb. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael M. Scichilone/Released) 120125-N-CG436-056


JLTV? The Marine Corps is getting screwed!


The US Army is applying the big green d*ck to the Marine Corps.  How?  Well check out these two articles...the first from Marine Corps Times...

“If it comes in at the weight where it is right now, the Marine Corps simply cannot get involved [and] will not buy a joint light tactical vehicle that’s 20,000 pounds,” Conway said. “It doesn’t fit our expeditionary kind of capacity. We can’t carry it on our helicopters or even sling it.
“So, depending on what the evolution of the development looks like, we may have to depart ourselves from that buy and again [rehabilitate] what we’ve got to take us into the next decade.”
And then this from AOL Defense...
Senior service leaders, including Army Secretary John McHugh and Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, have repeatedly stated JLTV is the future of the Army's tactical vehicle fleet. The Army already decided to ramp down the MECV program -- from 50,000 to 100,000 vehicles down to roughly 6,000 for air assault ops -- to make way for the JLTV's entrance into the fleet. In 2010, service officials attempted to cancel the MECV program, until Capitol Hill forced the Army to pull it off the budget chopping block.
The closest Army units that match the Marine Corps when it comes to being expeditionary in nature are the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault.

To think that the Army is going to forgo JLTV for those formations (Airborne/Air Assault) and attempt to push the JLTV on the Marine Corps is telling.


Bold Alligator prep