Thursday, October 23, 2025

2025 Force Design Update Announcement...Video by Cpl. Michael Bartman

Open Comment Post. 23 Oct 25

Thurs Funny. Bathroom story from hell...

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

This is why I believe in God but not the church...

This despicable bastard is mad because a woman and her son can only give 1,200 dollars instead of the 2,000 that he basically demanded? You can probably count on one hand real churches in America. This is a conman that does his best work around the collection plate on Sunday. You can go into the poorest part of any community and see all kinds of fancy churches on damn near every corner, the pastor is driving a mercedes, wears a rolex along with 2,000 dollar suits while all around his church is poverty and poorly disguised misery. There is a special place in hell for this fucker.

B-Roll: 250th Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration...Video by Lance Cpl. Christian Cutter

22nd MEU(SOC) | C-130J Super Hercules and CH-53E Super Stallion Aerial Refueling Operations...Video by Staff Sgt. Brett Norman

Late Open Comment Post. 21 Oct 25

Sunday, October 19, 2025

British Army force structure (future proposal)

 

I continue to find it amazing that even Nicolas' Army Force Structure diagram is a best case scenario for that unit. I am further amazed that even with this optimization, the US Marine Corps outnumbers it. Not gonna bother to look it up but I would bet that Marine Air is bigger than their Naval Air Force. While I view the current force structure of the Marine Corps to be a shell of its former self, I have to remember that size wise its freaking huge compared to many other forces around the world.

First I look at the Brits.

Would it be wise for them to prioritize their naval forces at the expense of their Army?  Considering its an island nation, out of area operations should be their bread and butter.  At least I think so.  If you disagree then should they prioritize their Army at the expense of its Navy so that they can properly reinforce NATO?  What about their Air Force.  It seems to be trying to walk the line between the two with a slight nod toward the NATO mission.  Which way should they go?

Second I look at the US military.

How much is too much.  Does the China threat actually need a large army?  Could we or should we prioritize the Navy over the Army?  We too are an island nation of sorts.  Should the Navy be our number one concern?  Should we revamp our nuclear mission to be able to hold our competitors at bay from attacks on the homeland?  How much should we contribute to the defense of others?  Obviously our armed forces are over the top to protect our own country.  Should we downsize to that level and let others fend for themselves?

KF-21

Thanks to Damian for the link!


What do you think of when you see this plane?

I think payloads over platforms.  That was once the mantra around the Pentagon but somehow it changed.  Now?  Now everything has to be uber stealth.  Still not sure that's the way to go.  The F-35 shows me that the electronics are the real secret sauce and that's why I think the S. Koreans have a winner.  What's better a semi stealthy platform with impressive missiles that can be launched from distance along with first class sensing gear or a stealth fighter with good missiles and ok sensing?

Stealth has a shelf life.  We're seeing it now with the loyal wingmen coming online. We see it with the USAF no longer talking about air dominance.  We're even seeing it with the advances in AESA.  Speed, operating height, sensors...the old fashioned stuff it took to win aerial fights is coming back online.

Amphibious Operations Demonstration 2025 - LAVs on the beach

Chief Of Naval Operations is thrilled by the amphibious demonstration. The legacy force, not Force Design 2030 is what military & civilian leadership is awed by

The Marine Corps is gonna have to make a choice. Either adopt the legacy force and modernize it (rebuild it too) or head full speed toward the Force Design 2030 concept that no one understand/believes in (except for the zealots). Make no mistake about it. What wowed the crowd is real deal forcible entry, amphibious assault. NOT THE DEFENSIVE, STALE, UNWORKABLE Force Design 2030.

Well over 300# and apparently proud of it...

Not body shaming but fuck me. Well over 300# and happy with it. All women. Mostly black. WTF! RFK is actually doing God's work in putting health ahead of prescriptions. You can't outwork a bad diet and I'm seeing alot of bad diets here.

Open Comment Post. 19 Oct 25

 

A comment from the amphibious op demonstration that gave me pause....

 

For the Marines involved, the moment carried personal significance. “I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” said Cpl. Grayson Hilderbrandt, an infantry Marine with Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th MEU. “Being part of this demonstration shows what today’s Marines are capable of — we’re faster, smarter, and more lethal than ever, and we get to prove that to the world.”

This statement gave me pause.

Maybe I'm older and wiser.  Maybe I vehemently disagree with Force Design 2030. Maybe instead of chest thumping I'm reading this as blind arrogance but it makes me wonder.  

Why do you think you're faster?

Why do you think you're smarter?

This one is gonna be a shocker but why do you think you're more lethal? 

Looking at the Marine Corps current organization and equipment I just don't see a more lethal outfit.  I don't see how today's Marine Corps can apply greater weight of fire on a forehead than Marines of the past (most notably the WW2 Marines).

Smarter?  I don't see that either.  You have better battlefield awareness than at anytime in Marine Corps history but that does not translate into making better strategic or tactical decisions.  That still rests with the individual leaders up and down the chain.

Faster?  If you're talking about conducting long range raids then ok, the tech gives you that with the MV-22.  But if you're talking about building up combat power on the beach I beg to differ.  The ACV is no faster than the retired AAV in water.  The LCAC is fast but how many sorties would it have to make in order to get gear ashore?

The CH-53K can lift more but to what end?  There is less to lift now and that's across the board between infantry and cargo...the AH-1Z and UH-1Y are simply upgrades of legacy equipment that offers some improvement but nothing revolutionary.  The F-35B vs AV-8B is also an interesting now versus then.  Yeah its faster but takes more money to maintain, has horrible readiness rates and even supporters now are saying that it won't deliver on its promises.

I just don't know.

Faster, smarter and more lethal?

I want proud Marines.  I want them walking the jagged edge of being cocky and arrogant.

But beyond the chest thumping that statement has me stalled out.  What do ya'll think?


EU still blaming the US. They were WAITING on us when they could have acted at anytime?

They're blaming us for not sending Tomahawks, JASSM or additional sanctions? Why didn't they send more Storm Shadows, Taurus, or SCALP along with more air defense, armored vehicles etc... 

 As usual it's easier to blame others than to do what you can with what you have.