The unanswered question from the Marine Corps cover fiasco...

My position is clear.  I believe Amos, acting through the Uniform Board, was following his Commanders Intent (the President) by even putting up such a ridiculous proposal for study.  Has Amos acted outside the best traditions of the Marine Corps?  Yes.  But on uniforms? There is no other explanation for the Marine Corps following the Army practice of sleeves down in utilities...especially after polling Marines and finding that they wanted to continue to roll sleeves any other way.  But ignoring all that, there is a portion of the story that hasn't gotten any attention.  Check this out...

The thin new hats have a feminine line that some officials think would make them look just as good on female marines as on males - in keeping with the Obama directive.

What is the Obama directive? 

Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Combat Camera. Photos by Lance Cpl. Matthew R. Howe

40 Commando doing MOUT/running the range at 29 Palms.

Brits find 3d gun making facility.

via SKYNEWS.

Police have discovered a 3D printer which they believe criminals were using to try to make a gun, Sky News can reveal.
In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, officers in Manchester on Thursday seized a printer and other components potentially used in the manufacture of firearms during a raid.
As part of an operation to target organised crime gangs in the city, police found a trigger and a magazine they believe is capable of holding bullets, both of which are thought to have been made using the printer.
Officers believe the raid - in the Bagley area of the city - could have uncovered what could be Britain's first 3D gun factory.
Earlier this year concerns were raised that the printers, which construct everyday solid items using very thin layers of plastic, could be used to make a gun, which contained no metal parts and could therefore evade detection by security scanners at airports and other potential criminal targets.

It seems that the UK has the same problem as another empire (said tongue in cheek)....the reality though is that this is not uncommon.  In every gun restricting nation-state on this planet, people are either smuggling or making weapons in machine shops.  Prohibition never works and always becomes either heavily taxed, heavily regulated or both.  Either way is usually fine with the state...as long as money can be made---prohibition in the form of a justice system designed to regulate what individuals do with their own bodies (drugs, prostitution etc..) or heavily tax substances that are harmful but deemed legal (alcohol and cigarettes).  In the end its all a game.

Polish Wolverine wins 307 additional orders.

via WZMS press release.

By 2019 the Polish army will get an additional three hundred and seven vehicles. The Agreement was signed in the presence of the Minister of National Defense Tomasz Siemoniak and Deputy Minister Waldemar Skrzypczak, the Agreement was signed by the head of the Inspectorate of Armaments and the CEO of WZM S.A.

Mr. Adam Janik stated that the first vehicles to be delivered will be reconnaissance vehicles and the “Rak” 120mm mortar Rosomak. – The duration of the contract and number of vehicles to be delivered will be adapted to the requirements of the Army - said Deputy Minister Waldemar Skrzypczak . There are also modernization plans for older turrets and integrate them Spike missiles.

We're seeing a family of vehicles develop here.  Pretty impressive.  Recon vehicles, 120mm mortar variants and modernization of older turrets for Spike missile carriage?

How is it that a small European Army is able to pick a vehicle, sign the contract for them and then  get them into production in less time than it takes the USMC to study the concept?

Once again I'm impressed by a "smaller" European country. 

Barbarity from the past (safe for work, not safe for the sensitive).

Photo via WW2 Database.

Australian Sergeant Leonard G. Siffleet of M Special Unit about to be beheaded by Japanese officer Yasuno Chikao, Aitape, New Guinea, 24 Oct 1943

The greatest generation indeed.  We're not worthy to empty their bed pans.

F-35 vs. ObamaCare???

The main stream media has been ignoring the F-35 saga.  They definitely don't know about the delayed development, spotty software and crushing cost of the airplane...but that is changing.  The impetus behind the new found attention on the F-35?

ObamaCare.

It seems like TampaBay.com is using a comparison between the ObamaCare act and the  F-35 to make ObamaCare seem affordable.  Read it all but check this out.

But the congressional crusade for fiscal accountability would seem to be somewhat selective. If the Beltway is going to fulminate over $300 million wasted to create a website, surely there must be some froth to spare for the $400 billion already flushed away to develop the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which after years of delays and cost overruns has yet to shoot so much as a pea against an adversary in combat.

Who knew that fiscal austerity being pushed by Republicans.  Mixed with an innate hatred of the military, being pushed by the Democrats.  Would combine to be the kryptonite to the F-35?

According to ELP Blog the Pentagon will lose around 5 F-35's due to continued sequestration.

It'll be more than that.  Additionally the services will get their personnel cuts but they will be stretched out over more years than the Pentagon desires.

What does that mean? It means that their is nothing else of substance to cut.  It means the F-35 will see its production schedule stretched out even longer (in a best case scenario)...which means fewer airplanes over the next five to ten years.  It means costs will go up.  It means fewer airplanes will be bought.

It means the death spiral is here.

STOVL J-20?!?!?!

via IDRW.org.

According to Russian Military-Industry Courier weekly and US Aviation News Weekly speculation,China has obtained from Russia the technology for a VTOL fighter jet, and will probably develop a VTOL version of the J-20 stealth fighter jet.
The technology was formerly used in Russia’sYak-141 VTOL fighter.
A prototype of the R-79-300 engine used in the Yak-141 was sold to China in 1996. In 1998, Russia transferred technology related to the nozzle of the engine to China.
The engine is a vector thrust turbofan with maximum thrust of 8,994 kg, which can be raised to 15,500 kg with additional boosting. Its nozzle can turn 95 degrees downwards with a lifespan of 1,500 rotations.
The Yak-141 is able to take off within a short distance of 5 metres.
It has set many world records for VTOL fighters, including climbing to 12,000 meters in 116.2 seconds with effective load of 2,000 kg and 130.5 seconds with 2,000 kg, and a climbing speed of 250 m/s from the height of 3,000 to 8,000 metres.

Wait.

What!?

A STOVL J-20?

I can hear the Pentagon pissing their pants all the way from here.

NOTE:  This goes out to my American readers in particular.  You need to shake yourself out of the belief that China only copies tech and has no ideas of its own.  Even if that were true, they're doing something different.  They're taking ideas and concepts that have in some cases been rejected here and working them up.  The J-20?  Its a large fighter/interceptor.  We're getting word that a STOVL example might be in the works and the only thing that can be said is that the story is false?  The plane has a HUGE fuel load (apparently).  Lose some fuel, replace it with a powerful enough lift fan (and since they stole F-35 plans they could simple double the size of the fan on that plane...or whatever engineers do) and they have their plane.  They could follow the French example on their Mirage STOVL concept and use multiple lift engines.  The issue is that they're progressing and we're cutting.  Across the board.  Get over the idea of inherent American superiority.  We're going to have to do as we always have.  We're going to have to work for it.

Puma IFV production in jeopardy?

via circulotrubia.blogspot.com

The German defense minister has announced that by the time the Puma not enter service for the problems identified in the five prototypes built, and are waiting for proposals for improvement of the manufacturers to make a decision.
Apparently main problems are electronic systems and software associated with these, but the weight of the vehicle does not seem to convince the Bundeswehr.

What you read is my Google translation of his articles.  I'm really loving the S. American blogs because they're in a style that appeals to me (Asian blogs too), the one problem I have is the translation (if you're a Spanish speaker I'd appreciate a verification on this info).

Having said all that it appears that the Puma IFV is in a bit of trouble.  A quick google search of the German Ministry of Defense and Army websites met with negative results, but the search continues.

But 5 prototypes and problems with the vehicles electronics?  That's bad news all around. 

German CH-53(GS) Helicopters Exercise.

Note:  This photographer watermarked his pics.  Do not remove them.  Respect his art so he keeps posting.  Next, its interesting that the Germans along with EADS were able to take CH-53D's and massively upgrade them to serve even longer.  It makes me question whether our own CH-53D's were actually too old to upgrade or whether they had to be retired to justify additional purchases of MV-22's.

Obama is behind a Uniform Proposal for the Marines????

Thanks for this Dave!  I appreciate the link but I'm so pissed off I'm punching walls.

via The New York Post.

A change to the Marine Corps’ uniform hats could take the hard-nosed Leathernecks from the Halls of Montezuma to the shops of Christopher Street.
Thanks to a plan by President Obama to create a “unisex” look for the Corps, officials are on the verge of swapping out the Marines’ iconic caps with a new hat that some have derided as so “girly” that they would make the French blush.
“We don’t even have enough funding to buy bullets, and the DoD is pushing to spend $8 million on covers that look like women’s hats!” one senior Marine source fumed to The Post. “The Marines deserve better. It makes them look ridiculous.”
The thin new hats have a feminine line that some officials think would make them look just as good on female marines as on males — in keeping with the Obama directive.
One of the new hats worn by a female Marine.
They have been dubbed the “Dan Daly” hat, after a sergeant from Long Island who won the Medal of Honor in World War I.
But some Marines love the old hat, which has been in use since 1922 and think the new hat is a glorified “porter’s cap.”
“The Dan Daly cap looks too French, and the last people we want to associate our Marines with would be the French military,” wrote one commenter on the Marine Times Web site.
As of now, the new hats are only in the proposal stage.
Officials have until Friday to cast their votes on whether to adopt them or keep the old hat with modifications. Marine Corps head Gen. James Amos will make the final decision.
According to a memo obtained by The Post, replacing the hats could cost over $8 million.
A poll of a Marine uniform advisory board found that “The group members did not like the appearance of the Dan Daly cap on the male Marine.”

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE DUMBASSES THINKING AT HQMC!  THIS SHOULD'NT HAVE EVEN MADE IT TO THE PROPOSAL STAGE! 

I've suspected but this confirms that Obama has a special hard on for the Marines and it appears that he wants to make us part of his change campaign.

He forgot one thing.  Change is chaotic.  We might run to chaos but its to bring order.  Obama is a chaotic individual and he's bringing his bullshit to my beloved Marine Corps.   I tried to take a middle ground with the guy but this (and the 2A issue) is pushing me.  Pushing me hard.

A quick note to servicemembers and sports teams....

First let me say that I'm not picking on this Marine.  You made it home in one piece.  Not only good but awesome.  Get some rest, chill out for a while and then get back to work.

Second.  To other servicemen and sports teams.

THIS IS TIRESOME!  There are tons of reunions happening everyday at 29 Palms, Lejeune and Pendleton that don't require crowds but are just as meaningful.  The first few public displays and videos were nice.  Now its becoming a SAD cliche'.

Please stop.

Weird Weds. via Double Tapper Blog.

I preferred it when they were just trying to kill us....

Alenia Aermacchi Mitsubishi AT-500???

Photo via Sobchak Security Blog (note:  I don't know if this is real, a concept that he made or if he's punking us all but it looks good...if you have info on the plane, pass it my way).

Lets talk about the officer purge rumor...

Thanks for the link Mike!

via the Blaze.

Nine senior commanding generals have been fired by the Obama administration this year, leading to speculation by active and retired members of the military that a purge of its commanders is underway.
Retired generals and current senior commanders that have spoken with TheBlaze say the administration is not only purging the military of commanders they don’t agree with, but is striking fear in the hearts of those still serving.
The timing comes as the five branches of the U.S. armed forces are reducing staff due to budget cuts, and as U.S. troops are expected to withdraw from Afghanistan next year.
“I think they’re using the opportunity of the shrinkage of the military to get rid of people that don’t agree with them or not tow the party line. Remember, as (former White House chief of staff) Rahm Emanuel said, never waste a crisis,” a senior retired general told TheBlaze on the condition of anonymity because he still provide services to the government and fears possible retribution.
“Even as a retired general, it’s still possible for the administration to make life miserable for us. If we’re working with the government or have contracts, they can just rip that out from under us,” he said.
Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, an outspoken critic of the Obama administration, said the White House fails to take action or investigate its own, but finds it easy to fire military commanders “who have given their lives for their country.”
“Obama will not purge a civilian or political appointee because they have bought into Obama’s ideology,” Vallely said. “The White House protects their own. That’s why they stalled on the investigation into fast and furious, Benghazi and Obamacare. He’s intentionally weakening and gutting our military, Pentagon and reducing us as a superpower, and anyone in the ranks who disagrees or speaks out is being purged.”
A Pentagon official who asked to remain nameless because they were not authorized to speak on the matter said even “young officers, down through the ranks have been told not to talk about Obama or the politics of the White House. They are purging everyone and if you want to keep your job — just keep your mouth shut.

Read the entire article here.

The Blaze is run by Glenn Beck and Beck loves conspiracy theories.  Who doesn't? But I sometimes think he tips into fruit loop territory with some of his claims.

The problem with the General Officer purge theory is that you have the good mixed in with the bad.  Some of the people on that list deserve to be fired, while others we have questions about.

I believe that the real reason why some are speculating (and yes, I heard talk about a purge going on in the military before this article came out) is Benghazi.  But even that doesn't hold up.  Ham is retired now.  He can speak up at anytime and inform the public about  issues concerning the night in question.  If he signed a non-disclosure agreement before he left then I believe that a few well placed leaks, and leads to the proper reporter (and if he's a general he has at least one newspaper boy or blogger in his hip pocket) he could skirt NDA and the truth would be out there for all of us.

Long story short?  I'm not buying the purge theory.

F-35 in S. Korea. Yeah, the fix is in....

via The Chicago Tribune.

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea is nearing a decision to buy some Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets, but will likely keep its options open for a limited purchase of Boeing Co's F-15, sources familiar with the country's fighter competition said on Wednesday.
South Korean officials could announce their plans as early as November to secure the funding needed to ensure initial deliveries of the F-35 in 2017, according to multiple sources who were not authorized to speak publicly. They cautioned that the decisions were not yet final, and an announcement could still be postponed if the decision-making process hits a snag.
South Korea's fighter competition has been closely watched given its importance to Boeing, which is keen to extend its F-15 production line beyond 2016, and to Lockheed, which is trying to drive down the price of the F-35 by securing more buyers.
Boeing's new F-15 Silent Eagle model was the only bid that came in under South Korea's budget cap of 8.3 trillion won ($7.2 billion). However, Seoul last month rejected that offer and said it needed a fifth-generation warplane that is nearly invisible to enemy radar - a move widely seen as an endorsement of the F-35.
Europe's Eurofighter also plans to bid again for the order, but the head of Europe's EADS acknowledged last month that the company faced a tough battle against its U.S. rivals.
South Korean officials have said they are examining a mixed procurement approach that could help Seoul maintain sufficient numbers of fighters in its fleet if the F-35 runs into further delays. They are also looking at scaling back the size of the order to 40 or 50 planes.

Read the entire article here.

A few of my takeaways.

1.  We're looking at another nation that is reducing the size of its F-35 purchase.  Interesting.  The death spiral is still here.
2.  The F-15 Silent Eagle is still in the running and a split buy tells me that further delays in the F-35 are being anticipated.
3.  I monitor S. Korean news and this is turning into a scandal.  I don't know if this is true but if it is and they're going to make an announcement of buying the F-35 then someone is going to go to jail.  The S. Koreans have a very dim view of public corruption.  I wish we did.

I wonder how many cushy jobs Lockheed Martin promised to get the Korean Air Force onboard?  I wonder how many bribes were paid?  I wonder if there is anything that corporation won't do to get this modern day Dodo bird across the finish line.

Marine Corps Times comments on Amos & the letter to Congress...

In a shocking turn of events, SNAFU Blog awards General Amos the Blue Falcon Award for the 3rd year in a row.  Amazingly, he received 100% of the votes and if he remains in office next year is considered a strong contender for a fourth!

A small update on the earlier story about Marine Officers writing a letter to Congress demanding an investigation into Amos' conduct as Commandant.  Here are a few comments from the Marine Corps Times Facebook page....without a doubt Amos is the most despised Commandant in my lifetime.  Its rather interesting because the position has an amount of "reverence" attached to it.  Previously it was held in high regard and comments from rank and file Marines (at least publicly) was to defend the person in the big chair because he and the Marine Corps were one and the same.  The Commandant reflected the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps reflected the Commandant.

Those days are obviously over.  Its a strange time for the Marines because we are once again in need a reformer in the mold of Gray to get us back on track.  I'll be sifting through General Officer bios (active) and talking to buds to see who would be SNAFU Blog's choice for the Commandant to get us out of our funk (note...I like to be radical so I'll probably extend it into even the Colonel ranks for a wildcat promotion).

• Bravo Lima The Marine Corps I grew up in raised warriors to be masters of controlled chaos and violence. What I see today is the pussification and generalization of my beloved Corps, and like some leadership, the Marine Corps has become a "yes man" service to app...See More

  Like · Reply · 68 · 26 minutes ago via mobile · Edited
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  Sierra Paipax Give us a new commandant who will tell us to reroll our sleeves!

  Like · Reply · 61 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Andrew Rapee The difference of a Marine Corps leader with combat experience and a POG playing politics...lol
  

  
  

  

  Like · Reply · 20 · 2 hours ago
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  Nathan Culver Shaking head vigorously YES! Get this Blue Falcon the F outta to CMC's house and get Gen. Mattis back!

  Like · Reply · 18 · 2 hours ago
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  Ryan Sullivan About time.

  Like · Reply · 13 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Charles Wesley Amos is a piss poor leader, his actions since taking command are one failure after another. I say reward those devil dogs for pissing on those heathen fucks!!!!

  Like · Reply · 10 · 2 hours ago via mobile
• 2 Replies · 29 minutes ago
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  Nick Taylor - Where is General Mattis when we need him?

  Like · Reply · 10 · about an hour ago
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  Jacob Arnett Hang his ass out to dry like he's done his Marines

  Like · Reply · 18 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Joe Frazier Ethen Collins, comment when you have more than 100 days in the Corps. 
  Better yet after a yr in the fmf. 
  Shower shoe.

  Like · Reply · 7 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Sean McCleary you know there is a reply button so you can directly respond to the person. Ethen will never even know you mentioned his name.

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  Daniel Andrew Miles He's done enough to hurt my service.

  Like · Reply · 8 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Carter Davis Fuck him. Trying to pussify marines and make them weak.

  Like · Reply · 6 · about an hour ago via mobile
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  Jeremy Lepsch glow belts have been around way before 04

  Like · Reply · 6 · 2 hours ago via mobile
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  Dale Allred since the heart of this is the "Maines uranating on dead terriorists" the Commandant should "re-read" his own reading list "With the old Breed" and then ask him self was what they did really that bad?? Yes its not right BUT in the time of War, Warriors do slip from time to time.. And for any one who has not read the book pay attention to the incident of a Marine removing Gold Teeth from a Wonded Japanes Soldier!!!

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  Angel Pascual Put a warrior back in charge, take Gen. Mattis out of mothballs and make him commandant

  Like · Reply · 5 · 36 minutes ago
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  Dennis Felice Depending on how honest the congressional committee is he has two choices: go quietly now or lawyer up and be prepared for a dirty long fight. It owuld be in the best interrest of the USMC and himself if he retired now. Gen matis would be the best candidate to succeed him but the Obamanation hates him.