31st MEU Boat Company Training.

KIN BLUE, OKINAWA, Japan-Marines with Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to board the USS Tortuga during launch and recovery operations June 28. Once onboard the Tortuga, the Marines turned the boats around and returned to the water., Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 6/28/2011 2:59 AM

KIN BLUE, OKINAWA, Japan-A Marine with Company F, communicates with the USS Tortuga via radio as his boat heads through the surf to White Beach Naval Facility June 28. The Marines and USS Tortuga conducted launch and recovery operations to better equip the Marines for their job once aboard ship., Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 6/28/2011 2:25 AM

KIN BLUE, OKINAWA, Japan-The Combat Rubber Raiding Craft is the boat of choice for the Raiders of Company F. The Marines used the boats to conduct launch and recovery operations June 28., Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 6/28/2011 4:47 AM

The flip side of my call for across the board cuts in spending...including defense.

I'm not a Republican, I'm a conservative.  A conservative with libertarian leanings.

I've had many conversations with buddies and the general agreement is an across the board cut of 10% in the Federal budget with an accompanying freeze in increases for at least 10 years would be a good start to solving the deficit issue.

The problem with this type of thinking (my type of thinking) is the unintended consequences of such actions.  And there are alot of unintended consequences going on right now.

The President has called for even deeper defense cuts.  The services will respond with cutting people first then it'll start axing procurement...we're already seeing the groundwork laid for that.

The problem is....people build all those fancy widgets and if we act without full realization of those consequences then we could sink an already sick economy.

Exhibit number one from Defense News.

Lockheed Martin announced June 30 that it would eliminate approximately 1,500 jobs from its Aeronautics business. The cuts represent a 5 percent reduction in its workforce of about 28,000 employees located at sites in six states.
"We're taking what we think are bold and responsible actions given the defense environment," said Joe Stout, a spokesperson for the company's Aeronautics division.

The cuts come as part of a larger effort to curb costs and maintain affordability, Stout said.
"Our customers around the world are facing greater pressure, and we know we need to respond," he added.

Tomorrow the Dow Jones average will plummet.  What should an individual do?

My recommendation.

Keep it dry and stack it deep.  This (the economy) is going to get much nastier before it gets better.

Totally overblown nonsense.

Christian Lowe has an article over at Military.com that is completely overblown and I know he knows it.  I cringed when I saw the headline and then when I read the article, I knew exactly what it was.

IT'S THE ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS VERSION OF FEMALE ENGAGEMENT TEAMS.  A concept that the Marine Corps has been using for many, many months now.  Here's the kicker but read the whole thing.

So far, nearly 30 of the female CST Soldiers are deployed to the war zone, working in villages and towns that the commandos have cleared.
"They're supposed to be used on secure target areas," Sacolick said. "I don't want them fighting their way to a target."

I don't want them fighting their way to a target....Sacolick was playing it straight but Lowe took it over the top with his title..."Female Special Operators Now in Combat"....Lowe is better than this.  

Just the facts bro, just the facts.

Funny in a political way.

Morning Joe just got on my watch list.

If this is what the President's friends think then I'd hate to see what his enemies are saying.

Wow.

1,000th F-35 Flight.

Lt. Col. Leonard Kearl was at the controls for the 1,000th F-35 flight on 20 June 2011. The 1.8-hour flight, completed in F-35A AF-6, originated from Edwards AFB, California.

Wow.

Do I hear cries of agony from certain parts of Australia? 

Is a certain "Think Tank" (Air Power Australia) rethinking its positions???

Doubtful, but they should.

F-35B undergoes NERF testing.

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- F-35B test aircraft BF-4 rests the evening of June 21 after a day of testing at the Naval Electromagnetic Radiation Facility. BF-4 is undergoing testing which simulates the shipboard electromagnetic environment to identify any potential issues prior to at sea testing this fall on USS Wasp (LHD 1). The F-35B is the short take-off, vertical landing variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps and international partners and is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet.

Pics of the day. June 30, 2011.

LA(Phot) Luis Holden won the Navy News Award in the 2011 Peregrine Trophy Photographic Competition with this image.
A Joint Force Harrier jet is pictured high over RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus shortly before the iconic aircraft was decommissioned.
Photographer: LA(Phot)Luis Holden

The Commandant General Royal Marines' Prize in the Peregrine Trophy 2011 competition went to LA(Phot) Si Ethell fora portfolio including this image.
The FSG (Fire Support Group) of Charlie Company 40 Commando Royal Marines, at FOB (Forward Operating Base) Jackson in Afghanistan engaging insurgents following contact at PB (Patrol Base) Paylae.
Photographer: LA(Phot) Si Ethell