A video feast.

XF-104...Fast Blast From The Past.

Col Sanborn heads to Europe and a uniform question.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan-Col. Russell A.C. Sanborn, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) assistant wing commander, is slated to leave Afghanistan in mid-May for Stuttgart, Germany, to become the U.S European Command’s deputy operations officer. Sanborn has accumulated more than 2,400 flight hours in the Harrier, and deployed multiple times, including to the first Gulf War. On Feb. 9, 1991, while serving as a pilot in the Gulf War, Sanborn’s aircraft was shot down over southern Kuwait by a surface-to-air missile during a combat mission. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until his release on March 6, 1991.His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Strike Flight Award with Combat V, and the Combat Action Ribbon.,Staff Sgt. James R. Richardson, 3/5/2011 6:49 AM

Congrats goes to Col Sanborn.  Fair winds and following seas---as they say.  But his picture leaves me with a uniform question.  Is subdued rank allowed for wear?  And if it is then why isn't qualification badges allowed to also be subdued?

The Marine Corps is going to hate it.  Heck I'm not sure I like it but it does appear to be the most practical of all possible solutions.

Its time boys.

Time to allow uniform and qualification badges to be sewn on---God Forgive Me---in the fashion that the US Army does it.

Either that or move rank to the shoulder pocket flaps and eliminate the wear of qualification badges with cammies.


UPDATE:


I have my answer guys.  It appears that this was approved back in 2002 (Much thanks to the person who set me straight!).  Funny though, I never saw men I worked with in this particular wear of uniform (meaning insignia at all).  In my battalion, when in the field, we all knew who was who on sight and in garrison it was all shiny all the time.  In the field, they left it behind.  Without knowing the background on this particular photo, any further comment is unwarranted.

Why isn't the sky over Afghanistan filled with A-10's?

Let's have a real talk about the USAF in Afghanistan.


1.  The logistics effort that they're pumping forward is second to none.  I highly doubt that any other air force in the world could come close to even matching half the effort.
2.  The high tech medical evacuation effort is second to none.  Again, I doubt that any other air force could match it.
3.  The USAF Security Forces, EOD teams and Medical Staffs are doing outstanding work.

That's the good.  But where are the A-10's?  Why isn't the USAF filling the skies with these airplanes?  This question is asked with acknowledgement of the desires of the ground forces...they want persistence.  They want accuracy. They want long loiter periods.

That would seem to be covered with the A-10C.  If Wikipedia is to believed then the USAF has 13 squadrons of these magnificent airplanes with about half of those in the Guard and Reserve.

But numbers and squadrons aren't the real question.  The real question is this.  If the A-10 isn't useful for the war in Afghanistan then it will never be useful.

Just like 1st Tanks in the US Marines, its time to get these squadrons FULLY into the fight.

USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001)

Slan the Fighting Irishman sent me a tip on something I didn't know about but should have.

The US NAVY is going to dedicate the DDG-1001 to Master at Arms Michael Monsoor, US Navy SEAL.

Outstanding.

Follow the link to read the story by Boston Maggie.  The video dedication is beyond awesome and I shamelessly post it here.  Another hero is remembered by the services.  Well done.

Homeland Security and the C-32 Flights.

Homeland Security is dropping the ball.

Again.

David Cenciotti has caught them flat footed again. He has posted two stories covering the movement of this airplane to and from certain locations that I bet they'd prefer to keep secret.

You can read his posts here and here.

If this is something that was planned and they don't care about the publicity then GREAT JOB!  If they flubbed up (which I suspect) then get it together boys!

A new player enters the "F-35" cost fray...

SMSgt Mac enters the F-35 cost fray via his blog "Elements of Power"...Read it all at his spot but this is a primer on his thinking...

When it comes to F-35 ‘costs’ Sweetman is still playing it like he does when frequent commenter 'jackjack' calls him out on the Ares' abuse of F-35 cost numbers. In other words, he talks past the point being made to keep beating the "B.S. Anti-JSF Drum" (patent pending) and holding the JSF costs he does note as 'high' while carefully avoiding equivalent costs (if the info even exists) for other systems. While this Sweetman tactic has at times driven poor 'jackjack' around the bend in frustration, I doubt if it will be little more than mocked at BF for the fey strawman tactic it is. The part of Sweetman's Ares response that directly referred to and linked back to BF's post demonstrates either:
1. The Ragin' Hedge Baby from the Shires didn't really read Blackfive's post or
2. He's assuming a $ cost number used by BlackFive was directed only at Sweetman's use of it.
3. He read the BlackFive post, but thinks his interpretive dance schtick will keep foolin' the rubes.

Sweetman Channels Groucho: "Who are you going to believe? Me or your own lying eyes?"

I said this was gonna get good...and it is.  I'm running to the store for more popcorn and beer.  This is a good sub for Sunday Football!

Elements Of Power: BlackFive Clears Up F-35 Cost 'Confusion'