Exercise Predator's Strike 2011

Terminal Lance and the case of the "buddy fucker"...

This applies on so many levels....enjoy....

Pic of the day. July 12, 2011.

A soldier rushes through a stream during a training exercise in Kenya.

The 4th Battalion The Rifles (4 RIFLES) were in Kenya undergoing intensive training to be the British Army's next Spearhead Lead Element - a rapid response force ready to tackle a world-wide crisis at 24 hours notice.

This can range from a major domestic terrorist attack to the evacuation of British nationals overseas.

Around 700 personnel left their Wiltshire base and were joined by other units including artillery and engineers for a five week intensive exercise at the British Army Training Unit Kenya, otherwise known as BATUK.

Photographer: Sgt Adrian Harlen

100 Flights For F-35C

The F-35C fleet reached 100 total flights when F-35C CF-2 flew back to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, after completing jet blast deflector training at the Naval Air Engineering Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

The Marine Corps has lost its fucking mind.

Is the desire to be cool...to be hip...to be part of the 'in' crowd so strong that common sense eludes those in charge?

Battle Rattle blog is milking these videos that Marines are putting on You Tube to the max.  At times its almost ghoulish.  At times its just sad and pathetic.

This time its sad and pathetic.

These posts of videos on the net showing Marines acting like a bunch of fucking idiots is beyond the pale.

Marines use the words...elite...hard core....shock troops....

These videos and the commands that are allowing them are tarnishing the reputation of the Marine Corps.  I have yet to see US Army Rangers posting vids like this.  I have yet to see the 82nd Airborne posting vids like this.  I haven't seen it from the 101st, 10th Mountain or 25th Infantry Division.

But we see Marines posting this tripe.  We see so called "Marine friendly" blogs posting and promoting this garbage.

Somethings got to give.  To be quite honest I had hoped that the new SgtMajor of the Marine Corps would have put his foot down on this issue.

Apparently he's asleep at the wheel on this.

Oh and before you go high and to the left and accuse me of blowing this out of proportion then consider this sad fact.

Marines have been convicted of conduct unbecoming for offenses that I consider far less embarrassing to the Corps.

"We are an agile, lethal force going down range"

Produced by Sgt. Elyssa Quesada.

Sgt. Quesada's been busy.  I hope she keeps up this pace once the deployment starts.  I'm pretty happy with the effort they're taking to get the word out about all the work that's done to just get ready to deploy.  

Impressive.

Chinook recovery op.

Remember the post I did here?  It covers the news from ISAF that a coalition helicopter had gone down in Afghanistan.  I wrote them to try and get further info but they wouldn't give.

I think I have it here.  Check it out.

Photo Credit: Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs

A CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopter from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, lowers to the ground while sling loading another Chinook helicopter as a cloud of dust arises, July 6, 2011.

173rd Airborne in the breeze.

Nice photos but why is the 173rd still jumping the old parachutes?  I thought that everyone would be using the T-11 by now.  If you have any knowledge on it, then hit me up.

Check out the guy in the bottom pic closest to the ground.  He must be experiencing ground rush from hell...I'd pay money to see his PLF!

Operation Hammer Down II

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, from the 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, like the ones shown here, helped provide 176 consecutive hours of air support and drop more than 100 bombs in support of Operation Hammer Down II. Air Force close air support assets played a critical role in the success of the operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael B. Keller)

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, from 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, like the one shown here, helped provide 176 consecutive hours of air support and drop more than 100 bombs in support of Operation Hammer Down II. Air Force close air support assets played a critical role in the success of the operation.

Senior Airman Michael McAffrey from Tacoma, Wash., a joint terminal attack controller with the 116th Air Support Operations Squadron, Washington Air National Guard, patrols alongside a field near Khanda Village, Laghman province, Afghanistan, June 18. JTACS like McAffrey were a critical asset to Army ground commanders during Operation Hammer Down II.

U.S. Army soldiers from D Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, alongside the Afghanistan National Army soldiers, advance toward a hill top to set up security during Operation Hammer Down in the Watahpur District of Kunar province, Afghanistan, June 26. The operation was a coalition effort to disrupt insurgents operating and training throughout the Pech Valley. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tia Sokimson)

11th MEU's maritime raid force...more pics of oil platform training.