1st Battalion 5th Marines in Sangin

All photos by Cpl Benjamin Crilly

SANGIN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - Cpl. Anthony J. Minasi, a team leader of 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, climbs out of a canal while patrolling through the Northern Sangin “green zone” along the Helmand River, June 20. The squad conducted the patrol with their Afghan National Army counterparts from the 4th Tolay, 2nd Kandak, 215th Corps, in order to establish a security presence in the vicinity of Patrol Base Atul which is shared by the two platoons. The daily partnered patrols enable the Marines to improve the capabilities of their counterparts and establish rapport with the local populous. Minasi, 23, hails from Vona, Colo., and graduated from Hi-Plains High School in 2006.

SANGIN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - Lance Cpl. Dustin M. Swick, an assaultman with 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, scopes out a potential spotter with the MK-12 designated marksman’s rifle while patrolling through the Northern Sangin “green zone” along the Helmand River, June 20. The squad conducted the patrol with their Afghan National Army counterparts from the 4th Tolay, 2nd Kandak, 215th Corps, in order to establish a security presence in the vicinity of Patrol Base Atul which is shared by the two platoons. The daily partnered patrols enable the Marines to improve the capabilities of their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts and establish rapport with the local populous. “The purpose of us patrolling with the ANA is to help them learn so that the people gain trust in the army and police,” said Swick, who assumed the responsibilities of a designated marksman when the squad’s DM was wounded in action. Swick, 22, hails from Coldwater, Mich., and is a 2007 graduate of Coldwater High School.

 

SANGIN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - Marines of 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, run to safety after initiating explosive charges on a tree-line as part of their patrolling efforts through the Northern Sangin “green zone” along the Helmand River, June 20. The squad conducted the patrol with their Afghan National Army counterparts from the 4th Tolay, 2nd Kandak, 215th Corps, in order to establish a security presence in the vicinity of Patrol Base Atul which is shared by the two platoons. The explosive charges initiated the detonation of suspected improvised explosive devices.

 

SANGIN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - Lance Cpl. Jarron T. Knoll, a team leader of 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, kicks through the hay on a rooftop during the search of a compound while patrolling through the Northern Sangin “green zone” along the Helmand River, June 20. The squad conducted the patrol with their Afghan National Army counterparts from the 4th Tolay, 2nd Kandak, 215th Corps, in order to establish a security presence in the vicinity of Patrol Base Atul which is shared by the two platoons. The daily partnered patrols enable the Marines to improve the capabilities of their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts and establish rapport with the local populous. Knoll, 21, hails from Canyon, Texas, and graduated from Canyon High School in 2008.

SANGIN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - Cpl. Anthony J. Minasi, a team leader of 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, follows an Afghan soldier into a compound in the Northern Sangin “green zone” along the Helmand River, June 20. The squad conducted the patrol with their Afghan National Army counterparts from the 4th Tolay, 2nd Kandak, 215th Corps, in order to establish a security presence in the vicinity of Patrol Base Atul which is shared by the two platoons. The daily partnered patrols enable the Marines to improve the capabilities of their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts and establish rapport with the local populous. The Marines ensure Afghan soldiers enter compounds first to explain to the locals why the partnered forces have to search the homes. Minasi, 23, hails from Vona, Colo., and graduated from Hi-Plains High School in 2006.

Monday Humor. You're a Ranger...so what?

This photo has me cracking up!

I don't know what the little girl is saying but either she's talking pure dee trash to those Ranger Instructors or she has one heck of a command presence.

Either way its a great pic!

Operation Iron Snare. Deadbeats get got.

Wow.

Ya know, the big guy with the bullet proof vest on under his t-shirt should have been a clue that something was going on.

Hasik gets it wrong.

Big Time Hat Tip to Jonathan for sending me this article!

Hasik is a defense analyst with a big following inside the beltway.  He's one of the 'inside' guys so I was surprised by how wrong he was in his latest analysis of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle program.  Read his entire post here, but a tidbit....

Rather, the general was describing two possible ways forward after the EFV:1. A landing force carried entirely in ACVs.
2. A mix of ACVs and wheeled vehicles, with the latter borne by hovercraft or displacement landing craft.
So, there's no exotic two-part vehicle under consideration, and as I suggested yesterday was possible. Indeed, the second option—the two-parter, it would seem—is actually a rather tried-and-true approach. Plenty of other amphibious forces have amphibious tractors (usually AAV7s from BAE Systems) and hovercraft (often from Griffon), and those that don't definitely know how to drive ashore in landing craft with bow ramps.
This merely reinforces my assertion yesterday about the competitive way forward for industry, though I will extend my remarks slightly:
First, the Navy's follow-on hovercraft, the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), should have a secure future. If one really wants to stand over the horizon for an amphibious assault, helicopters and hovercraft are the technically proven way to do it. Hovercraft admittedly aren't as robust under fire as AAVs, but then again, neither are helicopters. And, with both helicopters and hovercraft, the assault force can have options for going where the enemy isn't.
Second, the emphasis on wheeled vehicles, hauled ashore by SSCs or displacement landing craft, means that the Marine Personnel Carrier program will likely continue in the Corps's plans. After all, the Marines had mostly been thinking about proven designs—Nexter's VBCI, ARTEC's Boxer, GD's LAV-V, and Patria's AMV—with modifications for their particular requirements. Those are reasonably priced vehicles whose long-term costs are well-established. They're not EFVs or GCVs, so there's no reason to get worked up a priori about affordability.

My opinion, but Hasik is missing the real debate here.

1.  The ACV is going forward.  The Marines will have a follow on to the AAV. 
2.  The proposal to have a mixed force arose because the EFV was so expensive.
3.  With the EFV canceled and the ACV replacing it, the idea of a mixed force loses its luster.  The Marine Corps has in essence placed the Marine Personnel Vehicle on hold until studies can be determined as to whether it makes sense to purchase two vehicles instead of one.
4.  His attempt to link the SSC to future amphibious assault doctrine is a misnomer.  In no plans have I read that the SSC will be used in the assault phase.  He can compare the survivability of the SSC to aircraft but there is no comparison.  The SSC is a relative sitting duck.
5.  He goes on to make the statement that the Marines might be interested in a high speed LCVP for landing personnel.  Not bloody likely.  The Marines are tailoring themselves as the medium weight force of the US.  Buying high speed LCVPs would put us in the role of Commandos.  It ain't happening.

In all I'm just disappointed but not surprised.  Naval analyst usually have a hard time with Marine Corps issues.  What is annoying is that he and others like him have the ear of policy makers.  And that is a club that has benefits and no entry without membership.  And thats the shame of it.

Unless the Marine Corps gets its message out then those that don't know it, don't understand it or purposefully want to misrepresent it are going to be heard.

We can't let that happen.

More photos from Summer Storm 2011.

All photos by Staff Sergeant Dwight Henderson

Romanian marines with 307th Marine Infantry Battalion search a role player during an amphibious raid aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 3, 2011. Romanian marines from 307th Marine Infantry Battalion and U.S. Marines from the 22nd MEU conducted an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the inoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Romanian marines stack on a doorway during amphibious interoperability training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 2, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Amphibious assault vehicles carrying Marines with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Romanian Marines wait to return to the USS Whidbey Island aboard Capu Midia, Romania, August 2, 2011. The Romanian and American Marines were going to the USS Whidbey Island to conduct an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

An amphibious assault vehicle attached to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, races to its objective during an amphibious raid aboard Capu Midia, Romania, August 3, 2011. Romanian marines from 307th Marine Infantry Battalion and U.S. Marines from the 22nd MEU conducted an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the inoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

An amphibious assault vehicle attached to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, drives onto the beach during an amphibious raid aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 3, 2011. Romanian marines from 307th Marine Infantry Battalion and U.S. Marines from the 22nd MEU conducted an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the inoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Romanian Marines with 307th Marine Infantry Battalion load into an amphibious assault vehicle attached to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard Capu Midia, Romania, August 2, 2011. The Romanian and American Marines were going to the USS Whidbey Island to conduct an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Marines with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to enter a building during an amphibious raid aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 3, 2011. Romanian marines from 307th Marine Infantry Battalion and U.S. Marines from the 22nd MEU conducted an amphibious raid, the culminating event of Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise meant to increase the inoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Chinook shoot down historical perspective.

Major league hat tip to Grand Logistics Blog for this ... via the Guardian UK...as always read it all but this tidbit should stir some fire...

The US military covered up a reported surface-to-air missile strike by the Taliban that shot down a Chinook helicopter over Helmand in 2007 and killed seven soldiers, including a British military photographer, the war logs show.
The strike on the twin-rotor helicopter shows the Taliban enjoyed sophisticated anti-aircraft capabilities earlier than previously thought, casting new light on the battle for the skies over Afghanistan.
Hundreds of files detail the efforts of insurgents, who have no aircraft, to shoot down western warplanes. The war logs detail at least 10 near-misses by missiles in four years against coalition aircraft, one while refuelling at 11,000ft and another involving a suspected Stinger missile of the kind supplied by the CIA to Afghan rebels in the 1980s.
But if American and British commanders were worried about the missile threat, they downplayed it in public – to the extent of ignoring their own pilots' testimony. The CH-47 Chinook was shot down on 30 May 2007 after dropping troops at the strategic Kajaki dam in Helmand where the British were leading an anti-Taliban drive. Witnesses reported that a missile struck the left rear engine of the aircraft, causing it to burst into flames and nosedive into the ground. All on board died, including 28-year-old Corporal Mike Gilyeat of the Royal Military Police.

What does all this mean?

It means that I'm a homer for all things USA.

Apple pie, the red white and blue....hot dogs...Ford trucks...etc....

But I'm not stupid either.

The US Military and the DoD in particular will cover up facts that will either...cause alarm to the public...cause the public to question the war....or cause the political class to lose even more favor.

All three of these apply with the latest shoot down.  I said earlier that I doubted that our guys would fly into RPG ambushes.  Lex called it even more precisely and stated flat out that it had to be an anti-air missile.  Now we have Grand Logistics bringing this article to our attention.

Long story short.

The Taliban have anti-air missiles and our helo forces need to change tactics to account for that fact.

A tier one unit lost.

I'm back to the Chinook shoot down.

The strategic implications are shocking.  One of our two,  tier 1 Special Operations Units has been decimated in a single attack.

They will reconstitute.

The military always does.

But it does make you wonder about how we operate now.  Additionally, I would assume that the Afghan Special Ops people were some of the best that they had produced so we have a one two punch here.

Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha now assumes the lead.

Good luck guys.

22nd MEU at Summer Storm 2011 training with Romanian Marines.

All photos by Staff Sergeant Dwight Henderson.

Marines with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, fire an M-240 machine gun during squad-attack, live-fire training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 1, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Lance Cpl. Eric T. Adams, a machine gunner and Daytona Beach, Fla., native with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M-240G machine gun during squad-attack, live-fire training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 1, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Seaman Rodney K. Cohens, a corpsman and Chicago native with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires his weapon during squad-attack, live-fire training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 1, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian Marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Romanian marines with the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion show their AK-47 rifles to Marines with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, during military operations in urban terrain training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, July 31, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

A Romanian marine with 307th Marine Infantry Battalion discusses military operations in urban terrain tactics, techniques and procedures with Marines from Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, during MOUT training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, July 31, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian Marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Marines with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, fire their weapons during squad-attack, live-fire training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 1, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Cpl. Marlon Rutledge, a team leader and Modesto, Calif., native with Easy Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, signals to his team during squad-attack, live-fire training aboard Capu Midia, Romania, Aug. 1, 2011. The training was part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Marines and equipment came ashore as part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces.

An amphibious assault vehicle attached to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, comes ashore, aboard Capu Midia, Romania, July 31, 2011. Marines and equipment came ashore as part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

An amphibious assault vehicle attached to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, comes ashore, aboard Capu Midia, Romania, July 31, 2011. Marines and equipment came ashore as part of the Summer Storm Amphibious Bilateral Exercise 11, a five-day exercise with Romanian marines from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion meant to increase the interoperability between American and Romanian forces. The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group serving as a potent, formidable and deterrent force who continues to train and improve their capability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Combat Element.

Navy SEALs/160th Night Stalkers suffer combat losses.

Major Hat Tip to Rohan.  via SkyNews.

The operators from Seal Team Six were being flown by a crew of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, according to US officials.
One source says the team was thought to include 22 Seals, three Air Force air controllers, seven Afghan Army troops, a dog and his handler, and a civilian interpreter, plus the helicopter crew.
Afghan officials at president Hamid Karzai's office said 31 US special forces and seven local soldiers died in the attack on the Chinook.
A senior US official has confirmed the helicopter was apparently shot down by insurgents.

Terrible news.

I wonder what the Insurgents have identified in our operations that have them getting so much success lately?

I also wonder if they are purposefully targeting only US helicopters or if  our allies are operating differently --- the last three helicopters to be shot down have all been by RPGs....have all been US and have all been Chinooks.

Something is off here.  I just can't put my finger on it.

UPDATE*
LEX is thinking along the lines of my previous post and with his experience in aviation I'm becoming more positive that these can't be RPG ambushes that our guys are flying into.  This from his blog but read the whole thing....

A night-time catastrophic hit with a “rocket” is pretty unlikely, unless that rocket had a guidance system, in which case we’d call it a Man Portable Air Defense System (MANPAD) rather than a rocket. The Stinger missiles that the US provided the Afghan mujahadin back in the 80′s are well beyond their service lives.
I’d sure like to know who is providing the Taliban this technology now, there’s a reckoning due.
Salute to fallen heroes, and prayers for those they left behind.

Once is an incident. Twice is pattern. Three times is concerted enemy activity.

Bad news from Afghanistan.  This from the morning ISAF Brief.

Helicopter Crashes in Eastern Afghanistan; Recovery Underway

ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan 2011-08-S-014For Immediate Release KABUL, Afghanistan (Aug. 6, 2011) – An International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan today, and recovery operations are underway. ISAF is still in the process of assessing the circumstances to determine the facts of the incident, reporting indicates there was enemy activity in the area. Additional details will be released as appropriate.

My eyes flashed straight to the enemy activity in the area.

Of course they're not telling us everything but I just can't see our guys flying into RPG ambushes.  Maybe I'm being a homer but the main aviation unit in eastern Afghanistan---the 10th Aviation Combat Brigade---is no stranger to the area and has alot of experience operating there.

I don't expect ISAF to provide much more than they already have but I do wonder if we're not seeing anti-air missiles on a large scale being introduced into this conflict.  It would make sense with so many disappearing with the mess in Libya...the confusion in Egypt and the troubles with Iran.