3rd Battalion 7th Marnes on Range 400...

NAVAIR AIRWAVES: 18 August 2011

31st MEU's Snipers and PSD's doin' it!

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -A Marine with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, ejects a shell casing from an M40 sniper rifle during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:01 PM

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -A Marine with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, engages targets during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:00 PM

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -A Marine with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:01 PM

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -A Marine with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, engages targets during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:00 PM

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -Marines with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, run to their firing positions during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:00 PM

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -Marines with Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, run to their firing positions during an unknown distance shooting competition, August 17. The Marines were competing against each other for a prize and bragging rights. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 8/16/2011 8:00 PM

Marine Air getting it done...

Marine Air.

As much as I slam the "fly guys" of the Corps, one thing is certain.  They're Marines...and they're getting the job done.

One of the untold stories of the conflicts that we're involved in that will only come out in Marine history journals is the work done with regards to the Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP) Missions that these Marines have performed.

I would be curious to know how many millions of dollars have been saved because these Marines were able to recover downed aircraft instead of destroying them in place.

Helo-borne assault.

Close air support.

Tactical resupply.

Medivac.

TRAP missions.

Special Ops work.

The list goes on.  I hammer the wing like a big brother hammers a little brother.  Its done with love, its probably unfair and its fun for the big brother and annoys the hell outta the little one.

Well  consider this post the "apology" to the wing.

You guys are doing good work. 

Stay safe and Semper Fi.

God bless the 10th Mountain Division

If this story doesn't break your heart then you have no soul.

God bless the 10th Mountain.  Story via Stars and Stripes.

For those in Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Thursday was the worst of days. Five of its Soldiers, all from 3rd Platoon’s 1st Squad, were killed when their Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle rolled over an improvised explosive device on a desolate road in southern Kandahar province.
“It’s like your family just got ripped out of your heart,” Pfc. Thadius Deloatch said.

On Sunday, the Department of Defense identified those killed in the explosion: Sgt. Edward J. Frank II, 26, of Yonkers, N.Y.; Spc. Jameel T. Freeman, 26, of Baltimore, Md.; Spc. Patrick L. Lay II, 21, of Fletcher, N.C.; Spc. Jordan M. Morris, 23, of Stillwater, Okla.; Pfc. Rueben J. Lopez, 27, of Williams, Calif.

After the explosion Thursday, the battalion chaplain couldn’t get here soon enough. A line of Soldiers needing him waited late into the night, and early the next morning. For many, the tears pushed out in waves. For others, solace came in the form of a quiet stoicism.

“I don’t know what to do right now. My whole squad is gone,” Pfc. Jeremy Urzua said. His squad leader, Frank, was among the Soldiers killed in the blast and had given him a rare day off Thursday.
“I didn’t see it at first, but he just saved my life,” said Urzua, who was back at COP when the attack occurred that morning.

Longest Dead Snake Ever Seen

TRAP mission at an undisclosed location in Logar province,

U.S. Marines with the Helicopter Support Team (HST), 2nd Marine Logistics Group hook a sling onto a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464 during a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) mission at an undisclosed location in Logar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 10, 2011. HMH-464 and the HST performed TRAP missions in order to retrieve U.S. military equipment, and to conduct investigations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ricardo A. Gomez/Released)

Operation Black Sand

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), set off a controlled detonation in the Ladar Bazaar in southern Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, during Operation Black Sand, Aug. 5. Through the combined efforts of 2nd CEB, Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

Lance Cpl. Christopher Davis, an anti-tank assaultman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 8, and native of Shreveport, La., uses a command launch unit for a FGM-148 Javelin missile launcher to search for enemies after taking small arms fire from insurgents during Operation Black Sand in the southern portion of Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, Aug. 5. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), RCT-8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

A Black Hawk helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission soars through the skies of southern Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, Aug. 5. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), set off a controlled detonation in the Ladar Bazaar in southern Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, during Operation Black Sand, Aug. 6. Through the combined efforts of 2nd CEB, Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

Cpl. Jeff Drew, a combat correspondent assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), and native of Simsbury, Conn., scans a village for insurgent activity during the early morning hours of Aug. 5 during Operation Black Sand in the southern portion of the Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

Cpl. Ryan Eastwick, a cryptologic linguist with Alpha Company, 2nd Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), and native of Sacramento, Calif., points out cordon positions to fellow Marines during Operation Black Sand, in the southern portion of the Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, Aug. 5. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was completely destroyed.

Soldiers with The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion conduct last minute checks on their Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles at Combat Outpost Shukvani before executing Operation Black Sand in the southern portion of the Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province, Aug. 5. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), Regimental Combat Team 8 and the 33rd LIB, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.

An Assault Breaching Vehicle with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward) moves into position during Operation Black Sand, Aug. 5, in southern Musa Qal’ah District, Helmand province. Through the combined efforts of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), Regimental Combat Team 8 and The Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion, the Ladar Bazaar, which insurgents used to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices, was destroyed.