November 2006 Archives
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Introducing The Deadlies
By John
What's more deadly than a pair of minature helicopters?
That's how Noah Shachtman got thinking about a new type of contest, a cross between Wired's Raves and the Darwin Awards, appropriately dubbed The Deadlies.
Noah is now taking submissions for "The Earth's most lethal gadgetry," nominees which include atomic automobiles and inflateable space pods.
I, for one, will be voting for Darpa's man-cannon.
Send in your own nomination for The Deadlies here.
Noah has also launched a biweekly Defense Tech newsletter that's pretty cool. Right up your ally if you're a gizmo geek.
Public Service Announcement
By John
Unfortunately, OPFOR has once again found itself under the merciless gunsights of spammers. Who are these heartless sons of bitches? I had 80 spam comments in my inbox this morning alone.
I've been banning/junking hundreds of comments, a tedious process which makes it easy to accidently ban a bona fide commenter.
So if you find yourself banned, please shoot me an email I'll unlock your IP addy. Thanks!
OPFOR on Wide Awakes Radio Tonight
By John
For those of you who love the melodious sound of my sweet, sweet voice, I'll be temporarily taking the reigns from Kit Jarrell and hosting Wide Awakes Radio this evening.
Kickoff is at 11pm eastern (sorry, east coasters!), and we'll be going for an hour.
Guests will be Chris Muir and Mary Katharine Ham.
RE: Women in Combat Arms
By Charlie
Alright- my blood is up on this one. What’s more important to the Army: “diversity” or “victory”?
Arraying troops on the battlefield based on “diversity” rather than tactical necessity makes no sense. “Captain, get more Hispanics and some 25-48 year old male Aleutian Islanders and reinforce the right flank!
Here’s my suggestion: take all the soldiers who are stateside writing reports about diversity and “strategically redeploy” them downrange.
I currently serve in a line infantry battalion, my take is a bit different from the physical argument that Lighting makes below: it’s the sex. The type of men that volunteer to jump out of helicopters, freeze on check points in the middle of the night, go days without showering, and cover their bodies in tattoos like to live on the edge. That applies to the …extracurricular activities they choose to engage in while off duty –they like to live life on the edge and take risks.
The biggest complaint I hear is “I thought I joined the Army, not the priesthood.” Currently, soldiers are forbidden to drink, smoke unless they are 50 feet from buildings, wear reflector belts wherever they go, fill out risk assessment forms to go on leave or pass, and of course – no sex. Introducing the temptation of female companionship into the almost-monastic lifestyle of the infantry is a morale killer for the unit (although a massive morale booster for that lucky Joe.)
Bottom line: it’s a whole can of worms we shouldn’t open up.
IDF Exposes Anti-D&D Bias
By John
I thought this was pretty funny, from The Castle.
IDF Frowns on Dungeons & Dragons
IDF says players are detached from reality and automatically given a low security clearanceBy Hanan Greenberg
Published: 02.28.05, 14:17Does the Israel Defense Forces believe incoming recruits and soldiers who play Dungeons and Dragons are unfit for elite units? Ynet has learned that 18-year-olds who tell recruiters they play the popular fantasy game are automatically given low security clearance.
“They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence,” the army says.
Fans of the popular roleplaying game had spoken of rumors of this strange policy by the IDF, but now the army has confirmed that it has a negative image of teens who play the game and labels them as problematic in regard to their draft status.
So if you like fantasy games, go see the military psychologist.
Dungeons and Dragons (also known as D&D) has been a popular roleplaying game for decades and is based on a fantasy world.
I, for one, am a strong proponent of the combat effectiveness of nerds. Look at Matthew Broderick in War Games. One properly motivated computer geek nearly ended mankind. Surely the IDF has use for such unique specimens.
But, I digress. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that the IDF is one of the most effective fighting forces in the world? It certainly is an interesting way to purge their ranks of weakness. World of Warcraft gamers also need not apply.
Hotel Tango - Milblogs
Women in Combat Arms?
By Slab
In the 1990’s, a frequent topic of discussion was the inclusion of women in the combat arms branches of the military. Proponents of integration argued that women could not rise to the highest posts without experience in combat arms (true), and this would inevitably further the masculine-bias of the U.S. military. The argument reached a crescendo during the Clinton presidency, and seemed to taper a bit with the start of the Bush administration. I had hoped that the issue had finally been put to bed after the start of hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, thinking that its proponents would see the physical demands of combat in Tora Bora or Fallujah, and give up their misguided quest to prove that women can perform as well as men in such strenuous environments.
Imagine my dismay to see in this week’s issue of the Marine Times that it is once again rearing its head. (You must have a subscription to one of the Military Times publications to use the link.)
“If Congress lifted the gender restriction on combat-arms service, the Army would be able to progress even further toward work-force diversity by boosting both the number of women officers and the number of black officers (both men and women), particularly in the senior ranks,” Col Anthony Reyes wrote in “Strategic Options for Managing Diversity in the U.S. Army.”
Read More »
Rowan of the 21st Century
By John
Here's an excellent article on a "modern day Rowan" from the Kansas City Star. Guess where our 21st century warrior got his Bachelor's?
Shupp, a member of the Virginia Military Institute Class of 1981, commanded Regimental Combat Team-1 during the historic battle of Fallujah in November 2004. During the fight, he had operational command of four Marine battalions, one Army battalion, eight Iraqi battalions and eight independent companies and detachments. In essence, he commanded a division in battle and did so with aplomb. I served as his security detachment commander.Fallujah was recognized worldwide as an insurgent stronghold, and for six weeks the Marines endured bloody urban combat while dislodging the insurgents from their sanctuary. By Christmas, more than 90 Marines had been killed and more than 600 wounded. Yet RCT-1 prevailed.
Even before RCT-1 began the transition from the assault phase of the operation, Shupp had formulated an imaginative plan to establish humanitarian assistance sites throughout the scarred city to provide the basic needs of tens of thousands of returning displaced residents. Even as his Marines continued to engage isolated pockets of insurgents throughout the city, Shupp’s regiment began to dispense emergency rations and supplies to the residents only blocks from the fighting.
We soon learned that this warrior’s passion to defeat the enemy was surpassed only by his compassion for the Iraqi people.
Fallujah in 2004. Means LtCol P probably knew him.
Many are the warfighters who wear the ring.
A Peasant's Weapon, A Silly Article
By Lt Col P
Ran across this in today's WaPo-- "Weapon Of Mass Destruction," an article about the good (or not so good) old AK-47. (Apparently it's part of a new book on the subject.)
My first thought was, "Whatever the WaPo have to say about it, I'm not interested in reading," as it looked like the usual woe-is-us, too-many-cheap-guns polemic. But my curiosity got the better of me. As it turns out, I should have obeyed my first reaction. My hero Jeff Cooper was fond of saying that a rifle was the instrument of a free citizen, whereas the AK (a battle carbine) was a peasant’s weapon. Likewise, this article is for intellectual peasants, eager to grasp a deceptively simple argument in favor of a vacuous point.
Read More »
Bias, Bassem Mroue, and Speaking Truth to Media Power
By John
After reading the excellent work by bloggers Patterico and Flopping Aces, this lead from AP stringer Bassem Mroue set off a few mental alarms:
Mortars Set Fire to US Base in Iraq (AP) --
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two mortar rounds hit a U.S. military post in eastern Baghdad on Sunday, setting it on fire, police and witnesses said. A large cloud of black smoke was seen rising above Baladiyat, a predominantly Shiite area of capital, at about 3 p.m.Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, a U.S. military spokesman, confirmed that "indirect fire rounds" had landed in the vicinity of the coalition forward operating base, but he refused to describe the results of the attack, saying that would allow "the enemy" to assess its effectiveness.
The fact that there is indirect mortar fire in a war zone barely qualifies as "news-in-brief" material, yet the AP floated this as today's top story. Think of it this way. Mortars are used at the squad and platoon level, the basic warfighting elements in our combat infantry units. They are a scant step above heavy machine guns as far as warfighting tech goes. To a servicemember, running this story at the top of the fold is the rough equivilant of the Washington Post frontpaging a story on Cletus and Gilbert discharging shotguns in the Washington National Forest. It simply does not make sense.
Triggered by the work of Patterico and Flopping Aces, I ran a quick search into Mr. Bassem Mroue. I wanted to know why he felt this was earth-shattering news. Sure enough, Mroue's less-than-even journalistic practices were exposed earlier this summer by the blogosphere's ever-alert media watchdogs.
Here's short list of bloggers who have covered Mr. Mroue's agenda-driven reporting.
NRO Media Blog
My Pet Jawa
Newsbusters
Now whether or not anti-Israeli bias translates to anti-American bias is subject to speculation. In my experience, it usually does, particularly when you're talking about Arab stringers. But the question in itself segues into another important topic: the credibility of blogger critiques on MSM reporting.
While chatting informally with a journalist -a pro, so to speak- about the upcoming 2007 Milblogging Conference, the reporter groaned "oh man, this isn't going to be 3 days of trashing the media is it?"
Caught a bit off-guard, I stammered out a "well, yeah. I suppose that'll be part of it." Integrity counts. The inadequacies of the media were discussed at length during 2006's conference, pretending like the topic wouldn't be a part of next year's event is would have been dishonest.
What bothered me about the reporter's question was the reflection of how the MSM views bloggers (and to a smaller extent milbloggers). To the media elites, we're just a bunch of armchair quarterbacks who are constantly telling them how poor they are at their jobs. Which is somewhat ironic, in that I felt the same way about journalists and the military. Still, that perception blinds reporters to the very real, very specific grievances that milbloggers have leveled against media giants regarding their coverage in Iraq, issues that should be seriously considered instead of callously dismissed.
During the 2005 conference, I never heard a panelist throw out an ambiguous, hazily phrased critique of war reporting. Instead I heard laser-focused grievances: "reporters never leave the Green Zone," or "they are employing stringers with ties to the insurgency."
These are valid complaints, and are most certainly directly related to the plummeting popularity of MSM rags and rising popularity of independent embeds like Roggio, Yon, and Totten.
Bassem Mroue's case alone should be a blazing red flag to the AP. When indirect mortar fire in a war zone is headline news, something is wrong. When the Pentagon is forced to stand up an entire unit dedicated to fighting reporting inaccuracies, something is wrong. When a major news network airs enemy propaganda thinly disguised as a story, something is wrong. Breathing in all of that foul air at once leads me to believe that something is rotten.
Doctored photos, suspect stringers, slanted reporting, all of this helps the enemy. If military bloggers don't have a dog in this fight, then who the hell does?
Airstrike Flattens 15 Homes in Ramadi?
By Slab
I've posted this on my blog, Lightning From The Sky, as well, to hopefully give even more attention to the complete lack of basic journalistic integrity and competence on the part of the L.A. Times.
On November 15th, the L.A. Times ran a story titled "Iraqi resident says U.S. airstrike kills 30." The article had this to say:
Baghdad - A U.S. airstrike in the restive town of Ramadi killed at least 30 people, including women and children, witnesses said Tuesday.I would try to debunk this myself, but Patterico has already done an admirable job of showing the complete lack of journalistic integrity on the part of the L.A. Times. Can anyone honestly say that they are surprised? This is just an example of why distrust between the military and the media is at an all-time high.....
A Times correspondent in Ramadi said at least 15 homes were pulverized by aerial bombardment and families could be seen digging through the ruins with shovels and bare hands.
As you read Patterico's blog entry on this article, take note of the fact that the report is entirely based on the word of an Iraqi stringer employed by the Times. In military intelligence circles, this is known as "single-source reporting", and is generally considered untrustworthy and unsuitable intelligence for launching an operation. Apparently, it is good enough for mass publication to the American public.
Unfortunately, there are a number of other holes I could blast in their story, but I would have to cross, or at least stray dangerously close to, the OPSEC line in order to do it. Suffice it to say that, as a military forward air controller who recently worked in Al Anbar province, and who read the airstrike summaries Coalition Air Operations Center's (CAOC) webpage, an airstrike big enough to level 15 houses would require multiple sections of aircraft and enough ordnance to be highly unusual for any city in Iraq.
Hat tips to Patterico's Pontifications, Mudville Gazette, and Blackfive.
Introducing the Granny Bomb
By John
Also known as "Granny go boom."
The War Tapes Moves to DVD
By John
The War Tapes has come to DVD, and Military.com has got em!
All proceeds will go to the Armed Forces Relief Trust.
The War Tapes was also nominated to the Oscars short-list in the "Best Documentary" category. It's an excellent film, and its profits are going to an excellent military charity. Go buy your copy today!
Giving Thanks
By Lt Col P
I can't top Charlie's post or Ricahrd Lowry's message below, but I'd like to send everyone my warmest regards on this most American of holidays. Football and parades are not and have never been of any consequence to me, but after having spent a couple of holidays away from home, I feel fortunate every time I have the opportunity to sit and relax with family and friends. No bombs here, no assassinations, no kidnappings, no squalor, filth, misery and anger. Just good old America, warts and all. Long may she reign.
So to all, especially those gallant and faithful few overseas who, like others before them, are giving thanks in awful places, a Happy Thanksgiving. Let the next one see victory on the horizon.
From a Grateful Nation
By John
The following is a special Thanksgiving message from OPFOR comrade Richard S. Lowry, author of Marines in the Garden of Eden and The Gulf War Chronicles.
A Thanksgiving from a Grateful Nation
Today, Americans enjoy a freedom unequaled in the history of civilization. Our good fortune goes unnoticed by most everyone in their day-to-day lives. We are free to express ourselves. We are free of oppression. We are free of fear.
We move about in our daily lives taking our children to school, little league games, and the movies. We are safe and comfortable in our homes at night and the vast majority of us do not want for the necessities of life – food, clean water, and shelter.
Our lives are utopian, yet most Americans never stop to think about the hundreds of thousands – millions – of brave young men and women who are standing at the gates, guarding our nation: the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who are fighting, bleeding and dying in foreign lands so that we may remain free.
My family has not forgotten the sacrifices made by these men and women and their families. I would personally like to voice our thanksgiving to all of the members of our armed forces and their families for the contribution they are making on my family’s, on our nation’s, and on the world’s behalf.
We know that you all stand on a thin green line which protects us from the dark side of today’s world.
Let us not forget the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom; and let us all take a moment to remember the mothers, fathers, wives, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters of these heroes. Let us all mourn their losses.
The greatest tribute we could ever pay to our American servicemen and women, both living and deceased, is to stop on Thanksgiving, pause during that football game, or stop and think as you sit down to dinner with your family that our lives are good because of the sacrifices of others. Consider what America would be without the men and women of our military. Stop and thank the next Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine you see. We all owe our freedom to them.
Semper Fidelis,
Richard S. Lowry
Thanksgiving
By Charlie
Tomorrow is the first of many holidays I’m spending forward deployed. So while the folks back in the states worry about turkeys and what they’re going to buy this Friday, I’m just going to work.
Yeah, there is always an attempt to make the place look like people are somehow celebrating or observing some sort of festivity –but you can only put so much lipstick on a pig. An army chow hall with a couple pictures of a turkey and some pilgrims in it is still an army chow hall.
So I’m watching a DVD with my roommates, and hitting the weight room, and waiting for the January semester to start so I can take some classes online. I try to talk to my girlfriend every night on Skype, but the time difference is tough. We’re both talking when one of us is dead tired.
For those who have never deployed, I believe the burden falls heavier on the soldiers’ family members than it does on the soldier. I volunteered to deploy, my family (and girlfriend) certainly didn’t volunteer me. That burden, in turn, weighs heavier on the soldier, who realizes that the litany of small problems at home that could be easily handled if he were only there are causing undue stress to loved ones left at home.
For me, deployment is a comfortable disconnection from the reality of life. Everything is simpler in the Army world. You wear the same uniform, eat at the same place, do the same job, and live with the same people all day, every day. Thanksgiving is just another day, another report filed, and another small victory when everyone comes back in the wire safe.
Lest I get you down during this festive season, I remain thankful. I’m thankful for my great country. As I’ve said before, when this deployment ends, I’ll get to go home. The people here won’t, and so it is my job to keep them safe while I’m here.
I’m thankful that despite the burdens, strains, and pain caused by disconnection with family and loved ones, I am surrounded by motivated, professional soldiers. It’s better than being stuck in some third-world backwater with a bunch of draftees (shudder).
That being said, Happy Thanksgiving from the OPFOR command post (forward), folks!
Read More »
Today in American History
By Charlie
Today is November 22, and it is an important day in US history. Why? Because in 1988, the Stealth Bomber was unveiled:
In the presence of members of Congress and the media, the Northrop B-2 "stealth" bomber is shown publicly for the first time at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.Oh, and in 1718, the dread pirate Blackbeard was slain off of the coast of North Carolina.The aircraft, which was developed in great secrecy for nearly a decade, was designed with stealth characteristics that would allow it to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defenses unnoticed. At the time of its public unveiling, the B-2 had not even been flown on a test flight. It rapidly came under fire for its massive cost--more than $40 billion for development and a $1 billion price tag for each unit.
In 1989, the B-2 was successfully flown, performing favorably. Although the aircraft had a wingspan of nearly half a football field, its radar signal was as negligible as that of a bird. The B-2 also successfully evaded infrared, sound detectors, and the visible eye.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the original order for the production of 132 stealth bombers was reduced to 21 aircraft. The B-2 has won a prominent place in the modern U.S. Air Force fleet, serving well in bombing missions during the 1990s.
Read More »
Elbow Grease in the Middle East
By John
Crittenden on Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon:
This is the thing about dirty jobs that need to be done. They can only be ignored or left half-done for so long.Saddam Hussein, and the ethnic bloodbath his policies engendered there. Iran, ruled by a regime that denies its reform-minded people a free vote, actively supports terrorists and seeks to undermine other nations in the region. Syria, another terrorist-supporting, interfering nation, ruled by a second-generation despot.
Sooner or later, all of them must be dealt with. Removing the stain of Saddam's rule from Iraq remains a work in progress, where the mistake was made of going in light. The United States, now a neighbor of Iran and Syria as an occupying power in Iraq, with major strategic interests regardless of that, cannot hope for a desireable outcome there unless it wields and expresses a credible threat of force.
I agree with JC, and that interests me. The introspection stems from the realization that five years ago, I would have never seen myself casually considering a proper cleansing process for the Middle East. Before 9/11, it was taboo. Today it's coffee-table talk.
Americans are still isolationists at heart, and that makes tough-talk...well, tough. But even taking into consideration the strains and stresses of Iraq, Crittenden's core point remains. Decades of thumb-twiddling and do-nothing sunshine policies in the Middle East got us a steady stream of escalating body counts and multiplying enemies. Laying down the big stick because Iraq got sticky is precisely the opposite of what we should be doing.
I am not saying that we should avoid engaging these regimes in dialogue, quite the opposite. I am, however, concurring with Crittenden's assessment that our choice of language should be the universal dialect of strength.
Not arrogance, mind you. Strength. There is a difference.
"This is Dodge City"
By John
"How did you know you weren't shooting an innocent man?"
"He sizzled."
"Excuse me?"
"He tried to self-detonate. There was a malfunction. I saw smoke. I didn't want to take a chance on there being a second trigger. We were in a supermarket. Women and children all around. I drew and and shot him in the chest."
Think it was Bob Hope who quipped "The only thing chicken about Israel is their soup."
LtCol P adds... That incident happened in Israel, but it is exactly why we have a 2nd Amendment. Talk about a "well-regulated militia!" And for my fellow Jeff Cooper students out there, doesn't that also illustrate the color code pretty well?
Real Words of Wisdom from the Real Great Santini
By John
Words of warrior wisdom from Pat Conroy:
My father, 6’3, 230-pound Marine Corps fighter pilot, knuckles dragging along the ground when he walked. When he was dying, I interviewed Dad. I said, "Dad, tell me about what it was like in the war."He told me about coming off the aircraft carrier Sicily in Korea. His was the first squadron that got there, and they said, "Keep the Koreans north of the Naktong River." So he dove down—the first plane the North Koreans had seen—he dove down toward the enemy. I said, "How did you do, Dad?"
He said, "I did pretty good, son." He said, "I had a good sign—they were running. It’s good when you see the enemy running. There was another good sign, son."
"What’s that, Dad?"
"They were on fire."
Foward Movement
By John
Bookmark and read daily, the guy is sharp as an Ottoman scimitar.
They Have Names
By John
CJ Grisham has just launched a new blog that is bursting with promise.
On May 29th, two journalists were killed and one severely injured by an IED in Iraq. Every media outlet in the country seemed to trip all over themselves trying to tell the American people about these "brave journalists". There were specials aired during prime time, full front page articles on almost every national newspaper and most local papers. And in every single article was this vague and nonspecific notation: "A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi translator also died in the blast."Who was this "U.S. soldier"? For days, he endured anonymity for his sacrifice while these journalists whom he'd given his life to protect were paraded throughout the media as martyrs. I made it my goal in life to find out who he was and tell his story. He was not just "a U.S. soldier" to me. He was a brother. He was father. He was a son. And he had a name.
They have names was created to in order to pay proper respects for our fallen heroes. All too often, these Troops are relegated to mere numbers by the press. Their stories are unknown. Their lives are unkown. And their names are unknown. Their sacrifice is impersonal and taken for granted. To many Americans, they are faceless figures. They are not enigmas - They Have Names.
The website (blog?) has already attracted the attention of the Army Times:
Grisham launched a Web site, http://www.TheyHaveNames.com, to honor the memory of every last service member who has died in Iraq or Afghanistan. Rather than linking to newspaper stories or Defense Department press releases, he hopes to call the families and friends of each person and tell the stories through their eyes. The story of Capt. James A. Funkhouser, commander of 1st Battalion., 12th Inf. Regiment the soldier who died with the journalists May 29 was the first story to go up on the site.
Reminds me of the reason that Matt Burden founded Blackfive....
Six Steps To Victory
By Slab
MAJ Eric Egland USAFR recently came up with what I believe to be an excellent plan for "changing directions" in our fight in Iraq. I found his article intriguing and very well thought out. I whole heartedly agree with some of his suggestions, and others challenge my own ideas on how to fight this war. I say "challenge" because they are forcing me to rethink my own ideas, and evaluate whether or not they are truly as sound as I thought they were.
Just to give you a taste, the six points of his plan are listed below.
1. Encourage innovation by emphasizing small-scale technological solutions and rejecting peace-time bureaucracy.
2. Improve pre-deployment training and abandon Cold War-era checklists.
3. Allow local commanders to buy what they need and nationalize the war effort by connecting the American public with the troops and their mission.
4. Strengthen intelligence sharing between tactical and national levels, and develop a national insurgent database.
5. Take the offensive by reducing the predictable patterns on the ground while conducting operations that hunt, rather than chase, the enemy.
6. Accept the realities of warfare in the media age by decentralizing the sharing of information with both the Iraqi and American public.
The last point in particular should interest our readers, and Milbloggers as a whole. It's been said again and again that if DoD does not embrace blogging, it will end up being a huge problem for the Pentagon and detrimental to the war effort. If they take advantage of the perspective offered by military bloggers, perhaps even embracing Egland's "unit blogger" concept, it could very well turn out to be a huge advantage in the information war.
MAJ Egland has some excellent ideas, and I hope that they garner the attention that they deserve. You can help by spreading the word about his article. In addition, for those with experience on the ground, MAJ Egland is actively seeking your thoughts and opinions. There is an e-mail address at the bottom of the last page of the article that can be used to submit your ideas.
Hat tip to Blackfive.
RE: Draft Resolution
By John
I defer to the excellent Cox & Forkum on this subject...
Comments closed, stick em in Charlie's post.
Draft Resolution
By Charlie
So the draft talk is back. Yawn.
WASHINGTON --Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 under a bill the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says he will introduce next year.Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.
Our military’s strength is volunteerism, but manpower continues to be a serious issue –not just for the new recruits (who end up as the PFCs manning humvee turret guns, or the guys pulling maintenance on blackhawks at 0300), but also for salted soldiers who must be retained with ever-increasing reenlistment bonuses each year. The fact that there are still vast reserves of young women and men that are willing to do these dangerous and difficult jobs far from home and loved ones speaks volumes to the character of our country. By no means am I saying that everything is coming up roses, but neither are we dire straits.
If the Army (or the military as a whole) wants to fix its manpower issues, they should loosen the rules tying Guard soldiers to their states. At this moment, we have the most combat-experienced National Guard in our nation’s history. Most states have regulations, however, that delay and disrupt soldiers from voluntarily deploying abroad to OIF/OEF.
If you want to go to Iraq, you have to (1) get a conditional release from your commander, who then takes a hit on his bottom line (manpower is such an issue that commanders are now graded on their ability to keep their units filled.) Overcoming that hurdle is difficult, because once your unit commander gives you the go-ahead, (2) the request is then kicked up to the state’s Joint Force Headquarters (where, if your commander somehow approved it, it will get disapproved, because the states also get graded on their ability to keep the ranks filled.) Next, you have to have an assigned slot to be transferred into in Iraq, which must marry up with your rank and MOS. (never mind operational needs on the ground –they always can use more guys helping out. Even in Iraq, soldiers get sick, get hurt, or go on leave.)
I’ve had several of my buddies get denied OIF/OEF deployments after volunteering to go because there were “no spots.” That gave me a hearty chuckle.
I tried to volunteer to go to Iraq 2 years ago, and my request was denied.
Bottom Line: there are many, many ways the military can work to fix its manpower problems, but a draft shouldn’t be part of the conversation. My infantry unit is filled with warriors who are motivated to successfully accomplish any mission given to them. Woe be to the company commander who must take command of a rebellious, ill-disciplined company of draftees and leads them in combat.
The question is: is this draft proposal supposed to help the military achieve victory? Or is another attempt at social “justice” that has absolutely no place on the modern battlefield?
Ask the Audience, Again
By Charlie
Hey all,
I always get some good input when I put a question up for our readership to ponder. I'm interested in pursuing a master's degree program while deployed. It would have to be an online-based course, and I'd prefer one I could start in, say, January. I'm looking for a degree in the political science/ international studies/ foreign affairs/ global security arenas, but a good old MBA would work too.
Any suggestions?
Out of the Loop
By Charlie
For those of you playing at home, I used to blog with John back in OPFOR’s early days. I think I even thought up the name. Anyhow, I’ve been deployed for 5 months now, and have secured a reasonably reliable internet connection. For those of you wondering- the whole “blogging” thing is pretty tough to start back up after being out of the game for about 5 months.
First of all- look what I’ve missed out on while traipsing around the world with a light infantry battalion: The war between Israel and Hezbollah this summer, North Korea shooting missiles all over the place in July, there were some elections held back in the states, our government changed hands, the PS3 came out, there’s apparently a Halo 3 now, and the SECDEF retired.
Blogging is about providing instant commentary to news, and it is a (hopefully good) habit that you just fall into. So this is my attempt to cold-start the diesel engine. I’ll give you a quick snapshot of my current state of mind. I’m in high spirits, as are the men around me. We are motivated to do good things while we are here –because we will eventually leave this place, and we should leave it better than when we found it. Americans living in the States are very lucky, as are the soldiers that deploy from there, because we’ll get to return when our mission is complete. The people here can’t just pack up and leave after their “tour” is up –it is never up.
We’ve got a limited amount of time to make a difference in the society (or whatever society) we find ourselves deployed in. As a free-thinking guy, I hate showing up and saying “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help!” But what I can do is point to the patch on my uniform, the American flag, the US Army, or my unit, and say “America is here, and we’re going to keep you safe.”
The American Army is respected because they are the most competent, disciplined, and generous organization that has ever provided a security blanket to a thankless world. To bring this home, I haven’t seen my girlfriend in months, I miss my folks, especially as the holiday season approaches, and I can’t drink. However, I’m proud to be here, and I’m going to man my watch on the wall, and when I leave the people here will know that America did something right. That’s what makes the difference.
Until next time, from the OPFOR command post (forward)
OUT HERE
Picture of the Day: Aviation Nation
By John
A CV-22 Osprey performs a fly-over during Aviation Nation 2006 Nov. 12 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Aviation Nation has been called one of the most diverse, entertaining and well run air shows in America, and was held Nov. 11 and 12.
Wish I was there...
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force.
Kit Up! Launches
By John
Hey, like military gear? Check out Kit Up!, Military.com's newest blog.
Kit Up! is the stuff you weren't issued but that you couldn't have done without during your military life. Kit Up can be a device, software, book, DVD, or a resource like a website, chat room, or blog. We want to know about the items that made things bearable during a deployment or that allowed you to accomplish your mission. Maybe your gear even saved your life. Kit Up can be new or old, expensive or cheap. It just needs to have mattered to you. And if you used an item that you think works better than what's posted here, we want to hear about that too. Warfighters: Tell us about your gear.
I fell in love with the place after reading this post:
The German military of WWII was famous for a number of technological inventions, which, at the time, were the benchmarks of their time. The MG42 (which is still used by the German army today as the re-chambered MG3) machine gun, the 8.8cm FlaK 18 (commonly known simply as THE "88"), the PzKpfw Mk. VI (the Tiger I tank) are just a few. One of the devices for which they are, unfortunately, less well known is their excellent mess kit. The German mess kit is a 3-piece design that incorporates a large boiling pot, a small frying pan, and a small bowl. All three pieces nest to form a compact kit with ample space within the kit to store condiments such as salt and pepper shakers, hot sauce, as well as matches, fire starter, and dish soap. While the army has phased out its 3 piece aluminum kits years ago, I still use the German kit simply because of its versatility
I don't know what's so damn interesting about Kraut mess kits, but hello Ebay. Tell me that's not going to be useful on my next camping trip to the Snowy Mountains?
Roggio Heads Back to the Sandbox
By John
You can drop him a few bucks here.
Nice way to leverage the craptastic coverage we're getting over there. What's the embed count now? 9? Sheesh.
Read More »
"Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"
By Lt Col P
I read today a very interesting article by Ralph Peters in the current Armed Forces Journal.
In it, he advises that if the Iraqis will grasp firmly the helping hand that has been offered them, we should stay and fight it out. If, however, they can't or won't seize the opportunity, we ought to let them slide and fight it out themselves, and then pick up the pieces. He offers several plans, some of which I can't agree with.
However, he does have a good overall point. We can't force Iraq to become a democracy, but we can offer them the chance and stick with them if they take it. It will help them, and immeasurably help us. And if the Iraqis choose poorly, well, we should be cold-hearted and cool-headed enough to profit from it. This is an attitude I applaud, but one I'm not sure our population will embrace readily. The time might come, however, when they will.
If some of his plans are flawed, Peters should get high marks for stating some hard truths.
Owned
By John
God this makes me proud to be a VMI man. Taken at the VMI-Citadel football game.
Forget picture of the day, this is the picture of the year.
**Update** Had some requests for background info. As I heard it, the VMI cheerleading squad ran onto the field with a Bulldog, which is the Citadel's mascot. A few Citadel knobs (freshman) mistakenly thought that their Bulldog had been captured by VMI, and decided to liberate the beast. They did so with poor results, as you can see from the picture above.
Adios Bay Area JROTC
By John
This has been my quote of the week, I think. Ronald Reagan: It's not that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
"We don't want the military ruining our civilian institutions," said Sandra Schwartz of the American Friends Service Committee, an organization actively opposing JROTC nationwide. "In a healthy democracy ... you contain the military. You must contain the military."
And was the San Fransico school board's justification for robbing kids of a wonderful extra-curricular activity, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. "They know so much that isn't so...." Here, here Ronnie. I knew my degree in history would serve me somewhere. I can't help but to think of all the flourishing democracies in history. The Greek Republics, Rome, the British Empire, America, all had powerful militaries. In a succesful democracy, you mustn't contain the military, you must embrace it. Be a part of it.
Citizens must go beyond supporting a Republic with a simple vote. They must treasure it, value it, and when the time comes, pick up a sword and fight for it.
The military should never become isolated from the rest of society. Never. That causes democracies to fall, not thrive. Shame on San Francisco.
"They know so much that isn't so."
Indeed.
Will We Fight This War?
By John
Looking back, I think the only thing that kept me from a bad case of the post-election bummers was Democratic assurances that they we not going to pop smoke and evac from the Iraqi theater. In fact, I was damn near encouraged. What better chance for the Dems to prove that they are strong on defense than for them to bolster defense spending, the size of our services, and the number of troops in Iraq?
Of course that was before folks started floating Rep. John Murtha's name for House Majority Leader. It's not that Mr. Murtha's personal politics bother me, they don't, it's just that his ideas for Iraq sound like they were dreamed up over a game of Candyland with my 6 year old cousin. John "Okinowa" Murtha anyone? Hell even the WaPo thinks Murtha's leadership would be one step short of the Democrat's pulling out a .45 and shooting themselves in the big toe.
Mr. Murtha's candidacy is troubling for several reasons, beginning with his position on the war in Iraq. A former Marine, Mr. Murtha deserves credit for sounding an alarm about the deteriorating situation a year ago. But his descriptions of the stakes there have been consistently unrealistic, and his solutions irresponsible. Just last week he denied that the United States was fighting terrorism in Iraq, though al-Qaeda is known to play a major part in the insurgency. He said the United States should abandon even the effort to train the Iraqi army and should "redeploy as soon as practicable," an extreme step that most congressional Democrats oppose. He claimed that "stability in the Middle East, stability in Iraq," would come from such an abrupt withdrawal; in fact, virtually all Iraqi and Middle Eastern leaders have said that it would lead to a greatly escalated conflict that could spread through the region.Mr. Murtha would also be the wrong choice as majority leader after an election in which a large number of voters expressed unhappiness with Washington business as usual. Mr. Murtha has been a force against stronger ethics and lobbying rules. He was one of just four Democrats whose votes helped kill a strong Democratic package of lobbying reforms this spring.
As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he has been an avid participant in the orgy of earmarking, including numerous projects sought by a lobbying firm that employed his brother. During the Abscam congressional bribery investigation in 1980, Mr. Murtha was videotaped discussing a bribe with an undercover FBI agent. ("You know, we do business for a while, maybe I'll be interested, maybe I won't, you know," Mr. Murtha said.) He wasn't indicted, but it's fair to say the episode raised questions about his integrity.
If Democrats prove that they can jump-start Iraq, then you can consider me a Democratic voter in '08. My vote goes to whoever can prosecute this war effectively. So far, my votes have gone to Republicans. If the Dems crown Murtha, it'll be going to Republicans for a long, long time.
Hotel Tango: Michelle
Poles Get F-16s
By John
Polish air force officials welcome the first of 48 F-16 Fighting Falcons Nov. 9 during an arrival ceremony at the 31st Air Base at Poznan, Poland. Gen. Tom Hobbins, representing the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, attended the ceremony that marked Poland's transformation from Soviet-style equipment to some of the most modern systems in Europe and NATO.
11/14/2006 - POZNAN, Poland (AFPN) -- The first F-16 Fighting Falcons acquired by the Polish air force arrived at the 31st Air Base here Nov. 9 and were featured at a special roll-out ceremony.
Gen. Tom Hobbins, Allied Air Component commander and U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, represented the Air Force chief of staff at the event which included speeches by the Polish president, as well as a blessing of the aircraft and consecration ceremony."Poland's acquisition of the F-16 cements the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the Polish air force for several decades to come," said General Hobbins. "This ceremony demonstrates that Poland has become a very powerful and more vital member of NATO than ever before."
The aircraft arrival marked a great leap forward for Poland as they transform from aging Soviet-style equipment to some of the most advanced systems in Europe and NATO, the general said. "
Okay, no "Polish Submarine" jokes as a follow on please.
Ambitions of Caliphate
By John
Is Iran seeking a monopoly on global Islamic terrorism? According to the UK's Daily Telegraph, the Iranian government has been quietly slithering into the upper echelons of Al Qaeda, and are actively trying to install "their guy" as Bin Laden's successor.
I can't help but to think of the old "all roads lead to Rome" axiom from the days of the Empire. If Iran has its way, soon all avenues of terrorism may trace directly to Tehran.
While the thought of a "one terrorist team, one terrorist fight" under Iranian leadership may be unnerving, the corporatization of Islamic terror may actually simplify our War on Terror, in that Iran is centralizing terror organizations that have always used decentralization as a strength. If Iran succeeds in making those entities dependent on the Ayatollahs, as Hezbollah is, then eliminating Tehran would be a tremendous blow to Islamic terror.
Iran has never been capable of playing on the State vs. State stage. They have little influence in international politics, their military is a joke, and they are flanked on all sides by actors friendly to the Western powers. Thus it is little surprise that Iran is looking to bolster their power and influence in the asymmetrical circles of the globe.
Our solution? Beat them at their own game. Bolster shipments of weapons, money, and supplies to the Iranian underground, send in special forces to quietly train the resistance, and force Iran to look inward instead of outward. Airstrikes won't do the job and invasion is out, so treating the Iranian resistance like we treated the Northern Alliance is our best bet.
It may feel a bit odd to foster instability in a region where we have long treasured market-friendly stability, but make no mistake. If the beast's head in Tehran is cut off, it will cycle down to nearly every major Islamic terror organization in the Middle East, and it will be a huge step towards winning this Long War.
More:
Bill Roggio
Counterterrorism Blog
Outside the Beltway
Blue Crab Boulevard
The Simpons Trash the Army
By John
The Simpons have really been swinging the ideological hammer this season. Latest offense is an anti-Army smack fest.
Personally, I thought the episode was pretty funny....but then again I don't really offend all that easily. If the creators were trying to make a political statement, there's really nothing to sweat here. If you switched the comedy lens with a factual one, none of their points about the service and the Iraq war really hold up. It reminds me of an old Reagan quote: It's not that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so.
Besides, the anti-war movement can take the Simpsons, conservatives will always have South Park.
Valour-IT: Thank You!
By John
Well folks, while I'm bummed Team Air Force did not hit its goal of 45k, the collective effort between the teams surpassed our target of $180,000. That's a hell of alot of laptops! Great job to everyone involved, and my heartfelt thanks to all who donated. Valour-IT is when the blogosphere is at its best.
And a very sincere thank you to all Team Air Force members who participated in the drive. I pretty much insist that you all join us next year, when we raise ourselves from the depths of last place and stick it to our other-service brethren.
And hey, there won't be an election going on in 07! Till next time....
The Veterans' Bill of Rights
By John
Military.com, in their unending quest to connect servicemembers to their military benefits, has come up with a long overdue concept: the Veterans' Bill of Rights.
THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY our military has provided for the national defense and preserved our way of life. The American military is not a faceless body but a collection of individuals — patriots united by a legacy of selfless service and sacrifice. America's veterans know the cost of freedom and have never looked to others to pay that price.THAT SPIRIT POWERS this rallying cry to veterans. Now is the time to find your brothers and sisters, those who also once bore the nation's burden. Look not solely to government agencies but to each other, as well. As ten percent of the American population, you have the ability to inform, to employ, to mentor, to heal — to change the lives of other veterans.
Now is the time.
Honoring those who served
By John
To piggyback off of Col P's post below, I think I'll take this opportunity to honor VMI's veterans.
10 have died on the field of honor since Sept. 11, 2001.
Mr. Gregory Wright '95
Capt. Lowell T. Miller '93
Capt. James C. Edge '96
Capt. Luke C. Wullenwaber '02
Major Paul R. Syverson '96
Sergeant Ryan E. Doltz '00
Lieutenant Joshua C. Hurley '01
Capt. John Robert Teal '94
Lieutenant Commander David Lucian Williams '91
Mr. Charles W. Mathers '62
And today, the corps is peppered with absent comrades, as cadets interrupt their educations to fulfill National Guard and Reserve commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of them is Sgt. Mark Miller, who missed his class graduation to clear roads in Iraq.
AL ASAD, Iraq – Mark Miller should have graduated from the Virginia Military Institute a few months ago with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.Instead, the combat engineer and Marine reservist assigned to the Virginia-based Charlie Company, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion is serving his second tour of duty in the western Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Academically, he’s fallen two years behind his peers in school.
But the 22 year-old Forrest, Va., native is not complaining about putting his civilian life and education on hold to return to Iraq. In fact, Miller, who was wounded in Iraq in 2004, volunteered to come back.
He spent two months in a hospital recovering from the wounds he received in 2004. It has not deterred him from serving in the military.
And over 1,000 VMI alumni are prosecuting the War on Terrorism from foreign shores today. An impressive figure for a school that graudates 200 cadets a year (nearly half don't make it), and commissions about 40% of graduates.
As I'm sure you can tell from reading OPFOR, this is a place that Col P, Lightning, Charlie, and I are proud to call our alma mater.
If you'd like to give back to these amazing men and women this Veteran's Day, perhaps I could suggest donating to Project Valour-IT?
Happy Birthday, VMI!
By Lt Col P
Today is the 167th anniversary of the founding of the Virginia Military Institute. From the Institute's current catalogue comes this passage:
Before its formation as an institution of higher education in 1839, VMI’s site was occupied by an arsenal, one of three in the State of Virginia.
The arsenal guard of some 20 soldiers, although living a strict military life while on duty, lacked self discipline, and their leisure-time activities upset the decorum of Lexington. In 1834, several of Lexington’s leading citizens, including attorney John Thomas Lewis Preston, proposed that the arsenal be transformed into a military college so the cadets could pursue educational courses while protecting the stand of arms.
The plan led to legislation establishing the Virginia Military Institute. It was Preston, generally credited for conceiving the idea of VMI, and later one of the original members of the faculty, who gave the new institution its name: “Virginia—a State institution, neither sectional nor denominational. Military—its characteristic feature. Institute —something different from either college or university. The three elements thus indicated are the basis of a triangular pyramid, of which the sides will preserve their mutual relation to whatever height the structure may rise.”
On November 11, 1839, 23 young Virginians were mustered into the service of the State and, in a falling snow the first cadet sentry, John B. Strange, relieved the old arsenal guard. To this day cadets perform guard duty and serve the State as a military corps, as the first Corps of Cadets did.
To all my brothers in the Corps of Cadets, young and old, in barracks and overseas, I wish you success in boardrooms and on battlefields, long life and prosperity.
More Marine Corps History
By Lt Col P
(Disclaimer: neither LtCol P nor John nor Lightning (nor anyone else for that matter) will be held responsible for the hideous consequences arising from use or misuse of the following. Drink responsibly.)
If you really want to celebrate the 231st Birthday of the Marine Corps in historically accurate fashion, try this rum punch recipe, which traditon tells us was the enlistment bonus for new recruits to the Continental Marines.
- One part dark Jamaican Rum
- Four parts lime juice
- Maple sugar and grenadine to taste
- Pour over cracked ice in a glass punch bowl
Yes, I've had it. It is vile yet oddly compelling.
Thanks to the Westchester County Detachment of the Marine Corps League.
Happy Birthday, Marines
By Lt Col P
I tuned in just in time to see the President's remarks at the opening of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, and to hear him say that Corporal Jason Dunham will be posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for an act of extraordinary heroism in Iraq. (Here's a post on him from our good friends at Blackfive.)
To all Marines across the globe, in every clime and place, to the old ones and the young ones, to the ones in uniform and the ones who've hung up their uniforms, I say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May the good Lord above watch over us, the Corps and the Nation, and may all those overseas now return home safe and sound to enjoy next year's birthday.
**John Says** Matt from Blackfive sends an updated post on Cpl. Dunham. Read the whole thing.
Project Valour-IT Fundraiser
By John
Guys, we're in the homestretch.
As you can see, we're not doing well. We need to give and give hard or we won't meet our goal.
Not trying to be negative, we can still do it! But we've got to give like we mean it. Here's the donate button again.
Also, I'll be on Andrea Shea King show this afternoon at 3:30 Eastern to talk about the drive, and how you guys can help. You can listen live to WWBC's webstream here.
Don't forget the auctions! Only 9 hours left. And right now you can get a personalized copy of The Gulf War Chronicles for a little over 100 bucks. Christmas present for your soldier, sailor, airman, or marine anyone?
Marines in the Garden of Eden Auction
Proceeds from the auction go directly to Valour-IT, it's not team specific. Give early, give often guys! We need all the help we can get!
Allah Kareem
By Slab
I found out today that another one of my Iraqi friends was killed in action. It was a pretty harsh blow, for several reasons. Lt Sabah was not only a very warm and friendly man, who always greeted me with a smile, but he was also the best junior officer I saw during my time with the IA. On several occasions we sat around the Marine house and wished that we could have a dozen more like him. I believe he would have made a good officer in just about any army, including ours. The tragedy of his death is not just from the loss of a good man, but also from the loss of a good leader from a nation that is desperately in need of them.
Rest in peace, dear friend. You are missed.
Well, There You Have it
By Lt Col P
If I were writing headlines these days...
Read More »
The Opportunity of Failure
By John
It was a flight commander in my squadron who clued me in to Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation. Halfway into a sentence, the phone rang. "I know! I heard! It's like Christmas man!" exclaimed the excited officer. As the captain went on like a schoolgirl, I asked one of the other guys in the room what all the hub-bub was about. "Rummy threw in the towel man. Cryin' ass shame."
It reminded of an old urban legend surrounding FDR's death. Upon hearing the news of the President's passing, one construction worked exclaimed "Thank God the old son of a bitch is dead!" The worker's friend responded by punching him in the face.
Rumsfeld had the same effect on the military. To some, his leadership was inspirational. To others, he was the guy who was single handedly dismantling a force that had barely survived eight years of Clinton-era defense cuts. The name for the pain was Transformation, Rumsfeld's baby. The Pentagon's "bridge to the 21st century." And before September 11, it sounded and felt pretty slick. A lighter force, with emphasis on flexibility, technology, and force multiplication. Maximum effect, minimum loss cheered supporters.
In Afghanistan, Transformation was looking pretty good. A couple of hundred SPECOP warriors exploited our new, network-centric approach to warfighting and accomplished what the much-feared Soviet juggernaut could not. Who needs tanks? Who needs divisions? One foward air controller with a horse, a laptop, and a MILSTAR uplink to a B-52 could now do the heavy-lifting of an entire mechanized brigade.
And that's when Transformation blasted off. The Air Force started delivering Raptors and Global Hawks while BRAC cut our fighter force by 20%. Money poured into the Army's Future Combat Systems, the Marine led V-22 procurement, and the Navy's new Littoral Combat Ships. New tankers for the Air Force, new EELV heavy lift rockets to facilitate our budding space weapons program, a new class of aircraft carrier and a new class attack sub. All very useful weapon systems, but all very expensive weapon systems.
Operation Iraqi Freedom was supposed to get the Transformation concept over that final, sizable high-cost hurdle. Afghanistan was mostly asymmetric, fought almost exclusively at the platoon and company level. OIF was Transformation's real test. State v. State conflict, a real army -albeit ill-equipped and poorly trained- to prove the mettle of the new force. And again, Transformation worked. Less troops, higher tech did the job. Mission accomplished.
And like a Shakespearean tragedy, Rumsfeld's bold new vision for a brave new military collasped at the height of its success. The insurgency dug-in, and with each IED blast another hole was punched in the Transformation concept. Billion-dollar B2s flew helpless overhead as suicide bombers and roadside bombs took the lives of troops who lacked armor on their Humvess and on their bodies. 100 dollar bombs killed 100,000 dollar weapon systems. The highly touted, highly financed UAV force could only watch as car bombers exploded Iraqi marketplaces. What we needed was more troops. What we got was more gizmos.
Transformation has failed us in fighting the Iraqi insurgency. It takes troops to sustain an occupation. When you are trying to win hearts and minds, heartless and mindless technological gadgets can't win the day. Victory takes boots on the ground. It takes Soldiers and it takes Marines. And, as Iraq has proven, it takes a hell of alot of them.
And that may be the deep dark place that this Long War is forcing us to visit. Terrorists only stop terrorizing when they are dead, dictators do as they please until they are forced to otherwise, and the disease of militant Islam spreads until it is stopped. That takes men with guns. It takes the clashing of swords and shattering of shields. And, tragically, it takes casualties.
Secretary Rumsfeld served honorably and had the vision to push the force in the right direction. But his resignation is an opportunity for us to rededicate ourself to this fight. Winning wars means sacrifices, and sacrifices mean greater defense spending, a greater number of troops, and a greater committment to victory from the American people.
The death of Transformation could very well be the birth of victory. Let's seize the opportunity.
Liberty Film Festival
By John
Thanks to the indispensable Robert Averch of Seraphic Secret for pointing me towards The Liberty Film Festival, the sole conservative film festival in America.
I'm not sharing the link out of any real desire to push a conservative agenda here at OPFOR, I'm just so exhausted from snooty "military-ruined-my-life" flicks, Liberty is a most-welcome breath of fresh air. Check it out.
Robert, by the way, is a proud member of Team Air Force. Give early, give often!
The Greatest Blog Post Ever Written
By John
No. I'm not exaggerating.
The honor goes to Bill Whittle for this simply magnificent creation.
A choice sample:
I cannot think of a single example of where appeasement – giving in to an aggressive adversary in the hope that it will convince them to become peaceful themselves – has provided any lasting peace or security. I can say in complete honesty that I look forward to hearing of any historical example that shows it does.What I do see are barbarian forces closing in and sacking Rome because the Romans no longer had the will to defend themselves. Payments of tribute to the barbarian hordes only funded the creation of larger and better-armed hordes. The depredations of Viking Raiders throughout Northern Europe produced much in the way of ransom payments. The more ransom that was paid, the more aggressive and warlike the Vikings became. Why? Because it was working, that’s why. And why not? Bluster costs nothing. If you can scare a person into giving you his hard-earned wealth, and suffer no loss in return, well then you my friend have hit the Vandal Jackpot. On the other hand, if you are, say, the Barbary Pirates, raiding and looting and having a grand time of it all, and across the world sits a Jefferson – you know, Mr. Liberty and Restraint – who has decided he has had enough and sends out an actual Navy to track these bastards down and sink them all… well, suddenly raiding and piracy is not such a lucrative occupation. So, contrary to doomsayers throughout history, the destruction of the Barbary Pirates did not result in the recruitment of more Pirates. The destruction of the Barbary Pirates resulted in the destruction of the Barbary Pirates.
I can count on one hand things that I have read that have made me stand up and cheer. One is reading the Washington Post the morning after the Redskins won the Super Bowl (cruel parents would not let me stay up for the fourth quarter). One was reading the Drudge Report headline that US Forces had launched our beautiful retaliation on the Taliban and Al Qaeda. And the other was Whittle's post.
Read it all.
Valour-IT Pressing On
By John
Uh, Soldiers' Angels has started to yell at me for slacking. My fault! Been snowed under.
My slackness is showing, we've fallen from toe to toe for first with the Army to a pathetic third, only beating Navy (but who isn't these days). We need to pick it up folks. Air Force is always the underdog in these comps, let's crawl out of this stinkin' hole!
Okay, before we go any farther....DONATE! We've crested the halfway point, time to ramp it up.
Now I think all will agree that the best part of Project Valour is the cross-service snarkitude that keeps us all motivated, which mainly comes in the form of posters. Some of these things have been real gut-busters, so -for lack of any talent in this department on my end- I thought I'd round up a few of my favorites.
First is John Donovan's loving tribute to me and the OPFOR team....
Then there's a somewhat different "Army Strong" than what we've been hearing about from Matt and the green boys.
Which isn't to say anything about armorers like Donovan...
Read More »
Advising Iraqis: Building the Iraqi Army
By Slab
Outstanding article by LTC Carl D. Grunow USA. It first appeared in Military Review, and is featured here for your edification. (How's that for a jarhead using big words?)
LTC Grunow recently returned from a 12-month tour advising the 2d Armored Brigade, 9th Mechanized Division of the Iraqi Army. His article should be required reading for every Soldier and Marine headed to Iraq to advise the Iraqi Army and Police.
LTC Grunow uses a quote in his article from Field Marshal Viscount William Slim, who served with Indian troops in World War II. It is incredibly appropriate.
The European who serves with native troops should be, not only much above average in efficiency and character, as he must accept greater responsibility, but he should serve with them because he wants to, because he likes them.
Allow me to raise my hand in this instance. Although I found Iraqi troops to be somewhat less than reliable in a gunfight, the average Iraqi is very friendly and outgoing, and they're downright likeable once you get past the cultural differences (for those who are able). I consider my experience with the IA (much like my brief experience with Afghan Security Forces) to have been very rewarding, and one that I would gladly repeat.
See below for some good quotes from LTC Grunow's article, Advising Iraqis: Building Iraq's Army.
Read More »
Sketchpad Warrior
By Lt Col P
While we're on the subject of Marine Corps history and Marine historians, let me mention our third combat artist, Sergeant Kris "King of" Battles. Following Major "Old Corps" Alex Durr and the aboriginal combat artist, Warrant Officer "Iron Mike" Fay, Sgt Battles is out in Iraq capturing the experience in a way that words and photos cannot. Go take a look at his work, bookmark the site and visit it often.
Headed for Iraq
By Lt Col P
Hello all, I am back in the blogging seat, having spent last week getting settled into a new civilian job.
Although I missed commenting on the John Kerry don't-flunk-out-or-you'll-end-up-in-Iraq comment when it came out, I'll use it as a segue now.
I'd like to introduce one of the Iraq-bound Marines, LtCol Kurt Wheeler, a Marine field historian. Oh, and by the way, he's a real dummy too, one of those countless dolts from rural America who managed to get out of a dead-end burg only to find themselves stuck in Iraq. A high school history teacher, track coach, town councilman, Harvard BA and MA. A real dim-bulb, huh? I don't think so. More like the kind of citizen that makes this country work and stands up to do his part when the call goes out. He's one sharp guy, and a real all-American. Bookmark his website and visit it often. I can guarantee he'll have some great posts.
How I Voted & Why
By John
Election day for me actually came a few weeks ago, I voted absentee in the Virginia Senate election.
Bottom line up front, I voted for George Allen. Here's why.
Since 9/11, my political views have become laser focused on security. I don't hate Democrats and I don't think that they're bad folks. I've even voted for a few of em, like Mark Warner and his successor Tim Kaine for Governor of Virginia.
But this election, like in 2004, my vote went to the party that demonstrated the highest committment to the national defense. Democrats, for all their passion, seemed to have lost their way in national security. Their opposition to the President has taken a higher priority than defeating our enemies, a political shift that I find inexcusable.
I cannot entrust my vote to a party that I cannot entrust with the protection of the American people.
Looking back, it wasn't Democratic opposition to the Patriot Act or their calls to withdraw from Iraq. It wasn't their demands that the NSA cease and desist their monitoring of Al Qaeda communications into the United States or their fight to shut down our detainee facility at Gitmo. It wasn't even their insistance that we grant trials in US courts to terrorists captured in Afghanistan. It was their abadonment of Joe Lieberman that hammered the final nail into their coffin.
There's still a fighting spirit in the Democrats, the moderate pro-victory camp does exist. The problem is that the current balance of power lies in the hands of the folks who abadoned Lieberman soley for the sin of supporting the war in Iraq.
That makes me nervous, and nervous is an emotion that I shouldn't be feeling when it comes to defense. Especially in this brave new world. I challenge all voters on Tuesday to ask themselves: can the Democrats do better? With the economy and the defense? If so, what exactly will they do different? A vote for a Democrat is a for what?
Make the right decision on Tuesday folks, too much lies in the balance.
Below the fold, I'll be headed off on a slight tanget. But my basic point has already been made.
Read More »
Thus Ever To Tyrants
By Slab
I finally got my Summer 2006 issue of the VMI Alumni Review this weekend. In the "Alumni News" section there is an advertisement for Maj Michael P. Solovey USA, Class of 1996. Maj Solovey has produced a print to honor VMI alumni serving in the Global War on Terrorism. It's called "Thus Ever To Tyrants".
Maj Solovey will be donating a framed print to VMI. More importantly, the proceeds from the sales will fund a bronze plaque at the Institute honoring Institute alumni killed in the War on Terror.
For those of you who are not VMI alumni, visit the rest of Maj Solovey's website. There are a variety of works on his website, and he does private commissions for units and private parties.
John Says: We've lost 10 VMI alumni on the field of honor since September 11th. Sgt. Ryan Doltz was a friend, but as Col P, Lightning, Charlie, and myself will tell you, all 10 were our brothers.
Corpsman Up! Pt II
By Slab
Since, due to my meager compositional abilities, my earlier post failed to sufficiently highlight the bravery of HN Maggard, I hope that this post will re-emphasize my point that HM3 Bacos is not representative of FMF Corpsmen.
I'm lagging a bit behind due to work, et al. However, as I was trying to stay abreast of the Valour-IT drive, I came across a post on Villainous Company referencing a New York Times article about Hospitalman Third Class Dustin Kirby and his efforts to save a wounded friend. I immediately sat up and began reading furiously, as Doc Kirby was MY Doc just last year.
HM3 Dustin Kirby
Cassandra's post: With Pen In Hand...
The NYT article: Tending a Fallen Marine, With Skill, Prayer and Fury
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Honor Guard Needed
By John
I received this email yesterday:
It seems that my father, a three war decorated Navy Captain will not receive a "full" Honor Guard for interment a National Cemetery in Culpeper. I knew that they scaled back but not to something not this level. So I am casting a net to see what I can bring in, can you guys help? I would like to contact individual reserve units, Navy, Marine to see if I can turn one up. So could you but a general feeler out there?
Captain Richard Palmer Cordray:
After attaining the rank of Eagle Scout at age 13, Dick graduated from Columbus Academy in Columbus, Ohio in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17. He was selected for the Navy's V-12 program and attended the University of Louisville for one year before transferring to Ohio State in 1946, earning his bachelors degree in bacteriology in 1948. He was commissioned as an Ensign in October 1948. His Navy career would eventually span 29 years, cover three wars, require 11 different posts, carry 15 different job titles and include six different naval vessels. Dick was called up for active duty in 1950 at the onset of the Korean War. After that conflict, he was sent to submarine school and eventually became the Commanding Officer of the USS Hardhead for three years. He was later promoted to Captain while serving as the Commander of Submarine Division 41. He finished his distinguished career, one in which he received eight different medals and awards, at U.S. Naval Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Any Navy or Marine volunteers in DC, Virginia, or Maryland who can donate their time for a Colors and Rifle detail? Captain Cordray has certainly earned the right to be buried with full military honors.
Fly, Fight, Win!
By John
Heh. The devil indeed.
Co-Hosting on WAR Tonight
By John
For those of you who love the sound of my melodious voice, I'll be cohosting on Wide Awakes Radio with Kit Jarrell at 11pm EST time this evening. You can listen live here:
Sorry for the late notice, Valour-IT has dominated these past few days.
Honor Lost, and Honor Fulfilled
By Slab
Many of you have read about HM3 Melson J. Bacos, a Corpsman who served with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines on their latest deployment to Iraq. HM3 Bacos was one of the men charged with murdering an Iraqi man in Hamdaniyah on the night of April 25th, 2006. He recently made a deal to testify against the Marines who were charged with him, in exchange for pleading guilty to conspiracy and kidnapping charges, for which he was sentenced to 5 months on top of the time he has already served. HM3 Bacos was quoted as saying, "Now, I feel that my honor is gone, and I have let down others."
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