One Team One Fight Archives

The London Conference: Watch This Space

By Lt Col P

The elite will meet in about three weeks in London to discuss Afghanistan, and the way ahead.

"The Prime Minister, who announced the London Conference at a press conference with UN Secretary-General [and internationally recognized idiot] Ban Ki-moon on 28 November, said the purpose of the conference is to 'drive forward our campaign in Afghanistan, to match the increase in military forces with an increased political momentum, to focus the international community on a clear set of priorities across the 43-nation coalition and marshal the maximum international effort to help the Afghan government deliver'."

Hidden in those last five words is monumental significance. The GIRoA has got to do what it hasn't been doing well (or at all) for the last few years. The good news is that it *can* do better; the bad news could be that the international community could very well lose patience. If we're all facing these same mushkilot this time next year, that'll be a very bad sign. If however we can collectively get things moving in the right direction, then the situation will be much different. Either way, the next twelve months will tell.

I believe that behind closed doors, Mr Karzai will have some explaining to do. Stay tuned.

The Beaver

By Lt Col P

Yesterday we honoured our allies in the RCR with birthday greetings.

That reminded me of something I've been meaning to post...

Some time ago, during an office cleaning expedition, we unearthed a stuffed beaver, almost certainly a relic of previous Canadian officers (there have been several). It was pretty dusty, but being the good team player I decided to get it cleaned up to be put back proudly on display. Here it is, all dusty and forlorn:

Annnnnd, here it is after a good washing, all nice and clean!

Read More »

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT

By Lt Col P

As I am honoured to serve alongside a Major of the Royal Canadian Regiment, allow me to recognise their birthday today.

Here is a short history, up to the Balkans; and here they are up to Afghanistan.

Fellas, if I had any rum I'd happily hand it over for an Ortona Toast.

Happy birthday to you, and may next year see you all home, safe and sound, wreathed with the laurels of victory you have rightly won.

Stepping Out Smartly

By Lt Col P

A very good article in the WaPo on the French units operating near Kabul. (Excellent photos as well; and note please that it's Marines and Legionnaires!)

TAGAB VALLEY, AFGHANISTAN -- Hundreds of French and Afghan troops on Sunday pushed into a hostile valley in eastern Afghanistan where militants launch quick attacks and then disappear into hillside villages. The mission: Secure the area for a planned bypass road around the Afghan capital to move supplies from neighboring Pakistan.

About 700 French troops, joined by 100 Afghan soldiers, moved into the Tagab valley before dawn with more than 100 armored vehicles. U.S. and French attack helicopters roared overhead as insurgent snipers fired from the roofs of houses onto the advancing column of vehicles, according to a reporter for the Associated Press who was traveling with the French troops.

I have not accompanied any French units into combat, but I can say with perfect candor that I have found every French officer here to be absolutely professional, capable, and dedicated to the cause. Bon chasse!

And on a related note, let's make it a Gallic Gun-Day Monday with a nod toward the French FAMAS. I'm going to try to fire one before I leave.

Afghanistan: Yes, We "CAN"

By Lt Col P

While BFQs shout "Quit!", the foolish try to look wise, and the fuck-os set off human bombs, good men wearing Maple Leafs are moving forward:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — It's one of the basic tenets of counter-insurgency, and it's being deployed aggressively in the dangerous regions southwest of Kandahar city: drive out the enemy, make the area safe for the locals, and then stay there as long as you can.

Creating a base of operations and making it secure is considered one of the first major rules in defeating groups like the Taliban. As part of the Afghan effort, Canadian forces have cleared a handful of villages in the Dand and Panjwaii districts in recent months and simply moved in.

The hope is that as that military "footprint" continues to grow, the effect of marginalizing insurgents will grow with it.

"At the end of the day, the approach that we took is pure counter-insurgency," said Lt.-Col. Joe Paul, 42, the commander of Canada's battle group in Afghanistan, known as Task Force Kandahar.

So it really works, huh? You bet it does. You can bet your next cup of Tim Hortons it does.

We've said many times before-- this war is ten steps forward and nine back. But the tenth step is the one that counts, the one that sticks.

The Anglosphere: It Must Be Preserved

By Lt Col P

Today's random thought-- Coalition ops are great, except when they're not. The coalition at its best gives you a huge range of capabilities as well as the great intangible-- the manifest political will of many nations, arrayed against one foe.

Except that is, when some of the many nations aren't arrayed against thefoe. When some of the many nations are doing fuck all. When one or two of the many nations aren't doing much more than eating chow and filling up shitters.

However, it's an undeniable fact that the Anglosphere-- the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand-- is the backbone of this coalition. Some of the other shitheads, the real BFQs, we can do without. But go it alone without our fellow English speakers? No way. There are too many cultural links, too many unspoken understandings, too much common history and common interest. A coalition built around the Anglosphere, with some other countries, willing and able ones like the Poles, thrown in as well is pretty well unbeatable on the field of battle.

We need them, now and in the future. I hope our elected and duly appointed leaders understand that, and pay particular attention to the maintenance of this grand alliance.

Gaze In The Military

By Lt Col P

I've spent a lot of time with the Army of the United States, not to mention the Navy, but this is, I think, the first time I've been shoulder-to-shoulder with the Air Force in large numbers.

Allow me to state, in the most professional terms I can muster, that the US Air Force has enlisted and commissioned a, uhhh, very high quality of young American. And they, uhhh, present a most striking appearance in uniform. All in the strictly professional sense of course. Yes, well. Ahem!

So if you pass a stall in the men's room one day, see a pair of USMC boots under the door and hear someone whistling "Wild Blue Yonder," it might be someone you know.

(And all kidding aside, they're all doing a damn fine job out here on the pointy end of the spear, in a host of assignments and missions.)

Ayo Gurkhali!

By Lt Col P

This past week, the most excellent Michael Yon had a post on being out with the Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan.

By coincidence, I am thumbing through my very thumbed-through copy of one of my favorite books, Bugles And A Tiger, about life in a Gurkha regiment just before WWII, in garrison, on maneuvers, and on the Northwest Frontier. I know I've mentioned this book before-- it ought to be required reading for junior officers, and its quite pertinent still today. Chapter 17 (fighting in Waziristan) could have been written yesterday. VMI graduates should all read Chapter 22, as well.

No one I've read has brought the Gurkhas to life in the written word as Masters did. But Mr Yon more than does them justice.

RIP: Rule 5 at 5:00

By Lt Col P

The very valuable Thunder Run has called endex to its daily quasi-smut post, "Rule 5 at 5:00." Go, one and all, to view the valedictory image. IT'S MEMORABLE. I'll still be a regular reader because it's chock full of good stuff, but... well, we can't live in the past.

I'm sorry, I need some time alone. To reflect and to think.

Great Warchief No Speak With Forked Tongue

By Lt Col P

Two thumbs up from A Man Who Knows The Deal:

ARLINGTON, Va., July 31, 2009 – The secret to the U.S. Marine Corps’ success is a blending of bedrock principles with innovation, the commander of U.S. Central Command said here last night.

Using two examples from recent history -- the heroism of the last Marine Medal of Honor recipient and the turnaround in Iraq’s Anbar province, -- Army Gen. David H. Petraeus shared his view at an event hosted by the Marine Association Foundation.

“On the one hand, Marines display a stalwart resistance to change in those bedrock values that form the very foundation of what it means to be Marine,” he said. “On the other hand, Marines demonstrate a ready embrace of innovation that allows them to adapt to the environments in which they operate and to the enemies they face.”

Some of those timeless, unchanging truths that describe the Marine Corps include an unflinching devotion to one’s fellow Marines, a ready embrace of hardship and a universal emphasis on the skills and the spirit of the rifleman, he said.

The bold-facing on that last one is mine-- I think it is one of the most important attributes we maintain.

Thanks, General, coming from you this is high praise indeed!

News From Mazar-i-Sharif

By Lt Col P

Two items out of Mazar-i-Sharif:

First-- Doc H gets out and about. The first thing that struck me was that his description of the women and children's wing of the prison is right out of A Thousand Spendid Suns.

Second-- Swedes and Finns put the fear of God into Taliban punks. Good work, boys! (Sgt Sven Hestrand, USMC: If you're reading this, you should be proud!)

GOOD SOLID C.O.I.N. ADVICE

By Lt Col P

The Torch highlights some good solid COIN advice found at Ricks' blog, and one excerpt is worth repeating here:

"7. Most important of all. The enemy must understand that you are ready to go to the end to win the war. That means a resolve for the long slog and a stomach for attrition. If the enemy thinks that you develop feet of clay rather quickly, he will continue fighting."

Oh, yes indeed. As I've stated before, this is where I think we as a nation are headed off the rails. I hope we adjust our course before it gets adjusted for us.

They Sikh Only To Serve

By Lt Col P

Sikhs Challenge US Army's Ban on Turbans, Beards.

OK, being a great fan of all things military Raj, I think the Sikh sepoy or sowar is the very apex of martial appearance.

This link, though the original post is somewhat harsh, has some good pics and comments. Indeed, the first comment states that there were "a bunch of them" in Special Forces. That is correct-- I met one in 1992, during Exercise Keen Edge in Hokkaido. (That was back in the Old Corps.) Fascinating guy, he had instead of a green beret a turban of the same material, with the flash affixed.

If they want to serve, I say, let 'em serve. And the more the merrier. Shabash!

IDF Humor

By Lt Col P

Sent to me by VFRMarine, frequent reader and fellow ANGLICO jumper...

So, so true. And these assholes would do well to remember it.

Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers

By Townie 76

While at Sic Semper Tyrannis this AM came across this link an reference about the demographics of the military by the Heritage Foundation.

Afghanistan Round-Up

By Lt Col P

The Torch continues to have some of the best Afghanistan coverage (and coverage of the coverage) of any blog, IMHO.

Like this: Unbiased Journalism

And this: The 'Stan vs The 'Raq

And this too: Afghanistan and Canadian Domestic Politics

Firing for effect, with every round...

The Can-Am Alliance

By Lt Col P

Since Our 44th President is up north today, it's appropriate to highlight some good words from a Canadian signaller (and 3 x Afstan vet) over at Mudville.

(Note also M'ville's hat tip to our good friends at The Torch. We like it when good people get recognition.)

Extra credit to those who can ID that patch.

Keep The Torch Lit

By Lt Col P

Attention on deck:

We have about 24 hours to chip in the last 150 bucks to help The Torch's Damian Brooks settle the bill for his trip to Afghanistan as an embedded blogger. He sent back fantastic posts; let's give him a hand.

(Look on the right hand-hand column.)

Speaking of Damian, check out his latest, a post that is sure to make you smile and wish you were a little boy again.

Good one!

Reporting From Afghanistan

By Lt Col P

We hope you've been following Damian's reporting from Afghanistan-- great stuff. The latest is here. (The full list is on the right-hand side, with a button to donate to help defray the costs of the trip.)

One sample from the latest-- one of many-- that captures the bizarre side events:

Two ANP with dirty blue-grey uniforms and wild hair walked up to me. Neither looked to be out of his mid-teens yet, although one was on the big side for his age. The kid extended a dirt-encrusted hand, which I dutifully shook, and nodded a greeting to him. He spoke one word to me: "knife." What? One of the soldiers assigned to make sure I didn't do anything stupid caught my bewildered look and explained "He wants your knife. They're not shy asking for what they want." I turned back to this "policeman" and shook my head: no. It seems that was the answer he was expecting. His mien didn't change one iota as he turned and walked away. I made a mental note not to snack on the energy bar in my pocket on the way home: I wasn't putting anything in my mouth without washing and sanitizing my hands thoroughly first.

I could quote all day. Instead, you shoud go read.

Ode to the Warrior Class

By Slab

Our good friend and fellow Institute man Michael Solovey is working on yet another print honoring our warriors. This one, titled "Ode to the Warrior Class", is a tribute to our heritage and the warriors who have gone before. To quote Michael:

This main image could be a Marine or Soldier. He looks off into battle with allusions to other great warrior cultures in the background--Vikings, Spartans, and Romans. Across the sky, there are silhouettes of Blackhawks, Hueys, and Cobras flying into battle. This future print will be a watercolor with the intent of celebrating the Warrior Class and what we do as a profession.

Here is the concept sketch he sent me. Continue to check the Solovey art website for updates.

Additionally, I created a Military Artwork category for more posts about the work of Michael Solovey and his fellow artists.

Previous work by Michael Solovey:
MARSOC Artwork*
Thus Ever To Tyrants

* Also, Michael posted an update on his MARSOC print, titled "Precision Pride" in the comments section.

All the prints are signed & numbered and ready for release next week. This print is also in memory of Corpsman Luke Milam (Upper left-hand corner). I spoke with his family this week and have given the original to them. Please keep them in your prayers. If interested in one of these prints (they are going quickly already) please send me an email at soloveyart@earthlink.net. Appreciate the support. Semper Fi!
Michael Solovey VMI '96

Torch-Bearer Headed to Afghanistan

By Lt Col P

Again, apologies for the tardiness, but I am pleased to report that our friend and colleague Babbling Brooks at The Torch is headed to Afghanistan as an embed.

Read the post, give a little for a good great cause. As he points out, this is a first. Help speed him on his way.

Merry Christmas To All

By Lt Col P

On behalf of John, Charlie, BullNav, Slab and Townie Seven-Six, I wish alcon a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We especially remember those overseas, and the ones they have left behind; may next Christmas see them home safe and sound, and final victory one year closer.

Speaking of those now somewhere east of the sun and west of the moon, I received a Christmas note today from a Marine in Iraq, a fellow reservist spending his second Christmas in the land between the waters. He wrote, in part,

"Let us remember the blanket of freedom that many men and women have unselfishly given their lives to provide. This freedom we have found in our great nation. Some of us have inherited this freedom at birth and others have struggled to find it; but, I believe that we can all agree that it is the ideal atmosphere where fruitful lives and relationships flourish and therefore it is an atmosphere worth preserving.

Health to you and your loved ones this Christmas season and the following New Year. Financial wealth ebbs and flows but if one is able bodied, has his or her health, and an atmosphere of opportunity they may always prosper and find happiness."

Amen on that Gunny.

Gott In Himmel!

By Lt Col P

"Gott in Himmel!" wrote my friend and fellow Marine in Vermont, about this bit of news.

A report by Germany's Parliament found forces in Afghanistan got through more than 1.7 million pints of beer and 92,000 bottles of wine last year.

They are already on track to top those figures this year, with 901,000 pints of beer and 56,000 bottles of wine being shipped in the first six months. ...

... Last year, American officers complained about a German colonel who was drunk at mission briefings, Der Spiegel has reported.

Thomas Raabe, a defence ministry spokesman, has defended the alcohol intake, saying it amounts to 0.77 litres of beer a day per soldier – less than the two 500ml cans they are permitted.

Uggh. I must say, even though I previously extolled the extension of Germany's mission in Afghanistan as a step forward, this is too much. Piled on top of the admission that their SOF units hadn't been doing much at all, I think we're better off without them. I really hate to say that, since I really love that country and its people. It would be better if they withdrew to the Fatherland, to regroup, retrain and re-assess.

UPDATE: Similar post at The Torch.

Thanksgiving

By Bull Nav

Long about nine years ago, when peace ruled the earth, the Mighty USS SCRANTON (SSN756) pulled into Bahrain for Turkey Day. We were there with the JFK and the USS MONTEREY (CG61).

Peace.

But we were there, armed to the teeth. Ready to go.

Still a ways off from 9/11, a large number of Navy/Marine Corps personnel patrolled the front lines of freedom in the '90s.

Waiting...watching.

(Yeah, I know: a day late and a dollar short. In Clintonville, WV, (look it up; not a lot of links...but Greenbriar County might work) there won't no TV or any of that Internet bullshit. Only woods, whiskey, dogs and guns...)

Help from Abroad

By Lt Col P

"Iraqi Soldiers Send Aid to California Fire Victims."

American Forces Press Service

BESMAYA RANGE COMPLEX, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2008 – A group of Iraqi soldiers stepped up to help California residents victimized by recent wildfires raging throughout the state.

Iraqi army Col. Abbas Fadhil, Besmaya Range Complex commander, and his team of “Abbas’ Eagles” raised $500 for wildfire relief.

“We want to send a message to the American president and the American people,” Abbas said. “We feel that we are a family — one body. When one part of the body suffers, the other parts suffer, too.”

This is the fourth donation the soldiers of Besmaya have sent to the American people recently. In September, they raised $1,500 for victims of hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Eagles also donated $500 to the National Sept. 11 Memorial.

Five hundred bucks in Iraq is a lot of money. Folks, this money came from people who can ill afford it, yet they gave anyway.

Shukran, brothers.

Reserves Get Overdue Respect... Up North

By Lt Col P

A big tip of the toque to The Torch for pointing us to a great article on Canada's reserve forces, and the battles they've had to fight just in order to be able to fight a few battles.

Reservists and Guardsmen here in the States have some significant challenges, but at least we have laws and widespread company policies that look after us (for the most part) while we're gone.

And reservists pay a separate price that by definition cannot be asked of the career soldier: They routinely put either job, professional development or schooling on hold in order to take part in the lengthy "work-up" training which, when combined with the six-month tour, means a commitment of a year.

Corporal Joaquim (Jake) David, for instance, is one of 11 members, part of the current rotation, from the 48th Highlanders in downtown Toronto.

The 29-year-old Filipino native, who considers his service a way of giving back to his adopted country, had to quit his well-paying job as a co-leader on the assembly line at car-part manufacturer Magna International; the company, like many, has no "military leave" policy.

He quit in May last year, so he could prepare for the extensive predeployment training.

Good on them, and good luck to them. Read the whole article.

The Cost Of War-- Literally

By Lt Col P

Damian at The Torch breaks down the numbers on Canada's stalwart contribution in Afghanistan. Hie thee hence and read it.

I'd have to agree. It's money well spent.

How is this being constructive?

By Bull Nav

Now, I will be the first one to admit, I don't always get art. I always thought that you were supposed to feel something when you experience art. Da Vinci's paintings or Michelangelo...that's what I thought art was supposed to be. Looking up at the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an experience.

A well-built car engine...that's art.

So...

Not quite 19 years ago, I swore for the first time (but not by far the last) an oath which said, in part, "…to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies…"

The Constitution of the United States of America.

You know: We the People…

The Bill of Rights with its First Amendment which gives us freedom of the press...and expression: art.

But did you had to go there. Why did you have to desecrate the flag? Did you think you were going to get a different reaction?

Or did you just want the attention you knew this would generate?

Could you think of nothing positive, nothing uplifting, nothing that would bring people together? Could you not have used your creative talent to create something that would make a statement, and at the same time help find common ground for all the divisiveness which seems to permeate the press?

Yeah, when I heard about this, it pissed me off. I mean, Goddamn...how the f*$k could someone even think of this shit. I would NEVER think of doing something like this to an object I have held is such high esteem for so long.

But that's the way it is. That's what we defend.

Just promise me this: try to raise your kids not to do stupid shit like this. It doesn't do a damn bit of good for anyone.

I Was Wondering When This Was Going To Happen

By Lt Col P

"Wedded Bliss": Army Allows Husband-and-Wife Soldiers To Live Together In Iraq.

I'm going to be an a--hole and come down on the not-only-no-but-HELL-NO side. Yes, I understand the reasons why, and the arguments for.

But, you go overseas to fight and to work your ass off for those doing the fighting. You are supposed to be living with your fellow soldiers (airmen, Marines, sailors) day in and day out, suffering and succeeding alike. Having your truly beloved back at the FOB changes things for that select few, and in my opinion not for the better.

I notice the article says "the Army." I haven't checked lately, but I don't think Our Beloved Corps allows extended conjugal visits in the AO. Perhaps CMC turns a Nelsonian eye to it all. I do remember at least one young WM at Camp Fallujah whose husband, also a Marine, was at Abu G, not far away. Might as well have been back in CONUS. I'm not sure which would be worse.

DC Air Guardsman Steps Up

By Lt Col P

Great story on the local NBC affilliate tonight: "2-Year-Old Found After Temple Hills Carjacking." Well, it's not great that a 2-year-old got carried away in a carjacking, but it is great that a) the boy is safe and sound, and b) that one of DC's finest played a big role in the successful conclusion.

The child went missing when his aunt's car was stolen at a gas station. Police said the woman was pumping gas at a station at St. Barnabas and Wheeler roads in Temple Hills when a group of men forced the woman away, jumped into the car and drove away. The boy was still inside the car.

A D.C. Air National Guard sergeant noticed the carjacked vehicle driving with the gas pump still attached, called 911 and followed the vehicle, a green Pontiac Grand Prix, to the 1900 block of Colebrook Road in Hillcrest Heights, where the carjackers left the vehicle.

The actual report on the news had some more detail, to wit, that when the thugs bailed out, the Guardsman ran up and got the boy, and removed him to safety.

Good on him, I say! Quick thinking and decisive action, not to mention a good measure of intestinal fortitude.

Riverine Patrol

By Slab

Hey folks, I know it's been a little while since my last update. In lieu of a long-winded post about nonsense, here are some photos from a recent operation with Riverine Squadron Two (RIVRON 2) on Lake Qadisiyah.

Update: You can't read it, but the Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) in the second picture has the name "BM1 James E. Williams" stenciled on the side. I had no idea who that was, so I decided to look it up. And that is how I came to find out about the most decorated enlisted Sailor in the history of the United States Navy. One hell of a warrior.

More after the jump.

Read More »

Top Canadian General Speaks on Afghanistan

By Lt Col P

Our Canadian doppelganger blog, The Torch, is one of my daily reads. Today they have a good post on an interview with their top man in uniform, General R. J. Hillier.

From everything I've read about him, he sounds like a fighting man, and one with a realistic view on world events. This interview seems to bear it out.

"Some Canadians don't understand the fact you can't just go and talk to people in Southern Afghanistan and say 'OK, now put your guns down and let's all come to an agreement..."

And

"The peacekeeping concept works superbly in many cases -- not all. It worked when it was state-versus-state that had come to some politically-negotiated agreement. They now needed assistance in helping separate military forces to implement that agreement.

"The world has changed. Now we very seldom have that. What we have are stateless threats based on terrorist groups who can operate either across several countries, regions or worldwide."

Sounds like our kind of guy, the sort we'd want to have on our flanks, be they tactical or strategic. As the debate goes on in Canada about their role in Afghanistan, I wish there were a dozen more of him. And some down here, for that matter.

One team, one fight.

More Good Marine Recruiting Ads

By Lt Col P

A loyal reader sent a link to another Marine recruiting ad after he saw "America's Marines" below. Except this ad is for our brother Marines across the pond:

Per Mare Per Terram! One team, one fight. (Thanks, Stuart.)

French Warship Drops Books, Not Bombs

By John

I'm gently teasing in the title, of course we're grateful for this warm gesture courtesy of America's oldest ally.

French Warship to Deliver 10,000 Books to Disadvantaged U.S. Children

This Christmas, Santa Claus is leaving his reindeer behind and hitching a ride on… a French warship! The Jeanne d’Arc, a helicopter carrier which serves as a training ship for French navy midshipmen, will dock into New York Harbor on Friday December 28 carrying over 10,000 books destined for disadvantaged American students, giving new meaning to the expression “turning swords into ploughshares.” The French books, including dictionaries and textbooks, but also novels and comic books, will be offered to the children participating in New York’s newly launched French-English dual-language programs, as well as to New Orleans schools devastated by hurricane Katrina.

A delegation of students from the Jordan L. Mott Middle School (CIS 22) in the Bronx, one of the three schools that have launched a French-English dual-language program this year (the other two are PS 125 in Harlem and PS 58 in Brooklyn), will be welcomed on-board the ship at 2pm on the 28 th. Following a performance by their school band and a tour of the two French ships (the Jeanne d’Arc will be accompanied by the antisubmarine warfare destroyer Georges Leygues), they will take delivery of the books on behalf of all the schools involved. Sixty of the eighty crates will remain in New York, while the rest will be shipped overland to New Orleans.

At 3pm, the ship’s commander, Captain Hervé Bléjean, will hold a press conference in the presence of Catherine Petillon, the French Embassy’s Attaché for Educational Affairs. To attend this conference, please RSVP to Amaury.laporte@diplomatie.gouv.fr.

This unusual delivery was initiated, coordinated and financed by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, but the books themselves have been donated by two French associations, Adiflor and Biblionef. Both specialize in providing French-language books, which are either new or in excellent condition, to needy children throughout the world. The French Embassy’s contribution comes in addition to the $100,000 the French government has recently earmarked to support dual-language programs in New York City public schools.

Hotel Tango: Farley. I had to be the asshole and say that I wish the Jeanne d’Arc was carrying her helicopters where they're needed most, Afghanistan, instead of New York City. Farley countered that the Charles de Gaulle's Rafales have been dropping more than their share of iron on Taliban positions for the past few years. So.... touche, I suppose.

Canadians Wield A "Sharp Sword"

By Lt Col P

This is the kind of article I love to read.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Canadian forces killed or uprooted scores of insurgents in a Taliban stronghold this weekend, in a raid described by a commander as "successful for the time being."

Working with Afghan army and police units, Canadian and Gurkha soldiers say they killed 41 insurgents and captured four in yesterday's daylong battle, rousting another 20 to 30 fighters from the baked-mud villages in Kandahar's Zari district.

No coalition soldiers were injured in the operation named "Sharp Sword," Maj. Rich Moffett, the deputy commanding officer of the Canadian battle group told reporters today.

It gets better:

The Afghan, Gurkha and Canadian troops surprised the fighters while they slept, said Maj. Moffett. Nonetheless, the battle appears to have been particularly fierce. Battle video shot by a freelance cameraman embedded with Canadian forces shows Afghan, Canadian and Gurkha soldiers firing at the Taliban from behind tall stone walls and embankments.

Good work to our great allies and cousins from the north, and the tough little hillmen who are no strangers to explosive raids on hostile Afghan villages. Surprised 'em while they slept, did you? Outstanding! Somewhere, McBride and Masters are both smiling.

99.99% Need Not Apply

By John

Been meaning to get this posted ever since W.Thomas Smith aired it out at The Tank last week.

Yeah, it's a bad cliche... but damn I'm glad these dudes are on our side.

Public Opinion re Afghanistan

By Lt Col P

Damian from The Torch put up a great piece concerning public opinion on Afghanistan-- sorry, make that public opinion in Afghanistan, and proceeds to compare and contrast it with the voice on the street in Canada.

Bottom line is that a large number of Afghans-- famously intolerant of foreigners in their midst-- appear to be happy with the way things are going, and are glad the Canadians and other forces are there.

Good reading, and the points made are valid south of the border too.

Who was it that said "Never take counsel of your fears"-- George Washington? He's right. And he might well have added, "And while you're at it, don't listen to the naysayers either."

Army Recruiting Soaring

By John

U.S. Army Meets Expanded Recruiting Goals....Again:

October 4, 2007: The U.S. Army again achieved its recruiting goal (80,000 new recruits) for fiscal 2007 (that ended on September 30). That will also be the goal for 2008 as well, unless the army is given permission, and several billion dollars, to speed up their expansion of 13.5 percent (from 482,000 to 547,000), by doing that in four years instead of five.

The army recruiting effort is unprecedented for wartime. Never in American history has a war this long, been sustained with only volunteers. Party politics and media concentration on that has prevented the story behind this from getting out much. There are several reasons for the army recruiting success.

Anti-war types, always the military experts, love to write these positive numbers off as the Army "lowering its standards." Nice, huh? Those dudes support us so much it hurts.

In reality, it's a mix of things. Enlistment bonuses, heightened sense of patriotism since 9/11, more effective recruiting campaigns, etc. One that's often overlooked is the fact that the Navy and Air Force are shrinking faster than the Army and Marines are expanding. That drives potential recruits over to the grunt services, while programs like Blue to Green allow Airman to trade their blue uniforms for green Army ones.

Strategy Page also cites an interesting argument for the favorable numbers, low casaulties:

Although the media gets obsessed with U.S. casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reporting tends to ignore the fact that those casualties are the lowest in history, any army's history. Put simply, troops are half as likely to be killed or wounded in Iraq, as they would have been in Vietnam or World War II. A combination of better equipment, training and leadership made it happen. These are trends that have been going on for decades. The lower casualties make a big difference, especially for troops who have gone back to Iraq or Afghanistan several times. But the recruiters know that there's enough real danger there to attract young men looking for some adventure, but not so much that most potential recruits would be put off by it. "Extreme" (very dangerous) sports have become much more popular in the last few decades, and for many young men, modern combat is in that league, plus you get to kill people. Most reporters have forgotten how teenage males think. The recruiters haven't, and the U.S. Marine Corps consistently exceeds it recruiting goals by emphasizing the danger and challenges. The end result is that it's more difficult to recruit for support jobs, than for the combat ones.

Hotel Tango: Steve Green, who titles the story "Buried somewhere on page B14.."

Editing Out The Last Scene

By Lt Col P

Damian at The Torch sent me a great link to his post from a Canadian soldier serving in Kandahar. (I must apologize, as he sent it a couple days ago and I haven't been able to get to it til now.) It says so many of the things that our soldiers and Marines are saying from Iraq and Afghanistan, but I like the title-- "Will We Edit Out The Last Scene?"

Not long ago, the Mayor would have come to the KPRT and asked for help fixing everything. As the City will repair the road on its own, this is a good sign of progress. The Mayor and City engineers feel confident enough in their abilities and that of their staff and equipment to take on these significant road repairs by themselves.

That right there is one of the "Tenth Steps" that I have mentioned before. Iraq and Afghanistan are places where it's not two steps forward and one step back, but rather ten steps up and nine back. But that tenth step, while oft times quiet and unnoticed, is momentous. Good work, KPRT; we'll do our part to spread the word.

Updating the Academies

By John

Just got a column up at The Weekly Standard, topic is the service academies and how they may need to change their academic infastructure to better meet the needs of the Long War. Here's a sample:

West Point and all of the service academies promote math and engineering above all other disciplines. Thayer wanted math savvy artillery officers. The Navy sought officers with a firm grasp of engineering to keep their ships running and navigate the seas under the harshest of combat conditions. And the Air Force desired officers capable of operating the service's cutting-edge technology. It's the perfect academic infrastructure for a young cadet, if we expect him to fight the Cold War.

Unfortunately, we are fighting a new war. Tomorrow's war. This is a war where we fight an enemy who understands that the battlefield lies in the human heart, not in the skies or on the seas. And while the liberal arts curriculum is precisely the school of thought needed to effectively prepare our cadets to fight in the 21st century, not one of the service academies offers a Bachelor of Arts degree.

An Army platoon leader would be better equipped to administer to tribes in Anbar province if he had a degree in International Affairs and a minor in Arabic. A Marine infantry Lieutenant might be more effective unifying warlords in Afghanistan if he spent his four years at Annapolis studying the history of central Asia. U.S. Special Forces have been deployed to over 180 different countries since 9/11, and, to be sure, the military offers them the education needed to meet that goal. But in all that training an academy cadet will only get as much foreign study as he can squeeze into his schedule between orbital mechanics and advanced calculus.

Read the whole thing here. Would love to hear some discussion on this, especially from any academy grads that might be out there.

And yes, of course VMI got an honorable mention.

Update: Robert Farley, an academic himself, writes:

FM 3-24 (the counter-insurgency manual) is a remarkably sophisticated social science document, and I think that John is quite right to suggest that, however well the science and engineering curriculum may have worked in the past, emphasizing the social science option now makes sense. Of course, the service academies do offer majors in the social sciences and even arts and letters, but the curricula still very heavily favor math and science. Given, however, that we can expect future wars to resemble tightly knotted social science problems more than engineering problems, however, it seems reasonable to review the balance.

Right. COIN is all hearts and minds, which was kind of my point. Also, to clarify, the Academies do let their cadets major in social sciences, but those majors are still part of a math and science intensive BS track.

Now in the comments, MajMike correctly points out that the academies are only a small part of overall officer accessions. However, I'd point out that those graduates do represent a disproportionate percentage of the senior leadership. Promoting a certain agility of thought at the academies early on might yield a big pay off later on.

*Update 2* I'm starting to see the debate shift from whether or not the Academies should adjust slightly towards a more liberal arts heavy curriculum to whether or not they even offer liberal arts courses. This is on me for not articulating better. West Point in particular has an incredibly robust foreign languages department and their military history program is enviable. I'm merely suggesting toning done the intensive math/science/engineering core curriculum for liberal arts majors and allowing them a Bachelor of Arts instead of mandating a Bachelor of Science.

This is something that West Point certainly understands, just read the Dean's homepage:

Army leaders of the 21st Century must be cognizant of culture, history, and social organization. As officers, they will serve in an environment of joint and coalition operations, both domestically and abroad. They will lead people, organize resources, interact with foreign cultures, and maintain a high state of readiness. To succeed, they must understand the context of their social world, what motivates human behavior and how to influence such motivations. They must be creative in thought and decisive in action under conditions of uncertainty.

What I'm hearing is that "well the system in place is sufficient." But I've spoken with recent grads who felt that they would have better off studying foreign cultural and languages than calculus and physics. I think that West Point and other academies are focused on the total academic experience, which is noble. But what I'm suggesting is that perhaps they loosen up just enough to allow cadets to become less generalized and more specialized in their academics.

That's all.

*Update 3* Dr. James Joyner, a former West Pointer and one of my favorite bloggers, has this to say:

As a political science/international relations PhD whose tenure at West Point was short circuited after three semesters of the math and engineering heavy curriculum, I’m certainly sympathetic to Noonan’s point of view. It’s hardly clear that the ability to handle differential equations is an essential skill for a combat commander; indeed most ROTC grads come from other backgrounds. Then again, there’s little reason to think overly technocratic officers are the reason for our failures at counterinsurgency. After all, men like David Petraeus, H.R. McMaster, and John Nagl managed to become experts at COIN despite the handicap of being honor graduates of the Military Academy.

Regardless, I would argue that the over-emphasis on advanced mathematics and engineering courses is outmoded. West Point, at least, has recognized this and been moving in the right direction for roughly a quarter century. They were offering social science concentrations as early as 1984 and began allowing cadets to declare majors, including in the social sciences, more than fifteen years ago. They also require courses in international relations and two years of a foreign language.

Superb points, particular on the success of Petraeus, McMasters, and Nagl.

Also, according to DaveB in the comments section, West Point has upped the language requirement to four full years. That's great news.

*Update 4* OPFOR buddy CDR. Salamander said the same thing back in February:

I have always thought, along with others, that the USNA and NROTC official bias towards technical degrees was wrong-footed, short sighted, and not creating the intellectual diversity we need. So does Andrew Exum.

"A former Army officer and Middle East analyst has called on the nation's service academies to trade in their focus on engineering for a more modern curriculum on international relations.

Andrew Exum, who led combat units in two tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq, said the engineering coursework required at the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., is a holdover from the 19th century, when that was the direction of future warfare. "

Exactly right. We need experts across the field of study. I don't know about you, but my Wardroom is adrift with engineers who have never used their education - but also have never read a great work, cannot find the Spratly Islands, don't understand that "Old Europe" nations like Belgium are younger than the U.S., and do not know the difference between Arab Saudi Arabia and Persian Iran.

When you read the article, one thing you notice is that the Cult of the Happy Talk has so thoroughly infected Annapolis that it can't even make sense - or tell a story that has any credibility with those who know what is going on.

"I think the author, Andrew Exum, has really shown light on exactly the right discussion," said William Miller, the Naval Academy's academic dean. "We all should be asking ourselves how we should be preparing the next generation of leaders in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force for the 21st- century battlefield. We are always having that discussion."

What a complete non-answer. No straight talk about what we need to teach the future leaders of the fleet. Just political non-answers. We owe the taxpayer and the Fleet better than this.

"Miller said the difficulty with changing the curriculum at the Naval Academy is that many graduates need sufficient training to operate nuclear reactors in submarines or work with other cutting-edge technology in the surface fleet.

Only 12 percent to 13 percent of each graduating class enters the Marine Corps infantry field, officers who have been on the front lines in the war on terrorism. And among those, 50 percent are social science or humanities majors."

What a load of BS. Yes, engineering is important - but not for every Navy officer. As a matter of fact - the lack of a Liberal Arts or other non-engineering background is killing out Fleet. An engineer wants to load up a new class with all sorts of new, expensive, unproven equipment. Someone educated in logic and economics is more concerned with the possible and affordable.

Phew, harsh indictment of our engineers. Reminds of the BS vs. BA culture wars back at VMI.

Anyway, you can read the whole thing here.

Canadian Combat Art, Part 2

By Lt Col P

I got a note from Damian at The Torch. He tried to leave a comment on a previous post but for some reason it didn't go through. So, I asked him to send it again so I could put it up here.

I can't remember the exact comment, but it went something like this:

You may want to be careful riffing on the Canadian tendency to punctuate our sentences with "eh" - we're raised on hockey fights up here. ;)

In case any of your readers are interested, Johnson also embedded with U.S. Marines in Iraq awhile back, and visited Walter Reed too - some of his work from those efforts can be found here.

Thanks!

No. Thanks to y'all. Keep 'em coming.

Canadian Combat Art

By Lt Col P

Most of you regulars will know that I'm a big fan of my fellow Marine, Mike Fay's, combat art.

By way of The Torch, I have found his Canadian doppelganger.

Would that make Mr Johnson...

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The 9/11 Generation

By John

Dean Barnett has phenomenal piece up in The Weekly Standard on the young men and women who answered the call after September 11th.

I've spent much of the past two weeks speaking with young people (and a few not-so-young) who have made the decision to serve their country by volunteering for the military. Some of these men have Ivy League degrees; all of them are talented and intelligent individuals who--contrary to John Kerry's infamous "botched joke" ("Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq")--could have chosen to do anything with their lives. Having signed up, they have either gone to Iraq or
look forward to doing so. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media have underreported their stories.

One of the excesses of the 1960s that present-day liberals have disowned and disavowed since 9/11 is the demonization of the American military. While every now and then an unrepentant liberal like Charlie Rangel will appear on cable news and casually accuse U.S. troops of engaging in baby-killing in Iraq, the liberal establishment generally knows better. They "support" the American military--at least in the abstract, until it does anything resembling fighting a war.

As a proud member of the 9/11 Generation, I can't thank Dean enough for writing this piece. Same goes for The Weekly Standard, who in the course of one week has risen to the front lines of this ideological battle and defended the US military politically as fiercely as the US military defends them physically.

Progressives destroyed the reputation of the legions of honorable Vietnam Veterans and are trying to repeat history with my generation. You need to look no further than TNR's fiasco this week for proof of those efforts.

Dean Barnett, by the way, hasn't let up an inch on TNR and their lackluster handling of this matter. Here's the latest from Townhall's blog:

I’m not going to take it personally that Frank Foer [TNR's editor] turns into a Chatty-Kathy when Howard Kurtz calls, but has his secretary give me the runaround when I’m on the line. Besides, why would I care when he so completely revealed his agenda to Kurtz?

"A lot of the questions raised by the conservative blogosphere,” said Foer, “boil down to, would American soldiers be capable of doing things like the things described in the diarist. The practical jokes are exceptionally mild compared to things that have been documented by the U.S. military. Conservative bloggers make a bit of a living denying any bad news that emanates from Iraq."

See? This little quote shows just how much we differ. Foer apparently thinks the cruel mocking of an IED victim, the defiling of an Iraqi corpse, and the misuse of a Bradley fighting vehicle to run over dogs all qualify as “practical jokes.” I don’t.

But that’s not all Foer says. He even insists that the “practical jokes” are mild. Scratch that. He says they’re “exceptionally mild compared to things that have been documented.” This wonderful “defense” proves my point that the heart of Foer’s agenda has always been slandering the entire United States military and the 160,000 men and women who are serving in Iraq.

There you have it. Franklin Foer - supporting the troops as only he can.

Right. Foer takes off the editor's hat and dons his ideological fedora. And that's the only way that Scott Thomas' diary entries are believable.....you have to want to believe because it fits your narrative. Hook, line, sinker. Scott Thomas validated a narrative that TNR needed to be true, so they abandoned the very basics of journalistic integrity and ran an unchecked story by an anonymous source. Twin cardinal sins, even in the weird world of magazine journalism where the rules aren't as hard and fast as the newspaper realm.

By the way, credit to some progressives. They are absolutely creaming Foer in the comments section of his "we're investigating" post.The short skinny from their commentators? Hey, it ain't just conservative blogs who are concerned Scooter...

Good on em.

Kiwi receives the Victoria Cross

By Slab

This one's for my mate, Tony. As much shit as I give him about fornicating with sheep, you have to admit that those Kiwis are some pretty good dudes to have next to you, whether it's a gunfight or just having a couple of brews.

Cpl Willy Apiata of the New Zealand Special Air Service was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth's highest award for gallantry, for his actions in Afghanistan in 2004. Cpl Apiata is only the 14th recipient since the end of World War II, and the first Commonwealth recipient since Australian Warrant Officer Keith Payne received the award in 1969. His award is also the first to a serving member of the SAS anywhere in the Commonwealth.

The citation is available here, and the New Zealand Herald has a good writeup as well.

From the citation:

As the enemy pressed its attack towards Lance Corporal Apiata’s position, and without thought of abandoning his colleague to save himself, he took a decision in the highest order of personal courage under fire. Knowing the risks involved in moving to open ground, Lance Corporal Apiata decided to carry Corporal D singlehandedly to the relative safety of the main Troop position, which afforded better cover and where medical treatment could be given.

Well done, Cpl Apiata. You've done your countrymen, and all of us, proud.

H/t to Defense Tech.

Time To Buy Some Labatt

By Lt Col P

The Torch has a great idea. Good cause, good beer. What's not to like?

(They also stick to their own substantial peacenik population, not once but twice. If the title of that second link has some un-Canadian language, well, this is wartime and war's an ugly business. I'm glad to see them pulling no punches.)

Man, I love that site.

Op-For North?

By Lt Col P

Great Canadian milblog-- The Torch. Some inside baseball (inside hockey?) but lots and lots of good stuff on "Afstan" and related matters.

Dare I say that we've found Op-For North?

SUNDAY UPDATE: The Torch's Mark from Ottawa wrote back to me to say that they've linked to us, and he has another good site for us-- MilNet.CA. Outstanding!

Happy Birthday Hoo-Ahs!

By Lt Col P

To the U.S. Army-- 232 years old today!

"Since its birth on 14 June 1775—over a year before the Declaration of Independence—the United States Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of our Nation. Soldiers have fought more than 10 wars, from the American Revolution through the Cold War, the Gulf War, to the current War on Terrorism. This 232nd Birthday is a recognition of The Army's history, traditions, and service to the Nation, a Call To Duty, 232 Years of Service to Our Nation."

All of that, yes, but much more. More than can be written here, certainly.

So, to our man Charlie, to B5, to Joel, and to all our brethren in the Army, we say Happy Birthday!

Update: I emailed appropriate greetings to my BR Paul in Baghdad (Army LTC) and he replied-- "Yeah buddy!! 232 years of ass kicking for the nation!! Many celebrations here on Camp Victory..."

And Semper Fi To You Too, Eh

By Lt Col P

If you read the comments on our posts, you'll know that we have some loyal readers north of the border. First among them, the prima inter pares, is Deborah Aylward, who always has a kind word and usually signs off with "Veritas et Fidelis Semper."

Now that made me think, because it's close to the Marine Corps' "Semper Fi." But where else have I seen "Semper Fidelis" as a military unit motto? Then I remembered it, from a plaque in Breckenridge Hall, Quantico.

Read More »

Because They Stand on a Wall....

By John

...and say "nothing's going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch."

Yeah, that's pretty much what we're doing over there.

There's frustration and then there's hair-yanking frustation. The latter is what my mood ring flashes when I hear anti-war activists scream "Peace Now! US Out of Iraq!"

Peace for who? Not the Iraqi people, that's for sure. Peace activists don't really want peace. They want peace of mind. The US pulls out of Iraq and the whole thing becomes an Iraqi problem. C'mon, you don't really think MoveOn and International Answer would organize mass rallies against Al Qaeda and Iran if we pulled out, right?

Hotel Tango: Prosebeforehos via Uncle Jimbo

Two New Milblogs To Watch

By Lt Col P

I call to your attention two (2) new additions to the milblog world.

The first is Small Wars Journal, which has a blog but is much much more. The blog part attracts posts and comments from some real heavy hitters, like David Kilcullen and Bing West. Go sift through it all, bookmark it, make it a daily read. (Both editors are Marines; one, the unusually tall Bill Nagle, is a colleague (and then some) in my civilian job. I only found out the other day that he was doing this.)

The second is from the latest Marine Field Historian to go downrange, The Gunner's World, by CWO4 Mike Sears. Mike is the last of the Old Corps historians, and has been volunteering to somewheres East o' Suez for a long long time. He is en route even as we speak, so check him out in a few days. He has been doing great work in History Division, and I am eager to see what he finds out in Iraq.

The Navy Can Have Hickam AFB....

By John

When they pry it from our cold, dead hands!

Defense officials are refereeing a control-and-culture clash between the Air Force and its sister services over a requirement to create 12 "joint bases" out of 25.

The 25 bases, it seems, already are run by their favorite service.

The mandate for joint bases is part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure plan, which became law in November 2005. The Air Force is to manage six joint base sites, the Navy four and the Army two.

But the Air Force, which for decades has spent more proportionally on quality-of-life programs and facilities, is wringing its hands and, critics contend, dragging its feet over the prospect of giving the Navy control of Hickam Air Force Base in Hawai'i, Bolling Air Force Base near Washington D.C., and Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. It also expected to give the Army control of McChord Air Force Base in Washington state.

Air Force officials argue that their bases alone are "fighting platforms" for their aircraft and thus must be maintained in top form as the Navy strives to maintain its ships and the Army and Marine Corps sustain deployed ground forces.

Lex on the ownership shift:

Every time I mentioned to an Air Force officer that it seemed just possible that they were being profligate with the national fisc, what with all the bells and whistles that were in it on base, he’d reply that is wasn’t his fault that the Navy had to buy ships. Ships were expensive.
Which, while that was undeniably true, didn’t quite seem to answer the objection: After all, it wasn’t like we got loaded on a three-day bender in Vegas and blew all of our money on a bunch of aircraft carriers before waking up sheepish with a CVN ring on our finger. We are the Navy, after all. Ships are what we do.
And airfields in Oahu, it soon seems.

So: Welcome aboard, shipmates! Officer’s Call at 0700, quarters at 0715, breakfast at 0730 and don’t be late, because cleaning stations are at 0800 - mops and foxtails are in the ready service locker. GQ is at 1000 (don’t forget your MOPP gear), lunch at 1200, sweepers at 1400 and liberty call at 1630 for all personnel not actually on watch.

Like you’re going to be.

I can't tell you how much that last paragraph creeped me out.

But let's examine, for a moment, how each force operates. The Navy, as discussed, runs wars from their ships. So that's where the money goes. The Army and Marines operate in the field, so their money goes into tanks, helicopters, artillery, and the infantry. The Air Force fights from their bases, so....where do you think we stick our cash?

Answer: the golf course. Eh, half kidding...I think. Anyone who has played Marshallia at Vandenberg or Eisenhower at the Air Force Academy probably thinks I'm serious. People like...say, Lex:

I’m guessing the base at Hickam - a “crown jewel of the Pacific”, and hard by the much dowdier Naval Base Pearl Harbor - is probably not one of their preferred first candidates for testing purposes. If only for the golf course alone.

For our golf course Lex? Excuse me, I've played the Navy course right next door...

...and I can tell you, the Navy's cup has already runneth over.

New Destroyer Named

By Bull Nav

While I have a problem with some of the naming conventions we have chosen for our ships, submarines, and aircraft carriers, and with some of the individual names chosen of late, I have never had a problem with naming a combatant after MOH or Navy Cross winners. Which is why I was happy to see this yesterday:

You can read the whole article here.

One team--the Navy-Marine Corps team. ADM Arleigh Burke said upon the commissioning of the lead ship of the class bearing his name, "This ship was built to fight. You better know how." I think the crew will take it to heart. I would be honored to serve on it (even if I am a submariner).

A Step Backwards

By John

Bummer. The Aussie Army has banned milblogging.

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."

Hotel Tango: Chap @ Milblogs

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.

Poland Receives First F16s

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.

Milbloggers in the News

By John

Standby for link-fest.

Milblogging has been all over the mainstream media these last few days. Partly due to The Blog of War release, partly due to news that the Pentagon has dedicated a National Guard unit towards monitoring miblogs for OPSEC violations.

Noah Shachtman, Blackfive, and I did an interview with Wired magazine, already up on their main site. You can also hear the three of us on National Public Radio's Day to Day segment on Monday (not sure when exactly, but I've been promised the mp3 version when it airs).

Additionally, the AP ran a story earlier today on the new Pentagon milblog monitoring team. As did the Stars & Stripes. Both have the usual suspects, JP from Milblogging.com and Matt from Blackfive.

And yes, there's more. USA Today blogged the Pentagon story on Wednesday, with a completely inaccurate "Pentagon Moves Against Milbloggers" title, I might add. That's not what's happening.

Marc Danziger's Examiner piece, focused exclusively on The Blog of War, was somewhat less contentious. Not to mention one of the better BOW reviews that I've read.

And finally, The Salt Lake Tribune wrote a nice Sunday piece on the excellent miblog Wordsmith at War.

There seems to be a perfect storm forming around the milblogging movement, with the bloggers, the media, and the Pentagon merging to affect some sort of major change on the community. The exact change is -as they say- in the tea leaves. Let's hope it is a positive one.

Happy Birthday, Navy!

By Lt Col P

(One day late.)

Michelle Malkin reminded us all of the US Navy's 231st birthday yesterday. I'd like to add my good wishes as well, to all the docs, dentists, chaplains, corpsmen, EOD techs, naval gunfire officers, SEALs, pilots, coxswains, gunner's mates and the thousand other rates and ranks who serve with us in the Marine Corps and support us on the sea and in the air. The Navy is the service we love to hate, and sometimes I think the feeling is mutual. But when it's all said and done no one can keep the seas-- and sweep the seas-- like the good old US Navy.

Canada to NATO: Get with the Program

By Lt Col P

In line with John's post below, I found a great source of news on Canadians in Afghanistan on the Toronto Globe & Mail's site.

Here's one story from 10 Oct that struck me: "Canada slams NATO's Afghan role:"

OTTAWA — Canada's Defence Minister is confronting those NATO countries with troops deployed in relatively stable parts of Afghanistan — including Germany, France, Spain and Italy — saying they must lift the restrictions that prevent their soldiers from taking on the more dangerous tasks being shouldered by Canadians.

It's a problem that one former Canadian military leader says threatens the future of the 57-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization — an alliance founded on the principle that an attack against one of its members is an attack against all.

Point well made, Mr O'Connor.

Like I've said before and John said below, they may be small in numbers but they're professional, skilled, dedicated and willing. Damn glad to have them out there, only wish there were more.

Thru-Hiking PJs now deep inside Virginia

By Lt Col P

Got a nice email from Craig and David, the two USAF Pararescuemen who are hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail They wrote to say thanks for the link, and to report that they're at Route 60.

If they're at Route 60, they're very close to VMI. I sent a note to a good friend there suggesting that the AF ROTC department have a couple of motivated cadets make contact with them. I hope the word made its way to the right ears. If not, maybe someone will hear it now because they'll still be in reasonable driving distance of Lexington for a while yet.

If you haven't visited their site, Trail to Recovery, go there now. Drop 'em a line too. Anyone who's done any hiking on the AT will know that a couple days' hike is one thing, but to go from shelter to shelter every day for months on end takes exceptional dedication.

Air Force PJs Hike the A.T.

By Lt Col P

By way of WTOP in Washington DC, a great story about two USAF Pararescuemen hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail.

Did I mention that one was wounded in Afghanistan and underwent eleven surgeries to get him back on his feet?

Be sure to look at the updates page.

You can donate to the cause, too. And be sure to drop them an email. These guys are studs.

Rangel Punk-Slaps Chavez

By Lt Col P

Go to Drudge and read what U.S. Representative Charles Rangel said to hideous Hugo.

Read and be proud: "AN ATTACK ON BUSH IS AN ATTACK ON ALL AMERICANS... 'You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president."

That's what I've been waiting for-- any member of Congress or any prominent American to stand up and say to Chavez, "Look, f*ckface, shut your trap and hit the road. Americans can criticize other Americans, you don't rate an opinion."

And I finally heard one.

NATO Punk-Slaps Taliban

By Lt Col P

Looks like some positive developments coming out of the 'Stan.

WashTimes reports that Op Medusa has killed a large number of the Taliban's hard-core fighters. The Globe & Mail reports that Canadians were on the tip of the spear.

If Gen Jones' assessment is correct, then a couple of things are also true. First, NATO stood firm and did the deed, despite casualties and squawking in their home countries. Second, the Taliban miscalculated and paid the price for engaging in essentially conventional combat. Third, with the onset of the Afghan winter not too far off, the failure of the Taliban to gain control of the populace gives us the chance to exploit the victory with reconstruction and stabilization ops.

The Taliban will be back, later this year perhaps and certainly next year, but it is with these incremental operations that the war will be won.

The RCR and the Princess Pats

By Lt Col P

As we have noted here before, Afghanistan is heating up again. One analysis I heard was that the Taliban was seeking to gain ground before the winter sets in. NATO forces have dealt them some pretty heavy casualties, but hard fighting continues. An article in the Toronto Star today says that since 1 May, 21 Canadians soldiers have been killed.

I don’t know who is bearing what portion of the fighting there, but I do know that the Canadian soldiers deserve our thanks and praise for wading into the fight and taking on a tenacious and vicious foe.

The Star article mentions that one of the recent casualties was from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Four more casualties, earlier this month, came from the Royal Canadian Regiment, the senior infantry regiment in their army. The names of these famous units remind us of the British traditions that dominate the Canadian forces, where the regiment is not a tactical formation as it is, for example, in the Marine Corps, but rather a home, a family, a patria.

Go read about those units, and take a good look at their lineage and honors. If today they are small in numbers they strong in heart and arms. I’m glad they’re with us.

(Also, if you want a good account of just how tough were the Canadian divisions that went to France in 1914, read McBride's incomparable book, A Rifleman Went To War.)

Spouse Buzz Launches

By John

I'm proud to say that the First Lady of the Milblogosphere, in conjunction with our Viceroys at Military.com, have launched a new blog dedicated to hardest working folks in the military: the spouses.

Spouse Buzz:

Over the past year, I’ve received a lot of email from frustrated spouses, especially reserve and National Guard spouses who find themselves with a deployed spouse but without the local military infrastructure or support system available to active-duty spouses. We’re attempting to fill that void, and bring milspouses together with SpouseBUZZ, a great new blog devoted exclusively to life from the perspective of a milspouse. It’s not a Milblog per se, no politics, no military strategy, etc., this blog will focus solely on milspouse issues. The authors are incredible, and I’m sure they will provide a lot of support for their fellow military spouses.

If you're in the service, pass the word to your spouse. Then have him/her pass it on to the base spouse's club. Think pyramid scheme, only useful.

Spouse Buzz is going to help, big time. The folks at Military.com know benefits better than Congress, the Joint Chiefs, and most veteran associations out there....this will make your life as a member of the military family easier, guaranteed.

And it's free. Get to it!

NATO Takes the Fight to the Taliban

By Lt Col P

NATO and Afghan forces engage the Taliban in southern Afghanistan. Unfortunately, four Canadian soldiers were killed, one of them by friendly fire.

The Toronto Star has coverage here and here.

The intrepid Bill Roggio has coverage here.

Lightning From The Sky: ANGLICO Blogger In Iraq

By Lt Col P

By way of Andi's World I just found Lightning From The Sky, by Captain Charlie, a Marine in 2d ANGLICO now on duty in Iraq. He has some great posts, including a sad one today on one of their "'terps" who has just been killed.

Use his blog to learn something about ANGLICO too, if you have questions. That is a particular capability found only in the Marines.

I'd like to point out that Capt Charlie is one of the truly few and truly proud, the VMI Marines!

The Blackfive Interview Circuit

By John

Blackfive has a superb interview up with Marine Captain James Kimber up this evening, highly recommend you read the whole thing.

And, for reasons known only to Matt, he felt compelled to promote me to Colonel on Pundit Review Radio last night. Click here to listen to the segment.

"There is no easy way to do this"

By Maj P

4th Civil Affairs Group, a Marine reserve unit from Washington DC, heads back to Iraq for the third tour. The Washington Post-- I'll hold back the usual remark-- has a very good article on them.

To borrow B5's phrase, these are people we should all know. "With each deployment of the 4th CAG, the dangers in Iraq have increased. Even as this unit and others are being asked to shoulder a mission that carries a soaring amount of risk, top U.S. military leaders are telling Congress that they fear Iraq is sliding into civil war. Even as many here at home are wondering if the sacrifice has been worthwhile, these Marines speak earnestly of their patriotism and duty as they prepare to say goodbye to everything they love."

Semper Fi, Marines! Go get 'em.

This Is What Milblogging Is About

By Maj P

Matt at Blackfive interviews a Marine in Iraq.

This is what milblogging is all about. I enjoy pontificating and I think I provide some decent scratch analysis, but Matt just hit the proverbial nail right on its head.

The Silent Sentinels

By John

Pilots, love em we do, get all the glory. So let's pay homage to a professional team of unsung American heroes, the Air Force Missileers.

Manning 50 Launch Control Centers throughout the Plains and American northwest, missileers maintain a watchful, 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year vigil over the nation's 500 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.

They are a breed of warrior nearly unknown to the American people, a group almost completely removed from the public eye. Yet, despite the lack of recognition, the Missile Combat Crews have what is arguably the single most important job in the United States miilitary, silently manning the walls of the United States' nuclear aresenal.

And it's a tough job. FAS:

The duties of the missileers require a continuous, high level of mental alertness, combined with a schedule that provides very little off duty time. In their three-day rotation of alert/training/off, the day off may be only a half-day, creating stress within the missile officers' families; the stress is compounded by the feeling of isolation when missile bases are located in sparsely populated areas. Limited free time and the limited availability of social and recreational outlets can lead to chronic stress situations.

Here's to their sacrifice.

Someday, an ultimate class of warriors will evolve, too strong to be contested.

They will win their battles without having to fight, so at last the day may be won without having to shed a drop of blood.

~Sun Tzu, The Art of War

August 11, 2006 08:40 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (220)     TrackBack (2)

People We Should Know via Blackfive

By Maj P

Frequent readers of Blackfive's "Someone You Should Know" series need no invite to check that blog for amazing stories of courage and steadfastness. In case, however, new readers of Op-For aren't familiar with it, I suggest you go start with this. Amazing.

BTW, B5 also has a good post on Canadians in Afghanistan.

August 2, 2006 03:27 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (0)     TrackBack (0)

And in Other News....

By John

I'll be the guest of Pundit Review Radio --WRKO Boston--, this sunday at 9:20pm EST.

You can listen live here.

Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin & Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. This unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening at 8pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Leader. You can check out their blog daily at PunditReview.com. The blog was a finalist for a 2005 Weblog Award (The Oscars of the blogging world) in the media/journalist category along with such heavyweights as milblogger Michael Yon, the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto , Vanity Fair's James Walcott, syndicated columnist Mark Steyn and Slate's Mickey Kaus.

July 28, 2006 09:20 AM   Link    One Team One Fight

Elite Institutions and Military Service

By John

My National Review piece is up.

July 28, 2006 08:32 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (16)     TrackBack (0)

From an Undisclosed Location, With Love

By John

Got my first email from Charlie!

Hey John,

Writing with (very) limited net access from mob station. I’m not giving my location, unit, or anything else –but I thought I’d fill you in on what I’ve been up to. I spent three days at my home station armory doing staff officer work, prepping for movement, drawing new gear, and getting and giving briefings.

We ditched our Vietnam-era OD green equipment for the new MOLLE gear in the ACU pattern, and in short order we were shipped out across the country. Now let me tell you a little about mobstations:

No matter where they are, they are hot, dusty, have bad facilities, really bad food, and multiple layers of bureaucracy to go through to get anything done.

Read More »

Not only do you have to coordinate with your higher echelon to get something done, you have to go through your TSB (training support brigade), the post commander and staff, and contractors. None of these issues I can classify as “complaints,” however. (I know- if a soldier’s not complaining, something’s wrong…) I see most of the obstacles we will have to overcome at mobstation as important leadership challenges to overcome, that will better prepare myself and my unit for our deployment. If we can’t successfully coordinate basic issues like logistics, information sharing, and scheduling with people in America that can’t speak English –how will we do it in our host country, working with multinational partners, in different languages, with different customs, courtesies, and other delicacies to keep in mind. And I haven’t even gotten to the point of the mobstation yet: training!

A mobstation is basically a place where you park your unit and go through a checklist of tasks. As you complete each task, it is checked off and you are “validated.” This process starts on the individual level: can Private Smith shoot a weapon? Can Sergeant Snuffy call in a 9-line MEDEVAC? It then moves toward more collective training: Can 1st Platoon conduct convoy operations? Can B Company do a Cordon and Search? And eventually a culminating exercise at a major training area like JRTC or NTC: Can this battalion conduct SOSO (stability and support operations)? So right now, I’m a cog in the machine.

My days are long, with PT, training, staff duties, lugging around equipment, and giving constant briefings. I’m away from my family and my girlfriend, which –admittedly- sucks. However, I’m motivated about the mission and the opportunity to serve my country, and many guys in my unit are already talking about volunteering for another deployment. Spirits are high here, and even though the training is long, the weather is hot, and there are many trails yet to be marched, I’m doing pretty good.

Sorry I can’t blog, but I can e-mail. I’ll try to stay in touch and give you an update whenever I can. I also want to put out the word to thank the families of all the service members –they deal with more stress and emotions than the guys deploying here. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you get called up.

I’ve gotta run –duty calls. More to follow.

-Charlie

“Hail o Hail o Infantry, cause Nothing in this world is free.”

« Close It

July 26, 2006 04:57 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (13)     TrackBack (0)

Milblogs in the News

By John

JP Borda, the evil genius behind Milblogging.com (and fellow military.com blogger), was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal earlier this week.

Couple of other blogs, plus our slavemasters at Military.com, were mentioned.

Read the whole thing.

July 26, 2006 11:30 AM   Link    One Team One Fight

HAIFA USO Update

By Maj P

Here's an update my post on The Mother Of The Sixth Fleet. I called the USO to see if they had any news from Haifa. The very nice lady who returned my call told me that they closed that location a few years ago, needing to shift resources to other places with the rise of wartime ops. I can understand that, but it's sad to see.

However, I do hope Gilla is OK. If anyone knows or knows of any bloggers from Haifa, ask them if they know her. She's a fairly prominent citizen.

(Many thanks to all who put in comments. Matt at Blackfive also linked to it.)

July 26, 2006 04:00 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (8)     TrackBack (0)

THE MOTHER OF THE SIXTH FLEET

By Maj P

As I’ve watched the news reports from Haifa, I’ve wondered to myself, “What’s become of the Haifa USO?” Sailors and Marines who’ve done a Med float (or two) are probably familiar with that location, a little piece of home far away from home.

So I googled “Haifa USO” and got a few hits. Then I tried the name of the lady who runs it—Gilla (or Gila) Gerzon—and I got quite a few more. Here are some of them.

Israeli Offensive Backed By The People (scroll down to the end)

A One-Woman Whirlwind

The Mother Of The Sixth Fleet

And here’s mine: I am proud to say that I have met Gila Gerzon. It was back in ’94, on my second float with 24th MEU (SOC). We had just come back from the expedition to burn the Philadelphia in Tripoli harbor… Ha ha, it wasn’t that Old Corps, in fact we had just come from Somalia after the covering the withdrawal there, and we were due for some liberty before resuming our exercise schedule in the Med.

Right before we pulled in, the MEU S-3 and the CO pulled me in and told me they had a job for me. The lady who ran the USO in Haifa not only provided a nice place for the sailors and Marines to go relax, she had also, solely on her own initiative, constructed a memorial park to the 243 men who were killed in Beirut in 1983. It was high atop Mount Carmel, and whenever ships pulled in it was SOP to have a small ceremony up there. Someone had to plan it, someone had to go with her while she planned her end of it, and that someone was 1stLt P.

I was not pleased, because the task lopped three days off my liberty schedule, but what could I do? It was important for the CO, and therefore I made it important for me. Besides, he’s not the kind of guy you say “no” to.

A burden became a privilege. I met Gilla, and went with her all over Haifa while she saw to a million little details. And I learned a few things about Haifa and her memorial. It was on choice real estate, if I remember correctly, and she got the land donated. 241 olive trees lined a path that extended to an overlook on the edge of the mountain, and the axis of the path pointed toward Beirut. All of this she did on her own, only because she loved the Americans who came through Haifa and wanted to make sure that no one in her country forgot those who died in Beirut.

She later had a tree planted in my name in the Mt Carmel National Forest. I have the certificate to prove it. I’ll see if I can dig it up, and some photos too, and maybe post them later.

So when you see the reports from Haifa, know that a great friend of the United States is there under fire, and say a silent prayer for her, all her good works, and her countrymen.

July 23, 2006 03:12 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (17)

The Same War

By John

Throughout Israel's short existence, America has stood on the sidelines of the Jewish-Arab conflict.

But that was during the days of the Cold War, when the Russian juggernaut used its Arab allies to maintain influence in the region. The Israel-Arab conflict, from the Sinai in '56 to the first Intafada, were proxy wars, with Jews and Arabs playing out the role of pawns in the global chessmatch between the Eagle and the Bear.

But when the wall fell, the Islamists rose. New York, Saudi, Bali, Chechenya, London, Madrid; the war that Israel fought for decades has become global.

Does anyone disagree that we are fighting the same war as the Israelis, against the same enemy?

We stand as democracies, they as terrorists. Perhaps it is time that we treat the proxy war as history, the Syrians and Iranians as enemies, and Israel as a real ally.

July 14, 2006 10:49 AM   Link    One Team One Fight ~ The Long War     Comments (608)     TrackBack (3)

And In Other Marine Corps News...

By Maj P

The Corps' V-22 Osprey program continues to gather speed and momentum.

Last month, a pair of the tiltrotor aircraft flew from MCAS New River to MCAS Miramar in preparation for this month's transatlantic flight to the Farnborough International Airshow. (Great photo in that article.)

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263), is scheduled to come on line next summer. That will be a long-awaited and truly revolutionary leap in capabilities.

Maj P

July 8, 2006 04:45 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (365)

Gunny D's Retirement

By Maj P

As John is executing a PCS and Charlie appears in a mountain time zone city known as a fun destination (!), I'll be your weekend host. (Charlie: pics can be sent to vmijpp@hotmail.com. They'll be safe with me.)

I grabbed some extra time at chow yesterday and attended the retirement ceremony for a great friend and old comrade in arms, Gunnery Sergeant D. Gunny D was in my old reserve unit, a Marine artillery battery. I was there for about seven years; he was there for his entire career. As we all wax nostalgic at events like that, I started thinking about some things.

Gunny D's retirement was the end of an era for that unit. He was the only Marine still there who had been there when they were mobilized and sent to the Gulf War. They had their share of excitement in that 100-hour war; a full-on fight with Iraqi armor (with small arms and their M198s in direct fire), several Marines wounded, one killed. That was before my time, but apparently Gunny D was one of the star performers even as a junior NCO.

Fast-forward to February 1995. 1stLt P steps aboard, eager to restart his artillery career after a rocky active duty tour. SSgt D, no longer a junior Marine in any sense, is a platoon sergeant and his particular stamp can be seen all across the gunline. As well as training his section chiefs and his cannoneers, Gunny D also trained a 1stLt! Later when I rose through the officer ranks and eventually became CO, Gunny D was the rock on which we founded and re-founded the battery.

Most people think of the reserve side as being the easier of the two components. Not true. To be a good reservist, you need to build your life around the drill schedule. You miss opening days of deer season, you reschedule exams, you miss NASCAR races (a big deal in certain parts of the nation!), and your family life and employment take a lot of hits. To do this well for four or six years takes commitment. Do to it for twenty years takes extraordinary commitment.

So, as the ceremony was wrapping up, Gunny D was thanking a pair of 1stSgts who had formed him and trained him, and who were both in the audience. I couldn't help but think that, maybe, fifteen years from now, there will be a retirement ceremony on the same spot (hell, with a lot of the same people), and that Marine will go on about how Gunny D taught him, trained him, kept him in line, and how he used those lessons when he trained his Marines. That's how traditions and discipline are handed down, folks. And that's the essence of being a Marine.

Maj P

July 8, 2006 04:33 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (8)     TrackBack (0)

New Pasture, Greener Fields

By John

The lovely ladies of Euphoric Reality have moved to a brand, spankin' new home. And, unlike our lazy asses, they actually did the design work and coding themselves.

Not bad eh?

Give em a look and a link, there's a reason that they were one of the top ten milblogs of 2005.

June 25, 2006 09:33 AM   Link    One Team One Fight

Happy Birthday, Soldiers

By Maj P

Today is the US Army's 231st birthday. Make sure you pass on the appropriate HOO-AHs to any and all you know who have worn that uniform. They have every right to be proud of it.

Happy birthday, soldiers!

Maj P

June 14, 2006 01:35 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (0)     TrackBack (0)

Canada Gets A Wakeup Call

By Maj P

Good counterterrorist work north of the border. Whether this jolts them into stronger action in operations overseas remains to be seen. I, for one, would welcome it.

Maj P

June 3, 2006 11:37 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (2)     TrackBack (1)

Finish the Job!

By Charlie

Owen West, writing (in all places) in the New York Times, hits one out of the park. He calls national unity on finishing the job in Iraq, and taking the fight to the terrorists who have been at war with this country for decades.

Somehow Operation Iraqi Freedom, not a large war by America's historical standards, has blossomed into a crisis of expectations that threatens our ability to react to future threats with a fist instead of five fingers. Instead of rallying we are squabbling, even as the slow fuse burns.

One party is overly sanguine, unwilling to acknowledge its errors. The other is overly maudlin, unable to forgive the same. The Bush administration seeks to insulate the public from the reality of war, placing its burden on the few. The press has tried to fill that gap by exposing the raw brutality of the insurgency; but it has often done so without context, leaving a clear implication that we can never win.

In the past, the American public could turn to its sons for martial perspective. Soldiers have historically been perhaps the country's truest reflection, a socio-economic cross-section borne from common ideals. The problem is, this war is not being fought by World War II's citizen-soldiers. Nor is it fought by Vietnam's draftees. Its wages are paid by a small cadre of volunteers that composes about one-tenth of 1 percent of the population — America's warrior class.

The insular nature of this group — and a war that has spiraled into politicization — has left the Americans disconnected and confused. It's as if they have been invited into the owner's box to settle a first-quarter disagreement on the coach's play-calling. Not only are they unprepared to talk play selection, most have never even seen a football game.

This confusion, in turn, affects our warriors, who are frustrated by the country's lack of cohesion and the depiction of their war. Iraq hasn't been easy on the military, either. But the strength of our warriors is their ability to adapt.
...
We are clashing with an enemy who has been at war with us in one form or another for two decades. Our military response may take decades more. We have crossed several rivers and the nation is hoping that ahead lie streams. But if they are oceans, we should heed Lincoln's call: "With malice toward none, with charity for all ... let us strive on to finish the work we are in."

Hooah, sir.

May 29, 2006 03:59 PM   Link    Leadership ~ One Team One Fight ~ Strategery ~ The Long War     Comments (4)     TrackBack (0)

Tire Not. Engage.

By John

My friend Steve Schippert of Threats Watch had some choice words for our domestic anti-war politicos earlier today.

Why is the defense of this nation a political issue at all? There are those who will argue that it is the manner in which we defend ourselves that is at issue.

That, my friends, is a convoluted disingenuous sheen of reason upon the unreasonable.

A former Attorney General currently vociferously defends a mass murdering dictator deposed by our own forces. An icon of the self-loathing anti-American academic Left, Noam Chomsky, embraces Hizballah, the chief beneficiary of Iran's terror export, and condemns the War on Terror as bigotry wrapped in fiction. A former Vice President travels to the home of fifteen 9/11 hijackers and professes that Arabs had been "indiscriminately rounded up" by America and its sitting president and held in "unforgivable" conditions.

These are not arguments of the manner in which to defend America. These are sycophantic rantings of whether to defend her. The flood of emotions in disbelieving reaction range from anger and rage to depression and grief.

We dare not rest as the most important front of the War on Terror and for the very survival of Western Civilization lies not upon the sands of distant shores, but in our own common discourse. The most important battlegrounds are around our dinner tables and in intelligent and persuasive common sense discussion among our peers, seeking the discomfort of battle and the very defense of defense rather than the comfort and unproductive endeavor of agreement among friends.

The line has been clearly drawn. Tire not. Engage.

Beautiful. The War on Terror isn't gay marriage or stem cell research or abortion. It isn't a topic that should be debated during high school forensics matches. We have a category here at Op For called "One Team, One Fight." Charlie and I are constantly searching for examples of one America, one war, one fight. It's how things should be, but aren't. There shouldn't even be a need for a category that recognizes something Americans should be doing in the first place.

Steve ended on a positive note and I agree. Ignore petty politics, fight the good fight, tire not and engage.

May 24, 2006 07:11 PM   Link    Leadership ~ Moonbattery ~ One Team One Fight     Comments (8)     TrackBack (0)

Introductions All Around

By John

Sgt. Hook wants you to meet Army Spc. Mladen Sudarevic. So do I.

May 24, 2006 12:25 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (0)     TrackBack (0)

Milblogs

By John

Guys, I'm not kidding. This new "Corner" style milblogger-forum is awesome.

Click, bookmark, and read. Don't stop until you've scraped the bottom of the page.

May 19, 2006 09:15 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (0)     TrackBack (0)

Navy Keeping a Close Eye on the Gulf

By Charlie

OPFOR's ever-vigilant Navy PAO sent me a link to this NPR story:

Coalition Forces Watch Over Iraq's Oil Platforms

In the southern waters off Iraq, the patrol ship USS Whirlwind keeps a constant vigil over two offshore oil-transfer platforms that are indispensable to Iraq. Some sailors call them the crown jewels.

The oil platforms bear the scars of a turbulent history: bullet holes and other damage from the Iran-Iraq war and also from the first Gulf War.

U.S. naval personnel work together with Iraqi marines to protect the oil platforms. On the al-Bashrah oil terminal, known as ABOT, the Iraqis live in a large building at one end called the White House, which has sleeping quarters and a mess hall. At the other end of the platform, the Americans live in converted cargo containers, piled three high.

These guys are doing some tough work. There aren't many stories about all the work the Navy is doing to train the Iraqi Navy, probably because the Bahgdad hotels most reporters file their balcony dispatches from aren't within eyesight of the coastline. Here's a bonus link on the USS Ogden "the Navy's oldest active amphibious ship, is currently serving as the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) for the multinational maritime coalition operating in the North Persian Gulf., that is also working to train Iraqi sailors and Marines."

This graf caught me at the end of the piece:

In addition to protecting the terminals from terrorists and suicide bombers, the forces also have their eyes on the Iranian navy, which often intrudes several hundred yards into Iraqi waters.

Captain Pat Roane of the USS Lake Champlain says that coalition forces regularly have to tell the Iranian navy to back off.

Really? Hmmm...

May 17, 2006 01:54 PM   Link    Iran ~ One Team One Fight ~ The Long War     Comments (595)     TrackBack (1)

Oh....Canada

By John

Canadian Conservatives want to extend their Afghanistan mission until 2009.

Canadian liberals, however, do not.

May 15, 2006 09:18 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (4)     TrackBack (1)

We Have Our Own Month?

By John

May is National Military Appreciation Month.

Hell I didn't know that.

Hey, notice that "Support the Troops" link we've got? Use it!

H/T Malkin

May 7, 2006 05:04 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (2)     TrackBack (0)

Looking for a Few Good Bloggers

By John

Got this in mail earlier....

You may have heard that CJ from A Soldier's Perspective is "retiring". Actually, he's not retiring, he's just old and balding. He's afraid that people will notice, as if showing up half sparkle-headed at the Milblog Conference helped.

In reality, A Soldier's Perspective is taking a new direction. In the tradition set by No End But Victory, CJ is transforming the ASP site into a multi-soldier, multi-marine forum. Are you a soldier or marine who would like to start a blog but just don't have the time to maintain a full-time blog? Was your blog shut down by Big Brother? Why was your Big Brother deployed with you to begin with? Are you still wetting your cot? If so, this is the place to talk about it.

A Soldier's Perspective is just that, a perspective from the point of view of a soldier or marine. If you're deployed, talk about the deployment. Post about something great that happened to you while on patrol. Post something not so great about that one MRE that had you constipated for 4 days before you erupted. Post about anything you like that has to do with military topics. If you can connect the dots between the Olsen Twins, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and your military service you can post about it (mmmm....Olsen Twins!!). There is really only one rule: no profanity! ASP readers are a sophisticated bunch who fart in private, pick their nose under the protection of cotton hankie, and wash their hair more than once a week.

CJ does not make any money of the site and doesn't charge to become a member. The ads don't even pay enough to run the site. If you've got something to say and want an immediate audience of hardcare readers, contact CJ and tell him you'd like a profile to post. You can email him directly at cj@soldiersperspective.us or visit www.soldiersperspective.us and contact him through the site.

Remember, the story you don't tell is the story the media doesn't care about. And while no one knows exactly what that means, it sounds VERY good.

If you're an aspiring milblogger who wants to reach a broad audience quickly, I can't think of a better opportunity....

May 5, 2006 04:27 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (2)     TrackBack (1)

Harvard....Getting It?

By John

Harvard Students Debriefed on Military Culture

How would the U.S. military interact with non-governmental organizations if American troops staged a humanitarian intervention in Sudan next year?

That question was the focus of seminars at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., attended by six Harvard undergraduates this past Friday.

The students, along with five fellows from the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, toured the college as part of the center’s “Military and American Democracy” study group.

The trip, co-sponsored by the International Relations Council, served as a “capstone event for our seminar,” according to a fellow and study group leader, Colonel Charles Hooper. “The purpose of both the seminar and the visit was to familiarize undergraduates with the education, culture, role, and missions of the American military,” he said.

Along with the seminars, the students visited the institution’s war-game facilities and historical sites and dined at the officers’ club overlooking Narragansett Bay.

“It really shows you what military leaders need to take into account in planning and executing operations,” said Vivek Viswanathan ’09, another attendee.

The Naval War College exists in large part to educate military and government officials in strategy and technology developments.

“There’s a tendency to think that all military leaders learn is to shoot people and blow things up,” Hooper said. “I think the students got a good appreciation for the broad strategic knowledge, language, history, philosophy, information management, politics, and economics that are all elements of the education of the modern military,” he added.

Hooper stressed the importance of overcoming common stereotypes about armed forces personnel. He said that Harvard students—as future leaders—should understand the “true role of the military in American society.”

6 brainiacs down, 19,494 to go. And credit to the University for keeping members of the Taliban out of their student body.

Taking notes Yale?

May 1, 2006 08:49 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (1)     TrackBack (0)

Support Bill Roggio

By John

I just sent the dude a ten-spot. I know it doesn't sound like much, but hey! It's Afghanistan. One Alexander Hamilton should put him up in the Kabul Hilton for a month. He's also headed to the horn of Africa and back to Iraq later this year.

I'm really excited about the new Counterterrorism Blog in general. Guys like Roggio, Yon, and Totten are the cure for the cancer of slipshod war reporting. I figured it was time to put my money where my mouth was and help a blogga out.

April 29, 2006 11:37 AM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (1)     TrackBack (0)

Conference AAR pt. 2

By John

I know that I'm coming in late on this whole after-action thing, but after a weekend like that, I needed some decompression time.

I think that the best way to recap the event isn't to detail the panels or the speeches, but the people who I was lucky enough to interact with while I was there. So here's part 2:

Met LaShawn Barber on the elevator first thing in the morning. What a classy broad.

SMASH declared himself chief of the fashion police. If Matt wasn't getting it for his neon-green shirt, I was getting it for my pre-torn jeans. SMASH called the look white trashy, I called it "broken in preppy." You say tomato and all that. He's a sharp dude (for an Annapolis grad and all). And someone should get him his own radio show. Stat.

I found myself wishing that I could have spent more time chewing fat with John Donovan, as we see eye to eye on the art of milblogging. The Castle was one of those milblogs I read before I started blogging, so finally meeting the guy was an experience.

Steve Schippert. I can not say enough nice things about this dude. I think everyone on Panel #1 agreed that Steve was the star of our show. And his commentary on the conference was nothing short of brilliant.

AWTM refused to believe that I read her blog (which I totally do), probably because I forgot to include her when I was setting up OpFor's blogroll. She gets the best volunteer ever award for making sure our gift bags were stuffed full of "the good stuff." She was a blast at the pub-crawl, where she developed a new marketing strategy for Blackfive.

I was really pleased to be able to meet with two guys who are on my frequent email list, Murdoc and Instapinch. Those two, Charlie, myself, and Matt had a long pow-wow over dark beers and Johnny Walker that I wish I could have recorded.

The First Lady. I met her apprx. half an hour before go time, half expecting to find a nervous wreck. Quite the opposite, she was cheerful and upbeat, gave Charlie and I hugs before ushering me backstage to get miked up. Andi did an amazing job with this whole dog and pony show, kudos to her. And she promised me that she caught up on her sleep yesterday, hooah.

***Charlie says:
Check out the BBC story on the Milblog Conference

Read More »

Jimbo kept reminding me that I need to fight. For my right. To party. And LTs Sparky and Lumpy? wtf? Uncle J laid out his vision for the milblog wire and gathered the endorsements of the top names in milblogging for his run at White House press secretary. Jimbo para la secretaria prensa!

If talks of a petition to keep CJ blogging are true, somebody please pass it my way.

Kit and Heidi. It's hard not to like girls who are constantly grinning from ear to ear. And Heidi was quick with an "it's okay" smile whenever I was having one of my "what the hell am I doing up here?" moments on the panel.

Capt B is another one who I wish I talked with a bit more. I think we got apprx. one minute of chat-time in before either one of us got pulled in another direction. I remember looking at his 6-foot infinite frame and immediately feeling bad for the Iraqi insurgency.

You've probably already heard stories about Chuck's one-liners, I'm here to tell you that whatever you heard wasn't exaggerated. The guy had me in tears I was laughing so hard. When he wasn't passing out "Get Out of Hell Free" cards to everyone, he was ordering Jimbo shirley temples. Gyarrrr! His wife Carren is just as sharp as he is, watching panel 2 was like watching an episode of The Honeymooners meets Married With Children.

It made my day to meet Maj P from Rule 308. Not only is he an official historian of the Uncle Sam's Misguided Children, he's a fellow VMI man to boot. And small world that it is, he roomed with a certain VMI tactical officer who loved to inspect Charlie and I. Constantly. Must get stories next time we cross paths.

Ran into Grim from Grim's Hall at the pub. Grim was cool and all, but what we were really interested in was a one Eric Blair, who is a frequent reader/commenter here at OpFor and contributor at Grim's Hall. Eric is our local Know-It-All-in-Chief, and is constantly letting Charlie and I know how ill-informed we are. I'm breaking balls of course, he's one of our best readers and he'll show up to next year's conference if he knows what's good for him.

And speaking of favorite readers, what a pleasure it was meeting Boston Maggie. Maggie has been with us almost from the beginning, seeing her in person was a real treat. Plus she gave Charlie cigars and had a funny accent. We liked her immediately.

Got about two seconds with Dad Manly, more next year.

I've exchanged emails with Maj L from Kosovo Dad for a while now, was great meeting him. I hope he's a panelist next year....he's both an army PAO and a blogger, making him an indispensable addition to the milblogging family.

I'm still pissed that I didn't get to talk with Bill Roggio.

Maj. P introduced me to Mike Fay from Fire and Ice. At first I couldn't remember who he was, until he told me that he was on of the official sketch artists for the USMC. Light bulb. Remembered Malkin linking to his stuff a few months back. Took a second look at his page as soon as I got home, and I'm now feeling damn glad to have met him.

There were so many others I've lost count. I met so many great people that I felt drunk afterwards. Actually that may have been a result of the pub-crawl, but ya'll get the point. Lots of folks are doing recaps, but I've got to pimp the Mother of All Podcasts one more time. If you missed the conference, it's the next best thing to being there.

« Close It

April 24, 2006 08:01 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (138)     TrackBack (4)

Party at Fran O'Brien's!

By John

Free tomorrow night? Live in the DC area? Then I highly recommend reporting as ordered to Fran O'Brien's Steakhouse at 830 Friday evening for booze, beer, and bloggers...milbloggers to be exact. This is a great chance to talk one on one with all of your favorite milbloggers, like Blackfive, SMASH, CJ, the Euphoric Reality girls, Andi, the list goes on.

I wish I could make it, but I'll be catching the redeye out of LAX tomorrow evening.........

April 20, 2006 09:52 PM   Link    One Team One Fight ~ Supporting the Troops     Comments (0)     TrackBack (0)

Pentagon to Launch Milblog Study

By John

So sayeth Defense Industry Daily, which writes:

The "blogosphere" has experienced 6000% growth since 2003, played a role in both reporting and aid coordination in the wake of terror attacks and disasters, and even birthed a whole genre called "MilBlogs" that are often penned by soldiers in the field. Which may explain why the Defense Science Board will conduct a study this summer on the military implications of Internet search engines, online journals and blogs.

Kenneth Krieg, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics and a former Defense Science Board member, requested the study on "Information Management for Net-Centric Operations" to help evaluate the implications of the information network boom. "'Googling' and 'blogging' are making their way into military operations at all levels," Krieg wrote. "But the full implications of this revolution are as yet unknown, and we have no clear direction and defined doctrine." Krieg called access to information and collaboration among those who play a role in these missions "the lifeblood of military and civil-military operations."

Joe at Winds of Change writes:

I suppose it's too much to hope for JDAMs targeted at the 100 or so problem children that make up most of the spammer universe....

Heh, indeed.

Meanwhile Blackfive is hoping that the Defense Science Board brings some real blogging experts:

Note to DoD's DSB: I sure hope your "experts" include some folks who know how blogs, bloggers, and their communities work...Blog (Hugh Hewitt) and Army of Davids (Glenn Reynolds) authors for starters.

I couldn't agree more, although while I agree Reynolds and Hewitt are the top dogs as far as the art of blogging is concerned, they need to bring in some of the veteran milbloggers like Matt and Greyhawk on this one. Those guys understand blogging, they understand the military, and they understand the implications of smashing the two together.

April 18, 2006 01:00 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (4)     TrackBack (0)

Who Said the Brits Can't Project Force?

By John

Glad they're on our team, although I do wish they'd pony up and get a real aircraft carrier.

April 14, 2006 11:21 PM   Link    One Team One Fight     Comments (18)     TrackBack (1)