The Blogger
United States Navy veteran (Airdale S-3 Vikings) now land-locked in Idaho the most conservative state in the Union. I am a father of four and remain happily married to the same woman for more than twenty years! My oldest son is a paratrooper in the US Army. My second son is a member of the Army ROTC at the University of Idaho.
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Kandahar, Afghanistan Time
30 July 2009
So why are gas prices so high?
Everyone has noted the rise in gas prices over the past several months. I want to know why they are so high when demand is DOWN!!!!
Exxon Mobil Corp.'s second-quarter profit tumbled a bigger-than-expected 66% amid weak demand, falling margins and slumping prices.Read about it at at The Wall Street Journal.
Labels: Economics
29 July 2009
War Is Not Complicated
Bing West, former Marine officer and author of The Strongest Tribe, gives his take in the Wall Street Journal on how we will win in Afghanistan.
War is not complicated. You have to separate the guerrilla forces from the population and kill them until they no longer want to continue. Al Qaeda, dominated by Arabs, is finished inside Afghanistan. The Taliban are Afghans, to be dealt with by Afghans. As he did in Iraq, Gen. Petraeus wants to recruit local forces to protect their own villages. That will expand the Afghan forces to 300,000 and stabilize the situation. On patrols, Afghan soldiers spot the enemy 10 times more frequently than do coalition solders. Afghan soldiers are brave, hardy, ill-disciplined, individualistic, temperamental and trustworthy.
Labels: GWOT
15 July 2009
4th BCT, 82nd Airborne, Block Leave
We just enjoyed two wonderful weeks with my son at home on block leave prior to his deployment to southern Afghanistan with 4/82. Funny thing, he had a 0600 flight out of Raleigh-Durham that he was sweating because he ended up being scheduled for a 2300 night jump just prior. Luckily they jumped at 2100 and he made the flight with time to spare.
His best buddy presented him with a jump ready RMJ Tactical Tomahawk, he was totally stoked. He can carry that along with the other 3 or 4 large blades he has. All I can say is he is a warrior that is ready to go.
His best buddy presented him with a jump ready RMJ Tactical Tomahawk, he was totally stoked. He can carry that along with the other 3 or 4 large blades he has. All I can say is he is a warrior that is ready to go.
Labels: Warriors
02 July 2009
That's Rangeriffic!!!
Death Blossom: The tendency of Iraqi security forces, in response to receiving a little fire from the enemy, to either run away or do the "death blossom" spraying fire indisciminately in all directions. The term originated in the 1984 movie "The Last Starfighter" as a maneuver in which a single starfighter can single handedly wipe out an entire armada.
01 July 2009
MRAP Replacement (M-ATV by Oshkosh)
Given that my son is heading to Afghanistan in the very near future (He is home on block leave as I type this) this is of great interest to the both of us.
The Army Times reports:
Oshkosh to make new M-ATV, Pentagon says
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 1, 2009 12:19:34 EDT
Oshkosh Corp. has won a $1 billion contract to build new, mine-resistant vehicles for off-road use in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Tuesday, with soldiers and Marines expected to receive the bulk.
The Wisconsin-based vehicle maker will oversee production of 2,244 heavily anticipated Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles, and the order could grow to as many as 10,000 M-ATVs, Pentagon officials have said.
The M-ATV is needed to provide the same type of protection expected of the MRAP while offering additional mobility, top Pentagon officials have said. MRAPs have struggled with the rocky terrain in Afghanistan.
On June 2, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council approved a plan for 5,244 M-ATVs to be built, said Cheryl Irwin, a Pentagon spokeswoman. The plan calls for the Army to receive 2,598, with the Corps getting 1,565, Special Operations Command receiving 643, the Air Force getting 280 and the Navy receiving 65. An additional 93 vehicles would be set aside for testing, Irwin said.
Because of the Pentagon’s urgent demand for these vehicles, Oshkosh began daily production on its manufacturing line a few weeks ago and may enlist the help of others to increase production, company officials said in statement. Oshkosh beat out three other teams to build the M-ATV: BAE Systems, Navistar International Corp., and Force Dynamics, a joint venture between General Dynamics Corp. and Force Protection Inc.
The Army Times reports:
Oshkosh to make new M-ATV, Pentagon says
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 1, 2009 12:19:34 EDT
Oshkosh Corp. has won a $1 billion contract to build new, mine-resistant vehicles for off-road use in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Tuesday, with soldiers and Marines expected to receive the bulk.
The Wisconsin-based vehicle maker will oversee production of 2,244 heavily anticipated Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles, and the order could grow to as many as 10,000 M-ATVs, Pentagon officials have said.
The M-ATV is needed to provide the same type of protection expected of the MRAP while offering additional mobility, top Pentagon officials have said. MRAPs have struggled with the rocky terrain in Afghanistan.
On June 2, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council approved a plan for 5,244 M-ATVs to be built, said Cheryl Irwin, a Pentagon spokeswoman. The plan calls for the Army to receive 2,598, with the Corps getting 1,565, Special Operations Command receiving 643, the Air Force getting 280 and the Navy receiving 65. An additional 93 vehicles would be set aside for testing, Irwin said.
Because of the Pentagon’s urgent demand for these vehicles, Oshkosh began daily production on its manufacturing line a few weeks ago and may enlist the help of others to increase production, company officials said in statement. Oshkosh beat out three other teams to build the M-ATV: BAE Systems, Navistar International Corp., and Force Dynamics, a joint venture between General Dynamics Corp. and Force Protection Inc.
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