This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Military issues

  • Military helicopter crashes in Leonardtown, MD

    Military helicopter crashes in Leonardtown, MD

    Bobo sends the news that a military helicopter crashed on the third hole of a golf course in Leonardtown, Maryland.

    Southern Maryland News Network reports that one of the crew has been found dead at the scene.

    First responders arrived on scene to find a large U.S. military helicopter crashed on the third hole of the golf course. It was initially reported, one occupant self extricated himself, while two additional military personal remained trapped. During an extensive extrication, One of the occupants was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.

    From the pictures, it looks like a UH-60 Blackhawk.

  • “C” and “R” devices

    “C” and “R” devices

    The Military Times discusses Defense Department plans to add “C” and “R” devices to the inventory of accouterments and appurtenances for military awards. The “C” is for medals that are awarded for combat on awards that aren’t already designated for combat awards – it would be attached on the service Achievement and Commendation Medals, for example. The “R” is for remote participation in combat like for drone operators.

    Here’s the helpful graphic that Military Times used;

    “C” device. Recognizes meritorious service or achievement under combat conditions, and authorized only if the service or achievement was performed while personnel were exposed to hostile action or significant risk:

    […]

    The “R” device. Recognizes hands-on employment of a weapon system or other war-fighting activities with direct and immediate impact on an operation. The device appears intended for drone operators, cyber warfare specialists and others who contribute to battlefield initiatives while not directly exposed to hostile action or significant risk:

  • DPRK Readying Next Nuke Test

    NDtBF is at it again- can’t feed his people but he can afford to pop another A-Bomb, and soon.

    ‘“The test could come as early as the end of the month,” said one official.’

    Both the Russians and the US have prepositioned surveillance aircraft to the area to monitor the air post blast. Ours is an Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix bird, and the Russians have deployed an Antonov An-30R reconnaissance aircraft.

    “The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about North Korea’s ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead and eventually place it on a ballistic missile. Each missile brings North Korea closer to achieving that goal, according to defense analysts.

    In his New Year’s address, Kim Jong-un said his nation has “entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles.”

    Earlier this month North Korea launched four ballistic missiles, which landed 190 miles from Japan, an indication North Korea was simulating a more sophisticated attack to overwhelm anti-ballistic missile systems in Japan.”

    No doubt this is partly in response to SecState Tillerson’s comments concerning the Norks and their weapons programs:

    “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, in a visit to South Korea, said if North Korea increased “the threat of their weapons program” to an unacceptable level, the Trump administration would consider action. “The policy of strategic patience has ended,” Mr. Tillerson said.”

    Sounds like the grownups are in charge, and Laughing Boy isn’t happy about it.

    More Here.

     

     

  • Gee . . . Thanks, SCoaMF

    Iran recently tested a new and highly sophisticated air defense system.  They obtained the system from Russia.

    The system is based on Russia’s S-300 missile.  The NATO designation for the original system is the SA-10; since the original version was first deployed in the late 1970s, Iran doubtless received a more modern variant.  The first linked article is unclear regarding precisely which S-300 variant Iran received.

    The S-300/SA-10 system and its descendants are quite capable.  They are regarded as some of the best currently-deployed air defense missile systems in the world.

    So, why do I say – completely sarcastically, of course – “Gee . . . thanks, SCoaMF” in the title above?  Read on.

    It seems that Iran and Russia signed the contract for Iran to purchase the system back in 2007; the system was to cost Iran $800 million.  However, international sanctions associated with Iran’s nuclear program prevented delivery.

    The US-Iran nuclear      giveaway      “deal” removed those sanctions. That in turn allowed Russia to deliver the system to Iran last year.

    And anyone with the common sense to pour p!ss out of a boot knew a priori exactly that would happen.

    In other words:  the previous       gang of utterly naïve imbeciles screwing things up “by the numbrs” in  DC        Administration in effect approved delivery of that system to Iran.  So in the event of hostilities with Iran US military aviators will now have to face one of the most sophisticated SAM threats in the world – a threat that wasn’t present prior to the US-Iran nuclear      giveaway       “deal”.

    Oh, and that $40 billion in Iranian assets we released in the Iran nuclear     giveaway      “deal”?  That was 50 times more than the $800 million cost of Iran’s new S-300 system.  So not only did the previous       DC gang of feckless fools        Administration green light installation of Iran’s new SAM system, they also reimbursed Iran for buying the damn thing – 50 times over.

    Hell, the $1.7 billion cash ransom the US paid Iran to release 4 US citizens a bit more than a year ago alone paid for Iran’s new system – more than twice!

    I know I’m repeating myself but I’ll say it again anyway:  “Gee . . . thanks, SCoaMF.”

  • When Pigs Fly

    They’ve been flying for some time now and people seem to like them a lot. The concern for some time has been whether or not the A-10 a/k/a the Warthog will be mothballed or kept in service.

    For anyone who has heard that rapid-fire ‘brrrrrrrrrtttt!’ from a Gatling gun, you’ll be relieved to know that your beloved tank-bustin’ Warthog gets to stick around for a few more years.

    http://www.defensenews.com/a10%20retirement%202021

    If the discussion revolves around whether to mothball the flying shark, or replace it with a different form of close air support (CAS), the general tendency seems to be moving in the direction of a family of air support for ground forces, which has already been found to be effective.

    In my view, as a taxpayer, I’d question the need to move away from something that works, especially since money is limited at this point. Remember, the CiC has to persuade Congress that his programs are more important than funding some daydreams.

    Meantime, USAF Chief of Staff GEN Goldfein wants off-the-shelf stuff, not experimental airframes.  He sounds like a practical sort.

  • News from Norkiland: Mad Dog Pays a Visit

    Maybe I’m easily impressed, but it seems to me that the new administration in the White House got to work right away, with less ‘look at me’ than we’ve seen in a while.

    This includes SecDef Mattis’s putting the Norks On Notice to mind their P’s, Q’s, and nukes.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-mattis-idUSKBN15I060

    From the article:  ‘ “Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming,” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said at South Korea’s defense ministry, at the end of a two-day visit.’

    ‘Mattis’ remarks come amid concern that North Korea could be readying to test a new ballistic missile, in what could be an early challenge for Trump’s administration.’

    This does come hard on the heels of the  South’s now-former President Park being fired for corruption.  If GEN Mattis is there in Norkiland, I do hope he pulls a Reagan and goes to visit the DMZ to blow some kisses at the Nork soldiers, while he’s there.

    Yes, I do know that’s a Navy ship, the USS Mason, but I don’t have a photo of SecDef Mattis handy.

  • Subs Ain’t Sandwiches

    I went digging around for news from the real world, not the peculiar daydreams of the left side of the fence, and came across this from the BBC News.

    This story is in regard to a declassed CIA memo about a Polaris class sub, SSBN James Madison colliding with a Soviet Victor class sub off the coast of Scotland near Holy Loch.  It indicates how closely the Soviets followed our subs and could have taken out our first line of defense in a heartbeat, according to the article.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-38744322

    I’m sure sub sailors will have a few things to say about it.

    What is disturbing is that the news of the collision was not released until now, some 40 years later, because at the time, Kissinger  considered it to be “too embarrassing” to be released as news by the Ford administration.

    Embarrassing?? Embarrassing is being caught with your pants down, isn’t it? Subs ain’t sandwiches built especially for you by some benighted soul behind the glass sneeze shields at a Subway shop on the highway.

    You wanna talk about embarrassing??  How about the last eight years??

     

     

  • Why Stolen Valor Goes Ignored

    Why Stolen Valor Goes Ignored

    Someone sent in this article about Stolen Valor.  A guy named Jonn Lilyea was interviewed:

    “It’s pretty disgusting, because I have friends who are in Arlington who only got to wear their medals as they were being buried, and these guys just pin them on like they’re buttons or decorations,” John Lilyea, a former platoon sergeant in the U.S. Army who tracks stolen valor cases, told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “That’s what sets off most veterans, because we know people who didn’t come home.”

    It appears this Lilyea character has been dealing with cases of fake and embellished military service claims for a while now.

    Lilyea has tracked down and investigated stolen valor cases on his website — This Ain’t Hell, But You Can See It From Here — since 2008, compiling hundreds upon hundreds of alleged fraudsters through tips and extensive research.

    Another guy named Doug Sterner was interviewed as well.  It seems he has been around for a really, really, long time.

    Doug Sterner, a former Army sergeant and military historian, who runs the Military Times’ Hall of Valor database of medal recipients, said stolen valor cases take “time away from typing up the citation of legitimate heroes.”

    “It’s a far bigger problem than anybody realizes,” Sterner told TheDCNF.

    It is a well done article that sheds some light on many of the Stolen Valor issues we are facing today.  A huge thank you to KATHRYN WATSON for doing all the work on the article.  If you like the article please drop her a note.  It sounds like a few hoses and tubes can’t keep an old Platoon Sergeant down, or at least quiet anyway.