Monday, September 05, 2011

This Air Force dude is pure dee bad ass...

Air Commando Gutierrez Nominated for Air Force Cross

Bleeding Out

“We decided that we were combat air effective,” and the high-value target was dead, so “we were going to use one more pass as a cover for us to exit,” Gutierrez said. “I put my kit back on, put my helmet back on, ... [and] gave instructions to the A-10 pilot. He fully obliged [and] came back through. As [he] struck, we pushed out and left the compound.”

Determined not to be a burden on his team, Gutierrez got to his feet, with the medic holding his bag and supporting his shoulder.

“Since my ears were out, my balance was completely off. I couldn’t really stand up straight,” he said. “I kind of would veer off everywhere.” Gutierrez called in a medical evacuation for himself, the captain, and two other wounded troops, but he was initially denied. It was too dangerous; they had to leave the area, he was told.

Sporadic gunfire followed them as they stumbled away from the village. After struggling for about two miles, Gutierrez’s lung collapsed for a second time. The medic did another needle decompression by the side of a four-way intersection as the A-10s continued to provide close air support and ISR assets fed them vital information from above. When he got his breath back, Gutierrez requested an immediate medevac.

The troops found a muddy, square vegetation field, roughly 300 feet by 300 feet, which had just enough room for one helicopter to land. They secured the site and waited for the medevac, a joint Spanish and Italian team from Herat Airfield, to arrive.

Wet and weak from the loss of blood, Gutierrez waited for an hour-and-a-half. His uniform became soaked and stuck to his arm. At first he thought it was sweat from the difficult trek to the landing zone, or maybe muddy water from the canal he stumbled in as they pushed out.

He had no idea he had lost five-and-a-half pints of blood.

Wow.

Just plain wow.

I fuck with Air Force guys but wow.

That's plain bad ass. Read the whole thing here.

Brits in Canada...

A MAN Support Vehicle carries stores during an exercise on the Canadian prairie.

Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan in early 2012.

The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment.

The soldiers use the state-of-the-art computer-backed system where their weapons and vehicles are fitted with the laser-quest-style system to record every detail of an attack, showing simulated injuries from gunfire, shrapnel or mortar attack during a mission.

Photographer: Cpl Paul Morrison RLC

A Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle thunders across the prairies of Canada during a training exercise.

Photographer: Cpl Paul Morrison RLC

A Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank is pictured on exercise with the Army in Canada.

Photographer: Cpl Paul Morrison RLC

Are we going to be losing capability when the CH-46 retires?

I'm beginning to wonder if we're going to be losing capability when the CH-46 retires for good and we're using only the MV-22.

Don't get me wrong, the MV-22 is a technical marvel that has and is proving itself in Afghanistan. But when it comes to getting men and material into tight places...when added stability is needed to get back aboard ship...when simplicity trumps a complex system...are we going to miss these old helicopters?

The V-22 is obviously tailor made for the Special Ops mission.

It has no peer in the rotary winged category when it comes to getting personnel ashore in an assault.

But what happens during those conflicts when its all about the dirty, grimy boring tasks of moving people and supplies around?

In the assault the V-22 is king. For everyday work, we'll miss the CH-46.

22nd MEU TRAP training...

All photos by CPL Raufmann

Battalion PT. Marine Corps Style...

Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 5 participate in their monthly battalion physical fitness session at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 25. The 7-mile hike was planned to condition the Marines for the battalion’s upcoming deployment.

Responding to sniper fire...

Soldiers from C Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, survey the ridgeline after taking in sniper fire from an insurgent during Operation Diamond Head in Afghanistan, July 29.

Friday, September 02, 2011

31st and 11th MEU's in action...

U.S. Marines with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Battalion Landing Team, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU), provide security while conducting loading exercises with the Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV) on a CH-53 Super Stallion with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (HMM-265, REIN), Air Combat Element, 31st MEU, during training events at Landing Zone Swan. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation's expeditionary force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific Region. Photo by LCpl Acuff.

U.S. Marines with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Battalion Landing Team, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU), conduct loading exercises with the Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV) on a CH-53 Super Stallion with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (HMM-265, REIN), Air Combat Element, 31st MEU, during training events at Landing Zone Swan. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation's expeditionary force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific Region. Photo by LCpl Acuff.

An AH-1Z Viper approaches the amphibious assault ship Makin Island during a sea-based exercise here Sept. 1. The attack helicopter belongs to a detachment of skid-landing helicopters attached to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit embarked Makin Island and the amphibious transport dock New Orleans in San Diego to begin its second seagoing exercise since becoming a complete Marine air-ground task force in May. Photo by Sgt. Quesada

Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) disembark a CH-53E Sea Stallion on USS Makin Island during a sea-based exercise here Sept. 1. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is scheduled to deploy this fall. Photo by Sgt. Quesada

Thursday, September 01, 2011

CDR Salamander nails the J-20.

Read his post here, but I think CDR Salamander nails it when it comes to the J-20. Many believed the J-20 to be a fighter. Why? Because thats what the US, and Russia are working on. This is what Salamander says....

I don't know about you - but the J-20 looks less like a fighter and more like a penetrating attack aircraft; almost an update of the F-111 concept.

Even with allowances for Chinese technology not being as compact as Western technology (which I think is slightly a bogus argument in 2011) - that bird is big for a reason. I don't think air superiority is it.

Read the whole thing but I would bet good money that by this time next Tuesday every think tank in the US will be switching gears and following the CDR's lead.