US, Philippine Marines storm beach

TAGLAWAYAN BEACH, PALAWAN, Republic of the Philippines -A U.S. Marine from Fox Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a Filipino Marine, secure the beach during a boat raid here Oct. 27. The raid was conducted as a part of Amphibious Landing Exercise 2012. The bilateral training is designed to build interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and Philippine Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner/Released), Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner, 10/27/2011 7:13 AM

TAGLAWAYAN BEACH, PALAWAN, Republic of the Philippines-Philippine Marines and U.S. Marines from Fox Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently in support of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, carry a Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft during a boat raid here Oct. 27. The boat raid was conducted as part of Amphibious Landing Exercise 2012, a bilateral training exercise between the U.S. Marine Corps and Philippine Marines. The bilateral training is designed to build interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and Philippine Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner/Released), Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner, 10/27/2011 7:14 AM

TAGLAWAYAN BEACH, PALAWAN, Republic of the Philippines-Philippine Marines and U.S. Marines from Fox Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently in support of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, carry a Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft during a boat raid here Oct. 27. The boat raid was conducted as part of Amphibious Landing Exercise 2012. The bilateral training is designed to build interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and Philippine Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner/Released), Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner, 10/27/2011 7:14 AM

SIDENOTE:

I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF BOAT COMPANIES AS BEING TRAINING GROUNDS FOR THE RECON INDOC...LOTS OF TIME IN THE WATER, AND LOTS OF PT.  BUT I DIGRESS.  CAN SOMEONE NAME A TIME WHEN AN MEU'S BLT ACTUALLY DEPLOYED ONE OF THESE ELEMENTS IN A COMBAT/NEAR COMBAT SITUATION?  I CAN'T RECALL OF EVEN ONE MISSION.  WITH THAT IN MIND WHY DO WE STILL HAVE THEM?

F-35 News....

The sixth F-35A Lighting II multirole fighter was delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, on 26 October 2011. The aircraft (Air Force serial number 08-0751) was flown from the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to the base in near Valparaiso by Marine Corps pilot Maj. Joseph Bachmann. The ferry flight took ninety minutes. This F-35A will be used for pilot and maintainer training at Eglin. The aircraft, a conventional takeoff and landing variant, is the twelfth Lightning II to be delivered in 2011.

The first production F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing multirole fighter for the US Marine Corps was flown for the first time on 25 October 2011 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti put the aircraft (Navy bureau number 168057) through a series of functional checks during the nearly one hour sortie. This aircraft will be delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, by the end of 2011.

LSU. SUSTAIN IT!!!!

LSU BY 14!

Pic of the day. Oct 26, 2011.

Marines, Navy come together for 'at-sea' integration exercise

Photo by Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim An AV-8B Harrier commences a vertical landing on the flight deck off the USS Iwo Jima during deck landing qualifications as part of the Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON 8) / 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Integration Training (PMINT) Oct. 24, 2011. PMINT will take place Oct. 24 to Nov. 3 and is focused on building the Navy-Marine Team and establish the working relationships and practices necessary to conduct operations from the sea. The AV-8B Harriers are a detachment from VMA-542 based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU.

Two CH-53E Super Stallions take off from the USS Iwo Jima during deck landing qualifications as part of the Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON 8) / 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Integration Training (PMINT) Oct. 24, 2011. PMINT will take place Oct. 24 to Nov. 3 to build the Navy-Marine Team and establish the working relationships and practices necessary to conduct operations from the sea. The CH-53E helicopters are a detachment from HMH-464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU.

Unimog Special Forces Ground Mobility Vehicle

Wow.

It never occurred to me to use a Unimog in this way.  It totally makes sense though.  The trucks have won  all kinds of cross country races so its really a natural.

Would SOCOM ever consider trying out the FMTV truck for this type of conversion?  Doubt it--- but the Rangers might be crazy enough to buy these outright.

Criminals are into Ghillie Suits now

This camouflage might work well in nature, but it really stands out in the police station. Oregon investigators believe Gregory Liascos, 36, was wearing this "ghillie" camouflage when he attempted to break into the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals last week. After setting off alarms, the suspect allegedly fled into a wooded area nearby. Officers only found Liascos when a police dog bit what appeared to be a patch of grass -- which yelped in pain. On Oct. 12, 2011, authorities said Liascos failed to show up for his trial. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. via Huffington Post. 

Force Recon builds trust, camaraderie during PHIBLEX

SIDENOTE: Since when is your back part of a proper PLF???

BASA AIRBASE, Republic of the Philippines-Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, jump out of a C-130 Hercules airplane during a bilateral, low-level static-line parachuting exercise, Oct 25. The Marines were conducting the training with members of the Philippine Armed Forces during the Amphibious Landing Exercise. The 31st MEU is operating in support of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for the exercise, is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the United States’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 10/25/2011 6:04 PM

BASA AIRBASE, Republic of the Philippines-A Marine with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepares to land during bilateral, low level static line parachute training, Oct. 25. The Marine were conducting the training with their Philippine counterparts during the Amphibious Landing Exercise. The 31st MEU is operating in support of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for the exercise, is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the United States’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 10/25/2011 5:58 PM

BASA AIRBASE, Republic of the Philippines-A Marine with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, lands during a low level static-line parachute jump, Oct. 25. The Marines were conducting bilateral parachuting training with their Philippine counterparts during the Amphibious Landing Exercise. The 31st MEU is operating in support of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for the exercise, is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the United States’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 10/25/2011 6:05 PM

BASA AIRBASE, Republic of the Philippines-A Marine with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, packs up his parachute with the help of a Philippine Marine, Oct. 25. The Marines were conducting bilateral parachute training with their Philippine counterparts during the Amphibious Landing Exercise. The 31st MEU is operating in support of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for the exercise, is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the United States’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region., Cpl. Garry J. Welch, 10/25/2011 7:27 PM