Marine tanks arrive in Afghanistan
November 30th, 2010 | Afghanistan Camp Leatherneck Infantry | Posted by Dan Lamothe
The Marine Corps released photographs of M1A1 tanks at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, today. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer/Marine Corps)
Last month, the Marine Corps made national headlines while acknowledging that they were deploying a company of tanks to Afghanistan.
That report was no joke. The service has released photographs showing M1A1 tanks at Camp Leatherneck, along with a story by a combat correspondent that reports that five tanks are already in theater, with more to arrive soon.
Here’s video of the first tanks rolling off a C-17 transport plane at Camp Bastion, which abuts Leatherneck, last week.
The only piece that is still interestingly absent: The Corps has not identified which company of Marines will deploy to operate the tanks.
For what it’s worth, a Marine offered the following commentary on the deployment of tanks on our message board:
… The big difference between one of our armed UAVs versus an M1A1 is the psychological impact the presence of a tank on the battlefield has on the enemy. Just placing a tank within view, even far off view, of the enemy has a non-kinetic effect on them.
Best case in point was up in Now Zad a year ago when 3/4 began to reclaim that ghost town from the Taliban. Tanks were brought over from another NATO force in addition to the Corps ABV’s and the impact they had on the enemy was immense. Even the media that was present wrote about the effect. Seeing 68 tons of a metallic monster that is armed to the teeth is a sure way to discourage the enemy from wanting to confront you head on.
Thoughts?
Chuck Norris praises Gen. Amos
November 29th, 2010 | Battle Rattle | Posted by Tony Lombardo
To paraphrase one of the many Chuck Norris sayings out there: “Chuck Norris doesn’t write … the words assemble out of fear.”
Well, words assembled on the Marine Corps’ official blog this month. Norris praises Amos in a blog post titled “A leader we can follow.”
In it, he said that Commandant Gen. Jim Amos is an “extraordinary example” of leadership. He goes on to say:
After being recommended by Defense Secretary Robert Gates in June and endorsed by President Obama in July, my wife, Gena, and I (among many others around the world) were thrilled to hear he was appointed on Oct. 22, 2010.
An extended version of Norris’ commentary is posted at WorldNetDaily.
Marines, what do you think of this nod from Chuck Norris?
Marine recruiters experimenting with iPads
November 29th, 2010 | Gear Recruiting | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Readers may have seen online a story today in which the commander of Marine Corps Recruiting Command outlined in an exclusive interview where he sees recruiting going in the next few years.
Maj. Gen. Robert Milstead says things are currently going relatively well, but saw a few potential obstacles in coming years, including a declining advertising budget.
There’s another element in the story that will catch the interest of the techies in the room, however. Officials at Marine Corps Recruiting Command told me that recruiters are currently experimenting with Apple’s iPad to record the information of potential recruits.
It works like this: the Marines set up a booth at a public event — a county fair, maybe. The set up a contest such as a pull-up challenge, but require students interested in participating to sign a hold-harmless waiver form in case they hurt themselves competing.
In the past, these forms were typically filled out by hand. Someone had to enter the contact information on them by hand into an electronic database for later. It was time-consuming, and when the hand-written information on the forms wasn’t legible, a waste of time.
Marine officials say that by using the iPad, they can immediately capture information electronically and reduce errors. The Corps isn’t hung up on staying with the iPad, but for now, it has impressive potential, they said.
In which one intrepid Marine meets a camel
November 29th, 2010 | Afghanistan Animals Infantry | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Lance Cpl. Steven Finlayson, a team leader with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, pauses before returning to Forward Operating Base Geronimo after providing security in Nawa, Afghanistan, on Nov. 17. (Photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga/Marine Corps)
Sometimes, Battle Rattle aims to take on big-time issues. We cover the hardships that grunts face downrange, for example, or we offer a tip of the cap to heroes no longer with us.
This is not one of those blog entries. Nope, this time I simply want to say the following:
Dude, that’s a pretty cool photo of a Marine and a camel.
Toys for Tots Marine gets shanked on Black Friday
November 26th, 2010 | Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
This is how the store manager, Orvin Smith, tells it in the Augusta Chronicle.
Cpl. Phillip Duggan, 24, was stabbed in the back around 1:15 pm Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, as he and three other Marines in their dress blues collected festive holiday gift items for the Toys for Tots program in front of the Best Buy store in Augusta, Ga.
Surveillance cameras caught a shoplifter stuffing a laptop under his coat and when he was approached by store clerks to drop it, a scuffle ensued. The robber let go of the laptop then ran toward the front door. On the way out he brandished a knife.
He hadn’t counted on the Marines.
The Marines, Smith said, “clotheslined him, and after that he kind up got up and started swinging a knife around. He stabbed one of the gentlemen in the back. It wasn’t a severe cut, probably a couple of stitches at the most. After that, they subdued him and we held him down until the cops came.”
Duggan pulled the man down the ground, Gunnery Sgt. Robert Ritchie says in the story, “the guy had a knife and came over the top and got Duggan in the back.”
Duggan, says Gunnery Sgt. Sherry Barrera, had joined the Reserve unit three months ago.
According to the Chronicle story, Duggan’s wound is not believed to be life-threatening.
Get some — from the air
November 26th, 2010 | Aviation Camp Pendleton Training | Posted by Gidget Fuentes
Let’s face it: There’s usually little to get excited about when it comes to practicing formations, that time consuming but traditional necessity of military life. But up in the air, formations can be, well, more thrilling and less tedious than those on the ground. Add some ammo, and there are few who’d pass up the chance to sling some lead from a helicopter. Like the “Purple Foxes” of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, who took to the air over Camp Pendleton, Calif., earlier this month to refresh their skills in aerial formation flights.
Along with the requisite “parade” formations, helicopter crews flew the more inspiring “tac form” or tactical formation, the kind of zigzag, gut-churning, gyro-challenging flight driven by pilots when insurgents and other daring enemy fighters try to lob grenades or gunfire their way, for example. Then came the fun part – aerial gun shoot – that really makes the day all worth it for crew chiefs, pilots and really anyone who gets to fire the .50-cal and .240G machine guns from a bird’s eye view.
Cpl. Daniel Zawiki fires a .50-cal during a Nov. 15 aerial gunnery and formation flight training at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Zawiki is a member of the "Purple Foxes" of HMM-364. (Photos by Lance Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot)
Bored Marine Video: The Tiger Song
November 24th, 2010 | Bored Marine Video | Posted by Chris Kelly
So you might be asking yourself, what’s the Tiger Song? Well if you’re up to date on your movies from the past year, then you’ll quickly recognize it.
I have to admit, that Pfc. Tardy and Pfc. Norman are pretty good.
Note: There’s one bad word at the end, but otherwise it’s SFW.
Nailed it.
Behind the Cover: New rules for MCMAP
November 22nd, 2010 | Behind the Cover MCMAP | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Less training hours, more safety rules, new testing on values and stricter injury reporting criteria. These are just some of the details contained in this week’s Marine Corps Times on the new rules for the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
All Marines will still be required to have a tan belt, the lowest belt on the five-belt MCMAP system, but Marines wishing to move up can do so more quickly as the requirement for training hours has been significantly reduced. It’s all in the chart on page 20.
If a Marine gets hurt beyond reason, not only will the injury be reported, but the depth of information required about it will increase because it will be submitted now as a “mishap report” which asks for a lot more detail, including the name, rank and certification level of the instructor.
Check it out, get informed and, as always, let us know what you think!
When mustaches attack!
November 22nd, 2010 | Afghanistan Camp Leatherneck | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Sgt. Abel Graciano, supply administration chief for Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Marine Logistics Group, based at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. (Photo by Cpl. Shannon McMillan/Marine Corps)
Unless you’re a comic-book villain or stuck in the 1980s, you’re probably aware that mustaches get a bum rap in the 21st century.
They inspire accusatory T-shirts. They receive frequenty mockery, even when worn by movie stars. Things have become so bad for mustaches, The American Mustache Institute was founded (ironically, I think) to “fighting discrimination against mustached Americans.”
This doesn’t scare away Marines, though. As this story out of Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, points out, they are an active participant in “Movember,” the month-long campaign to promote prostate cancer awareness by growing a fearsome ‘stache.
For perspective’s sake, it’s worth pointing out that Marine Corps Times and the Military Times newspaper chain is in on the mustache action this month, too. Here’s our mustache team. I can say with 100 percent certainty that the last three weeks have been even more creepy in person.
Navy shoutout to Marines: ‘They’re green, and they look pissed off’
November 19th, 2010 | MEU operations | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Navy Times cohort David Larter points out an interesting rap video today sharing a slice of life from the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard. Considering the ship is part of the gator Navy, it’s not a surprise to see a pretty good shoutout to Marines in it:
“They’re green, and they look pissed off. They’ve got rifles, and all kinds of stuff that explodes. Helicopters, Harrier jets, Humvees… forget about it.”
Thoughts, all you Marine expeditionary unit veterans?