A U.S. Marine from Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines fires his weapon at Taliban fighters in Marjah in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan on February 22, 2010

Lots more amazing photographs at The Boston Globe – HERE

Brunswick Corporation – Rifleman’s Assault Weapons (RAW)

Designed, fabricated and tested by Brunswick for the U.S. Army MIRADCOM to provide the non-dedicated riflemen with a lightweight, portable assault weapon system to defeat enemy positions in an urban and fortified combat environment.

Features:

• Compatible with M-16A1 rifle
• Diameter: 5.5 in. (140 mm)
• Total System Weight Goal: 5.0 lbs
• Explosive Payload: 3.0 lbs
• Rocket propelled
• Effective Range: 200+ meters
• Maximum Range: 2000+ meters
• Straight Line of Sight Trajectory
• Terminal Velocity: 600 ft/s
• Varied Payload: CS, HE, Flame, Smoke, Marker, Fragmentation, WP
• Can be fired by any rifleman

Performance:

RAW Launcher attaches to the muzzle of an M-16A1 rifle utilizing existing triggering and sights.  The RAW projectile is initiated through the firing of a standard 5.56 mm ball round of ammunition.  RAW does not interfere or prevent the firing of the rifle’s standard ammunition at any time.  Raw produces a 14″ hole through 8 inches of double reinforced concrete and defeats light armor.  Since RAW travels line of sight, It can be fired from below a canopy or in sewers and storm drains.  RAW produces minimal back blast pressure and noise and can be fired from within enclosed areas.

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You’ll love the smell of it!

Don’t worry, it was apparently for a promo video for MTV’s video music awards.

From Marine Corps Times:

More than 50 AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) concessions serving U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be closed within 90 days under an order issued Feb. 5 by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in that war zone.  These include popular fast-food outlets like Burger King, Popeyes and Taco Bell, as well as jewelry stores, souvenir stores and new car sales outlets.

“MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) programs across the theater should be limited in scope and tailored for an expeditionary force,” McChrystal said in his order. “MWR should never be the distracter that changes the focus of the mission.”

Solomon from SNAFU! and I, discussed this a bit, and here is his last comment:

I don’t think its the General trying to punish anyone, I just think he’s trying to make sure that the guys in the rear face a little of the hardships that the guys in the boonies face during a whole tour.

I decided I would post my response below, here on my blog:

I know what you are saying Solomon.  I just think you gotta give these guys something to look forward to when they get back to base.  If you make being on base equally as uncomfortable as outside the wire (except for being shot at), It seems to me that morale will suffer greatly, not improve.  I can’t help but feel guilty back here at home, knowing that soldiers are getting even more taken away from them, when they already have very little.

They are already far away from their friends, family, and all the comforts of home.  Risking their lives on a daily basis for surprisingly little pay, and they can’t even enjoy a burger or some fried chicken during their down time?

I understand the possibility of getting “Fat and happy” exists, like you said in your article.  But why punish the soldiers that don’t abuse their privileges?

If you ask me, those guys already sacrifice enough.  We need to do everything possible to keep them motivated.

From talking to you before in email, I know your background enables you to speak with a lot more authority on this topic than myself.  I am interested to hear what you have to say back to my response.

Marine Corps Times Article – HERE

Solomon’s original post on his military blog SNAFU! – HERE

Apparently it was crashed and they decided to take it out for fun.  Pretty cool.

Is this an actual donkey? Or a donkey edition cornershot?

*shrug* They made a cat one so who knows

One can never be too careful…

At the end of a convoy in which he received and returned fire with his 50 calibre machine gun, U.S. Marine turret gunner Cpl. Ian Bole, of Port Royal, South Carolina, wearing a face mask with a skull design, breathes steam on a cold day inside an armored vehicle in the Pech Valley, Kunar province, northeastern Afghanistan on Thursday Jan. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Lots more amazing photographs at The Boston Globe – HERE

When I saw the face armor from MTEK Weapon Systems my initial thought was

“That’s a blank canvas, if I’ve ever seen one!”

Then I came across this the other day:

I bet once more soldiers get ahold of this type of armor, there will be some more creative and artistic designs.

For bulk purchasers, a new M-4 costs about $800 per rifle

I actually thought the cost would have been much lower.  A bulk price of $800 seems very steep.  I suppose these are not comparable to your average low end AR-15 though.

Full Article on the New York Times website – HERE

Hat Tip: SayUncle

BEHOLD…

Below is the closest picture I could find bearing resemblance to the cardboard mock-up:

It is a German Half Track.  Pretty awesome…

More pictures and info of the real thing at the wiki – HERE

Marine LCpl. James Harris of Michigan from the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines “Warlords” guards a position as sheep pass by during a meeting of the Marines, local government officials, and villagers in the Garmsir district of Helmand province, Afghanistan on Monday, Dec. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Lots more amazing photographs at The Boston Globe – HERE

That screenshot is straight off the white house website – HERE

Explanation of it all at BarkingMoonBat – HERE

Pretty scary stuff…

Hat Tip: Cmblake6

I had this picture saved on my harddrive for a long time.  Very Chilling…

I assume the phone was being used to set off some sort of IED, but they managed to disarm it before hand.

A first person defense game set within the middle east conflicts. Defend a downed Black Hawk helicopter carrying vital intelligence. Buy and upgrade many different weapon configurations to neutralize the enemy more effectively.

That’s a screen shot of me rockin’ the G17 (I couldn’t afford the g18 at that point in the game).  There are a lot of great weapons to pick from, and the physics are great.

Play the game – HERE

December 19th, WASHINGTON D.C. – Things started to turn for the worse when the crowd — some carrying anti-war signs and dressed all in black with masks — began to pelt passing cars. A plain clothes D.C. police detective emerged from a Hummer — it’s unclear whether it was his personal vehicle or an unmarked police vehicle — after it was struck. The detective began yelling at the gathered crowd. At one point, he pulled back his jacket, exposing his service weapon — it’s unclear if he did this intentionally. That’s when things took a darker turn.

Bit of an overreaction I’d say

Full Store – HERE

what would this make you?

From Gunbroker:
This is the Centerpiece of the Museum Collection we are liquidating! This beautiful bird started life as a U.S.A.F. B-38B practice nuclear weapon (the drop model, used for target practice, NOT the lightweight “loading practice” model), the twin of the live B-61, which is still in use, carried by B-1B’s, B-2’s, F-15’s, & the F-16. After MANY hours of professional restoration ( including a $3,000 aircraft paint job ), this 11 foot long, 900 pound thing of beauty cannot be told from the “real deal”, except by an expert! Includes new data plate, Original packed parachute (cost Uncle Sam $230,000!), bomb cart, 30″x60″ display card, describing the B-61, several D.O.E. tapes showing use, printed material, a simulated “physics package”,and an unfinished “arming box” and cable. This is the ONLY ONE of it’s kind outside of the U.S.A.F. Museum. Because of laws passed under the Clinton Administration, no others will EVER be available. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance, to own a One-Of-A-Kind item! Buyer must be U.S. Citizen. Must either pick-up in person, or pay for personal delivery. Will answer all questions.

$22,000 plus delivery charges.

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Senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes’ systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber — available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet — to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.

SkyGrabber looks like a very interesting piece of software.

From the SkyGrabber website:

SkyGrabber is offline satellite internet downloader. It intercepts satellite data( movie, music, pictures ) that downloadind by other users and saves information in your hard disk. So, you’ll get new movie, best music and funny pictures for free.

That is a direct quote… I didn’t make up that terrible grammar and spelling.

Link to SkyGrabber software website – HERE

Full Story at the Wall Street Journal – HERE

Photo source: Corbis-Bettmann

68 years ago, on Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese war planes attacked Pearl Harbor, the forward base for the United States in the Pacific, effectively drawing the United States into war with Japan.  This picture of the sinking battleship USS West Virginia, illustrates the extent of the physical destruction.  The crew of the boat in the foreground is attempting to save sailors in the water.  The sinking of the USS West Virginia resulted in the death of 106 crewmen.

Read the official battle report, submitted on December 11, 1941

Never forget those who died… never forget those who killed them.