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The Military Thread

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
I digress. We are leaving the scope of the subject.

Agreed, so I'm going to drop the whole Trump's personality line of discussion.

So, Afghanistan. Boy did we fuck that up. First Bush, then Obama. What it must be like to have a militarily competent POTUS.

Heck, even before then, I'd question Clinton's use of the military as well. The weird missile strikes and bombing campaigns that generally did very little, the failure to take out OBL after the Cole attack, etc.

Maybe H.W. was decent.
 
Just saw an interview of Rex Tillerson by Bret Bauer. I thought he was incredibly impressive - his predecessor wasn't in the same league as this guy. I didn't have any idea what to think about him when he was nominated, but really happy with him. If anyone case to watch it, here it is:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5414090329001/?#sp=show-clips

One thing he was asked was about his relationship with the SecDef, and how often they talked. He laughed and said they had dinner together the night before, breakfast this morning, and talk every day. He said neither of them makes a move without talking it over with the other.

Whatever his own flaws, I think Trump's put together a very strong national security team.
 
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Fyi, just went to a talk by Petraeus.
One really smart guy. Had absolute command of every hot zone on the planet...
 
Fyi, just went to a talk by Petraeus.
One really smart guy. Had absolute command of every hot zone on the planet...

What did he say about North Korea? What's going on right now is pretty scary, but it's even scarier thinking of the fat guy having a nuke, plus a delivery system capable of nailing us. I don't think we can let that happen, even if it takes military force.
 
He listed the topglobal threats as Syrian failed state, Iranian expansionism, North Korea, Russian military action and China's territorial claims to the south China sea in that order more or less
 
@The Human Q-Tip @bcort

MarineIQ_zpsnwtvc0mf.jpg
 

A soldier walks into this beach bar, crying bitterly. A Marine, feeling sorry for the guy, asks him what the problem is. The soldier says "I came down here to Daytona looking for women, and none of them will even talk to me when I'm on the beach! The Marine looks him up and down, and says "okay dude, all I can suggest is that maybe you should try sticking a potato in your bathing suit the next time you're on the beach." The soldier thanks him for the idea, then sits down and orders his Hi-C Orange to drown his sorrows.

Next day, same soldier comes into the bar, crying even worse. Same Marine asks him what the problem is. "Well, I did what you suggested, and it was even worse! Every woman that saw me just screamed and ran in the other direction!"

The Marine looks him up and down, and says "Uh, you were supposed to put the potato in the front."
 
The Marine Corps' Next Combat Boot May Specialize in Jungle Warfare

After a decade and a half of combat boots designed to pound the desert sand, the next boot in the Marine Corps sea bag may be designed with the jungle in mind.

The Marine Corps started a hunt for a new tropical-weather boot in December 2015 at the behest of Commandant Gen. Robert Neller. At the time, the boot was envisioned as an optional piece of gear that Marines could purchase through their local exchanges based on need. But now, officials are exploring the possibility of tweaking the new tropical design to replace the current hot-weather combat boot, which would make the future tropical boot standard issue for Marines.

"We were given by Gen. Neller two directions: continue working on the tropical boot, and look for ways to improve the current Marine Corps combat boot," Todd Towles, project officer for the clothing team at Marine Corps Systems Command, told Military.com.

Towles said Neller asked officials to enhance durability, cut down on combat boot weight and dry time, and develop a self-cleaning outsole that would shed dirt and mud. He also requested a sole that could be replaced by a cobbler, giving Marines the choice of repairing boots with worn-out soles instead of buying a new pair.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/...xt-combat-boot-specialize-jungle-warfare.html

@King Stannis

You'd figure that after a few thousand years, someone would have perfected the combat boot, right? Personally, I think the Holy Grail for a great combat boot would be minimizing dry time. Whether it is blisters, cold, foot fungus, skin dying, or whatever, wet feet are the curse of the foot soldier. If your feet are wet, you're going to be miserable sooner or later.

Replaceable soles are a pretty good idea too.
 
The Marine Corps' Next Combat Boot May Specialize in Jungle Warfare

After a decade and a half of combat boots designed to pound the desert sand, the next boot in the Marine Corps sea bag may be designed with the jungle in mind.

The Marine Corps started a hunt for a new tropical-weather boot in December 2015 at the behest of Commandant Gen. Robert Neller. At the time, the boot was envisioned as an optional piece of gear that Marines could purchase through their local exchanges based on need. But now, officials are exploring the possibility of tweaking the new tropical design to replace the current hot-weather combat boot, which would make the future tropical boot standard issue for Marines.

"We were given by Gen. Neller two directions: continue working on the tropical boot, and look for ways to improve the current Marine Corps combat boot," Todd Towles, project officer for the clothing team at Marine Corps Systems Command, told Military.com.

Towles said Neller asked officials to enhance durability, cut down on combat boot weight and dry time, and develop a self-cleaning outsole that would shed dirt and mud. He also requested a sole that could be replaced by a cobbler, giving Marines the choice of repairing boots with worn-out soles instead of buying a new pair.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/...xt-combat-boot-specialize-jungle-warfare.html

@King Stannis

You'd figure that after a few thousand years, someone would have perfected the combat boot, right? Personally, I think the Holy Grail for a great combat boot would be minimizing dry time. Whether it is blisters, cold, foot fungus, skin dying, or whatever, wet feet are the curse of the foot soldier. If your feet are wet, you're going to be miserable sooner or later.

Replaceable soles are a pretty good idea too.

One boot fits all is silly. The Army was smart and started fielding different boots for Afghanistan. They were basically hiking boots and they are great. I still wear them.

I liked the old jungle boots. I got to wear them for the first two years before the complete uniform change. They breathed. You're right, sweaty feet lead to nastiness both in terms of injury and hygiene. Desert boots are not great at breathing. After two days my socks could stand up on their own.
 
Though outnumbered 5-1, Stonewall and his Foot Cavalry were never outnumbered at the point of contact. Maneuver warfare, bitches.

Stonewall Marches Through the Shenandoah

stonewall-jackson-portrait-AB_zpsve2ejbni.jpg


"In May 1862, a pall hung over the Confederacy. Across the nation, Northern armies were on the march, driving Confederate forces from Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri. In the East, Union forces seized important footholds along the Atlantic seaboard, and in the South, Union gunboats blasted their way into New Orleans. The young Southern nation stood on the brink of collapse.

In Virginia, matters looked equally grim. The Union had gained control over the western part of the state, established troops in the lower Shenandoah Valley and Fredericksburg, and was inexorably making its way toward Richmond by way of the Peninsula. Outnumbered Southern troops braced for the inevitable, and seemingly irresistible, onslaught.

Onto this desperate stage burst Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. The 38-year-old Jackson commanded Confederate forces in the lower Shenandoah Valley. Jackson's objective was to defend the Valley while at the same time preventing Union troops there from being sent to either Fredericksburg or Richmond. It was a daunting task. As the spring campaign opened, Jackson had just 4,600 men at Winchester. Opposing him was a force of approximately 30,000 Union troops led by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks. When Banks advanced on Winchester in March 1862, Jackson had no choice but to give ground..."




https://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/stonewall-marches-through-shenandoah
 
Thank you for your service. #MAGA

Trump Promised to Work for Vets, but They Could Lose Big Under House Health Care Bill

"The health care bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives passed this week could strip 7 million veterans of tax credits and place many of them in high-risk pools by classifying post-traumatic stress disorder as a pre-existing condition.

Democrats seized on those possible effects to slam Republicans, saying they had voted for a bill that would, if it became law, end up punishing millions of veterans, a group that President Donald Trump fervently vowed to support during his campaign.

“This is not fear mongering, This is not hyperbole,” said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who is a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bill jeopardizes health care for up to 7 million veterans, and everyone should oppose it.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraq War, called it “stunning” that Republicans would make it harder for veterans to afford health care."

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article148917219.html
 
Thank you for your service. #MAGA

Trump Promised to Work for Vets, but They Could Lose Big Under House Health Care Bill

"The health care bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives passed this week could strip 7 million veterans of tax credits and place many of them in high-risk pools by classifying post-traumatic stress disorder as a pre-existing condition.

Democrats seized on those possible effects to slam Republicans, saying they had voted for a bill that would, if it became law, end up punishing millions of veterans, a group that President Donald Trump fervently vowed to support during his campaign.

“This is not fear mongering, This is not hyperbole,” said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who is a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bill jeopardizes health care for up to 7 million veterans, and everyone should oppose it.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraq War, called it “stunning” that Republicans would make it harder for veterans to afford health care."

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article148917219.html

"So?"
 
Thank you for your service. #MAGA

Trump Promised to Work for Vets, but They Could Lose Big Under House Health Care Bill

"The health care bill that Republicans in the House of Representatives passed this week could strip 7 million veterans of tax credits and place many of them in high-risk pools by classifying post-traumatic stress disorder as a pre-existing condition.

Democrats seized on those possible effects to slam Republicans, saying they had voted for a bill that would, if it became law, end up punishing millions of veterans, a group that President Donald Trump fervently vowed to support during his campaign.

“This is not fear mongering, This is not hyperbole,” said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who is a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bill jeopardizes health care for up to 7 million veterans, and everyone should oppose it.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraq War, called it “stunning” that Republicans would make it harder for veterans to afford health care."

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article148917219.html

I'll just say that is about as likely as Kim Jong Un being the next frontman for Guns and Roses.

It is absolutely ridiculous if anyone understands either the VA system itself or the AHCA, and for Rep. Tarkano to claim "this is not hyperbole" is the embodiment of "the big lie".
 
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McMasters may be on his way out. Falling victim to the Byzantine intrigues of palace eunuchs fighting over the Cipher. It's a shame -though it appears he's overreached (on the other hand, it wouldn't be the first time that someone who is highly intelligent is perceived as hectoring by those not so gifted).

Washington Loves General McMaster, But Trump Doesn't
The national security adviser has lost sway. The White House says everything's fine.

McMastersTrump_zps2nym7ywl.jpg


"For the Washington establishment, President Donald Trump's decision to make General H.R. McMaster his national security adviser in February was a masterstroke. Here is a well-respected defense intellectual, praised by both parties, lending a steady hand to a chaotic White House. The grown-ups are back.

But inside the White House, the McMaster pick has not gone over well with the one man who matters most. White House officials tell me Trump himself has clashed with McMaster in front of his staff. On policy, the faction of the White House loyal to senior strategist Steve Bannon is convinced McMaster is trying to trick the president into the kind of nation building that Trump campaigned against. Meanwhile the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, is blocking McMaster on a key appointment.

McMaster's allies and adversaries inside the White House tell me that Trump is disillusioned with him. This professional military officer has failed to read the president -- by not giving him a chance to ask questions during briefings, at times even lecturing Trump.

Presented with the evidence of this buyer's remorse, the White House on Sunday evening issued a statement from Trump: "I couldn't be happier with H.R. He's doing a terrific job."


https://www.bloomberg.com/view/arti...gton-loves-general-mcmaster-but-trump-doesn-t
 
How Trump Can Fix The Army's Tank Fleet, Deter Russia and Boost Midwest Manufacturing -- In 5 Years

The last plant in the U.S. that can build tanks is a sad symbol of America's industrial decline. Located in Lima, Ohio, midway between Dayton and Toledo, it currently produces only one M1A2 Abrams tank per month. During the Reagan years, it turned out 60 per month. Another 60 were built each month at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, but that site was closed during the Clinton years. So now there is only Lima, assembling a mere dozen tanks per year.

They're still the best tanks in the world, but they won't be for long if they aren't upgraded. The Congressional Research Service warned earlier this year that "in the not-too-distant future, foreign armored vehicle design and capabilities could surpass existing U.S. systems." The biggest threat comes from Russia, which is modernizing its own tank fleet with an eye to becoming the dominant military power in Europe.

That won't be hard. The U.S. only has two relatively light brigades permanently stationed in Europe, and Germany -- once the most fearsome military power in the world -- has reduced its Cold War tank fleet 90% to a mere 256 tanks. If America's Army doesn't field a bigger force of tanks in the NATO region that can at least match the capabilities of Russia's latest armored vehicles, Russia really will dominate.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorent...idwest-manufacturing-in-5-years/#78cddb4c38da

Other points aside, the Germans having only 256 tanks is just a disgrace.
 

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