The A-10 Thunderbolt II has long been the red-headed step child in the Air Force Inventory. Maybe military mythology, but back in the early 70s, I heard the plane being referred to as being shoved down the throats of the USAF by Congressmen, with interests in keeping jobs in their districts. Later, I heard the USAF was scrapping it and the Army enthusiastically stepped up, wanting to take them over. The “Mission Envy” entered the argument and the USAF informed the Army that offensive fixed wing stuff was the domain of the blue suiters and the Army couldn’t have them.

So, here’s the good news: The USAF finally gets it (geez…what slow learners they are!).

Well, after years of a fighter mafia dominance that kicked the A-10 to the curb, Air Force officials finally woke up and realized all anyone cares about these days is putting warheads on foreheads, not shooting down MiGs from 10 miles away. So the blue-suiters have finally given the Hog its due and funneled some much-needed money to the workhorse CAS platform. And now they’re accelerating the Warthog renaissance.

More news at Defense Industry Daily on the details of the A-1oC Precision Engagement Program. I like that sound of that. Too bad Capt Lex is retiring and won’t get the pleasure of precision engagement with the GAU-8.

As I pondered the question asked on talk shows and around the blogs: “Why didn’t he MSM show the beheading videos, but they showed this [Cho’s homegrown work]?”, this is what I believe is an underlying cultural current:

This video, horrific as it is, is yet another way to help describe how “bad” America is. The <a href=”http://amboytimes.typepad.com/the_amboy_times/2007/04/islam_beheading.html”>beheadings</a>, if shown, have the possibility of a backlash that would make the perpetrators look “bad” and then by derivation, America would look “good.” Can’t have that…

Disable reality for a moment and forget that Cho was raised in South Korea in the critical years of youth when personality is developed, according to he experts. Just pretend he has been affected by all that has been railed against in this nation for a few decades, it will make it easier to buy into the MSM’s subconscious efforts.

In addition to the above remarks, consider the trend we see of easily jumping all over the ones who don’t pose a threat. Cho is gone. If he feels bad about any of the spin on his legacy effort, well…he’s not going to shoot anyone else. On the other hand, some jihadi, or jihadi copycat, might show up at your car when you are leaving for the early morning broadcast and doa Nick Berg on you. There you have it: Only pick on the weak, or those who have shown they will not retaliate. Sort of a “Media Bullying” approach to journalism.

Consider how anything that makes the President, Cabinet officials, or any Republican look bad hits the streets right away. Anything that has the potential to make America look like a bunch of gun toting, hood wearing, bigoted, whacked out society is quickly streamed and rolled over and over and over. Where is the news of heroism, sacrifice, persistent effort (vice instant gratification) to accomplish something meaningful? Yes, little snippets pop up, but then are not crawling across the screen of your TV, nor mentioned every 30 minutes for a week. well, maybe if a 6 year old takes it upon them selves to walk their neighborhood and collect money to prevent Global “Climate Change,” then you will see that story over and over…because, you got it: America, by derivation of that type of story, is “bad.”

News: It’s about America’s inherent “badness.”

I think it is connected to this, but is not just about the specific movement discussed in that book.

Connected thought: Just where does the “Self-Esteem” movement come down on this issue? It certainly seems to be absent in telling us we have the right to feel good about ourselves…

Here’s at least a 1000 word essay in compacted form:

By: Chip BokMaybe the best part of this alternative future is the Dems won’t have to take expensive junkets to a far off bit of real estate, stained with the blood of a volunteer force. They are doing the raising right on Capitol Hill. The many advantages include:

• You can stop at the memorial and then be in your office in 2 minutes
• You don’t have to suffer the disapproving stares of the military crews of the transportation command, while you jet half way around the world
• You won’t have to hike about in 130 degree heat to get there and smile while sweating rivers
• You won’t have to look the people in the eyes who’s families were slaughtered when the US military pulls out too early (you may still have to face the families of the dead and wounded service members on the way to your office daily)
• The money saved by not traveling can be used in the welfare system to buy more votes, because you can reduce the travel budget for DoD
• When Shar’ia Law becomes the law of the land, you’ll be worshiped as Heroes of the Caliphate

How convenient!

Now this certainly will come to the front quickly (NOT!) or there will be efforts to, at the least discount, at best, bury, any detailed looks into this report. Talk about and embarrassment at the party’s refreshment bowl, on any side of the aisle:

“I Found Saddam’s WMD Bunkers” from Melanie Phillips’s column in the Spectator.

The reported find of bunkers built under the Euphrates River bed doesn’t seem all that outrageous. Remember the reports about German engineering firms constructing elaborate bunkers for Saddam? No one disputes that. So, possible from a technical standpoint? Yes. Possible from the track record of Saddam? Yes to that, also.

Will we see more to help ferret out the truth? Not likely. Our children will most likely know, long after we go and books are written by historians.

H/T: commenter nuke gingrich at Little Green Footballs

Last year, about this time, I put up Operation Forward Pass as a blog with the intent to pass along lessons learned to those about to enter the service. It’s that time of year when the high school and college/university grads are ready to raise their hands and commit to service to the Nation. How valuable would some hard earned wisdom be to them?

I grew up around the military, then did my 20. Just about everywhere I lived since 1962, the “local” community had access to those who wore uniforms. Much of the understanding of what was going to happen when they get off of the bus and put their feet on the yellow footprints isn’t a mystery.

My perception of the current knowledge of our population is they don’t have many service members around to help the be pre-acclimated to the boot camp/officer training experience. It was exacerbated by the massive downsizing of the military through base closings during the mid-90s. Those heading into the military know what the MSM says, with the overworked recruiters being the first line of defense to help dispel rumors and make sure their charges are mentally prepared, and thereby increase the probability of a “satisfied customer” out on the front line a year from now. Add to that that the MSM isn’t kind in their presentation of the recruiters, trying to cast them as a bunch of people looking to cheat the system and take anyone they can. As we know all to well, that’s no where close to the truth.
Here is my request: Whether you would like to become an author on the blog, or would just like to send in some useful posts, I think we’d help the ones who are coming behind us get off to an accelerated start.

Contact me either via the comments section (here or there).

Thanks in advance. Let’s get the future warriors prepped for the next part of their lives.

While I’m on the subject, don’t forget that Jack Army sez we can help by getting names of sharp young men and women to our local recruiters…

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor, Third World County

Orange and Maroon Effect Day

But it wasn’t. In a microcosm, it is a lesson about history. In a bigger sense, a scenario to consider thoughtfully.

4/16/2007:
“Dad, he’s alright. Have you seen the news?”
“No, but that’s good to know.”

Later, same day:
“We’re [the four roommates] all fine. XXXX got stuck in the lock down for two hours, but he’s here now. Everyone we know is OK.”

4/18/2007:
“How was the service?”
“It was wonderful and so full we ended up in the football stadium and the entire place was on their feet and chanting at the end.”
“How’s he doing?”
“He’s doing OK. He skipped his class that morning, but his friend went. The class was in the building next to where the shootings were and they are sure they saw him [Cho] walking around in there before it happened.”

The history? Well, you aren’t able to analyze it instantly. With time comes more information, in this case, a chill up the spine moment is revealed, for my son’s sake and those of the students in the business classes one building from the horrible event.

The post deployment “stand down” was truncated because the ship with the commitment couldn’t sail.

Getting a vessel to see is not like taking your 26′ boat out for a spin. Yes, the trailering and jockeying for a position at the boat ramp is exasperating, but no where near the level of effort to get out to a multi-ship exercise.

Communications plans are needed, the Engineer has to make sure he has fuel and water and other valuable consumables, such as lube oil. The 1st LT makes sure all the topside equipment is ready for use and loose gear stowed. The Combat Systems Officer makes sure his crew has sufficient munitions for the events scheduled, and any mandated operational loads. The Navigator has to pre-plan the transit from the pier to the sea buoy, and then to the rendezvous point, carefully checking the safe passage planned and setting a time frame to request the tugs and harbor pilot, so you can arrive at the exercise area as planned. Never late. It’s walking the dog back to make sure you’ll make it and not exceed any defined “speed limits” for transits that are in place for overall fuel economy. The quartermasters double check the work of the Navigator and also make sure the latest corrections for the nautical charts have been marked onto the charts to indicate missing navigational aids, dredging operations and other changes worth paying attention to. The Combat Information Center (CIC) gang has lots of work to make sure they know the schedule of events for the transit and exercises, the designated operations areas and the restrictions that may apply to those areas. On top of that, if any shore based services are required, they need to draft and send coordinating messages to other units to make sure what’s needed is there.

The general process when I was in for the post-deployment stand down was for 1/2 of the crew to go on leave the first 15 days and then the second half was off the last 15 days, then you came back and got back into the swing of things.

In this case, the “get back into the swing of things” happened during the time people were on leave, so it was people shouldering the extra work for those gone, or some coming back early or on some days off, in order to be ready.

This was not just any ship. It was one with 6 months of Earnest Will convoy escorting work. As the second senior command in the Persian Gulf at sea, this ship was regularly assigned the duty of Convoy Commander for oil tankers going one direction, while the Destroyer Squadron Commodore, the ranking commander, was Convoy Commander for a group of vessels going the other direction. The ship had all of it’s duty, plus the duty to manage a herd of merchant vessels, keeping them from harm, while keeping in contact with higher authority, and directly managing the other “assets” in the region to assist. The DESRON Commander had his assigned staff, but then the ship they were riding was left to just perform their duties, and not those responsibilities of commanding a convoy.

The net result of this extra effort for the ship will come to factor into their operations later.

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor, Third World County

Another email regarding the VT tragedy:

From the President of the Loudoun County, VA chapter of the VT Alumni Association, who received it from headquarters of the Alumni Association.

“Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20th, an ‘Orange and Maroon Effect’ day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. ‘Orange and Maroon Effect’ was born several years ago as an invitation to Tech fans to wear orange and maroon to Virginia Tech athletic events. We invite everyone from all over the country to be a part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday, to wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost, and to support the school and community we all love so much.”

They had returned from their maiden cruise on the 22nd of March, 1998. The first operational deployment now in the past, but they had done the mission the class had been built for: Convoy escort.

Home and enjoying some leave after the 6 months in the Persian Gulf, the tasker arrived in mid April, ordering them to sea on the 31st day after they had returned. The 30 day post-deployment leave and stand down, while by the numbers looked good, was not that, as gearing up to head to sea for fleet operations is not a small undertaking, and not easily handled by half the crew. Some ship, that had been stateside was unable to meet her commitment and this ship was to stand in as the escort for the USS JOHN F KENNEDY (CV-67) as she conducted anti-submarine training off the East Coast.

More to follow, as a tale is to be told of three naval combatants, and the intersection of their crews, is a story sparsely told. I will provide what I can to fill out the details of what happened.

Return often for the next few days, as the posts will provide the background to the setting.

Part II

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor

Received via email:

Our last speaker was Nikki Giovanni, a huge poet at our school and she said what the hokie nation needed to hear. Also they have this on our website.

“We are Virginia Tech.

“We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.

“We are Virginia Tech.

“We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.

“We are Virginia Tech.

“We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.

“We are Virginia Tech.

“The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.

“We are the Hokies.

“We will prevail.

“We will prevail.

“We will prevail.

“We are Virginia Tech.”

It reminds me of another school that suffered a large loss of their classmates and staff. I reviewed the movie “We Are Marshall” earlier. I can pray the VT family will use the example of Marshall to lead them forward.

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor