I follow football. High School, College, Professional – all levels, all kinds. It’s a blood sport. So there was no way I could ignore the blaring RSS feed headlines on Monday morning announcing that this past weekend’s games will be forever known as “Bloody Sunday.” Sports Illustrated football analyst Peter King reported that “Last Sunday could go down as a seminal moment in NFL history,” because of the injuries sustained on the playing field and the impact on future play, ...
Continue Reading →Military News you may have missed – Oct 21
Policy — Taliban’s Elite, Aided by NATO, Join Talks for Afghan Peace
Key highlights:
- Taliban Quetta and Peshawar Shura and Haqqani Network are participating in Afghan peace talks
- NATO/ISAF is providing transport and security to delegates from safe-havens to Kabul
- Delegates are senior members
Analysis: These talks have become a necessary component of an overall strategy to obtain a political solution because a viable military solution does not exist – we cannot “kill/capture” our way to victory in Afghanistan.
Policy — Petraeus rewrites the playbook in ...
Continue Reading →Rules of Engagement and the Taliban: Blind Man’s Bluff?
In a revealing article published today (October 20, 2010) in the Washington Examiner, Sara A. Carter, National Security Correspondent reports that “Troops Chafe at Restrictive Rules of Engagement” and reported talks with the Taliban.
As reported earlier, frontline troops in Afghanistan have not been entirely pleased (read “pissed off”) at current Rules of Engagement which govern military action by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. As readers of SFTT are aware, retired General McChrystal, then commander of military forces in Afghanistan, radically modified the ...
Continue Reading →Goverment Approved Body Armor: Catch 22?
A week ago, SFTT received a request from a concerned parent (whose son is expected to deploy shortly to Afghanistan) inquiring whether a service member is obligated to wear “US government approved” equipment or is free to use protective gear and combat equipment purchased from other firms.
The question is in response to numerous reports from the field that suggest that “non-authorized” equipment may be confiscated and, in fact, life and heath insurance benefits may be forfeited if a service member is wounded or killed ...
Continue Reading →Military News you may have missed – October 16
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Military News you may have missed – October 9, 2010
- Dragon skin *body armor*. Still a hot item? – Page 2 – Survivalist Forum
October 9, 2010 – The debate rages on! A couple of fellows weigh in on the flawed testing procedures and unusual sweetheart deal with Interceptor body armor.
- Point Blank Solutions Awarded Concealable *Body Armor* Contract *…*
October 9, 2010 – Business as usual for ...
Military News you may have missed – October 2, 2010
- Court Tosses $35.2 Million *Body*-*Armor* Settlement
October 2, 2010 – This sad story never seems to go away.
- BAE Develops ‘Three in One’ *Body Armor* | Kit Up!
October 2, 2010 – When military contractors talk about “add-ons” and “customization” features I see extra costs. Is this a serious piece of protective gear or just a promotional piece?
- Continue Reading →
M2 “Ma Duce” gets overhaul
According to press releases, the U.S. Army has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products a $35 million order to manufacture M2A1 quick change barrel (“QCB”) conversion kits. According to the news release, “the QCB conversion kits feature several direct-replacement parts to modify existing M2 heavy barrel (M2HB) machine guns to the M2A1 configuration. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2011 and will continue through December 2012. “
“‘With the QCB conversion kits, the U.S. warfighter can change the machine ...
Call to properly equip our frontline troops
In a fascinating article published on September 27th in the National Defense Magazine, retired Maj. Gen. Robert Scales argues that the Department of Defense (“DOD”) “has failed to pay adequate attention to improving the equipment and training for small infantry units” currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gen. Scales, a former commandant of the Army War College and military historian, claims that while “we’re still the best ground force in ...
DoD Shell Game?: You be the judge.
Can anyone tell me exactly how many US servicemembers are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan? How about the number of Americans in uniform on 9/11? Or the number serving in uniform today? Does anyone know the total number of servicemembers deployed to Afghanistan over the past 9 years? Deployed to Iraq since 2003? I’m asking these questions because all I’ve been hearing since “combat operations” ended ...