2014-05-22 Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Randy Tarchetti fires a shot line from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) to the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) during an ammunition on-load. [caption id="attachment_65490" align="alignnone" width="300"] A T-AKE ship supplies…
2014-04-27 With Afghan operations drawing down, it is important to remember how challenging the Afghan enivornment is and the impact of that operational environment has been on US and allied military equipment. A recent photo from Camp Bastion is a good reminder of the demanding Afghan environment. [caption id="attachment_64851" align="alignnone"…
2014-03-30 During the visit of the Second Line of Defense team to New River on February 10, 2014, we had a chance to sit down with Lt. Col. Boniface to discuss his most recent experience as the ACE Commander of the 26th MEU, which has just returned from the Middle East.…
2014-03-18 During a visit to PACAF at the end of February, Second Line of Defense had a chance to talk with General Hawk Carlisle and members of the PACAF staff about the evolving approach to the Pacific Area of Operations. Lift and tanking assets are key elements of the flying…
2014-03-14 By Robbin Laird During my visit to Australia, I have had a chance to visit No. 33 Squadron, at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley in the state of Queensland. The Squadron operates the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). My mentor and guide for my day at the…
2014-03-09 By Robbin Laird It is clear that the F-35 global enterprise is a unique enabler of the entire re-set of US and allied airpower. Yet this crucial and even central reality is hardly recognized in the mounds or should one say piles of commentary on the F-35 program. And indeed,…
2014-03-05 During a visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, at the end of February 2014, Second Line of Defense had a chance to talk with Col. Mickey Addison, Director of Installations and Mission Support and the PACAF command engineer (A7), and Mr. James T. Silva, Deputy Director, Logistics (A4D), about…
03/05/2014: According to a Stars and Stripes piece written by John Vandiver published 2/5/14: Afghanistan-bound U.S. troops departed from the military’s new transit hub in Romania this week, marking a first for the new facility, which will play a key role as the United States draws down in Afghanistan in…
