2015-04-21 By Robbin Laird There is nothing that focuses one’s thinking about defense more than having an immediate and direct threat that is not going away anytime soon. With the Russian Ambassador threatening to use nuclear weapons against Denmark if they join the NATO missile defense network, or Russians paratrooping…
04/22/2015: The Baltic Battalion -- not to be confused with the Battalion of the same name formed in the 1990’s – is a new initiative combining Estonian, Latvia and Lithuanian forces. In 2014, the battalion began preparations for the 2016 rotation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and is due…
2015-04-14 By Robbin Laird Logistics is certainly the dark art or science of military capability. Indeed, one problem facing broader understanding of the centrality of logistics, notably expeditionary logistics in support of joint or coalition operations, is that the crucial role of logistics in operations is not viewed by politicians…
2015-04-20 By Robbin Laird During my visit to 2d MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade), I had the opportunity to interview Major General Richard L. Simcock II, Commanding General, 2d MEB, and Major Marcus Mainz, lead 2d MEB planner for Exercise Bold Alligator 2014, where we had a lengthy discussion regarding the…
04/21/2015: Mr. Stoltenberg visited Iceland to discuss issues at the top of NATO’s security agenda. He discussed Russia’s continued aggressive actions in Ukraine and the rise of violent extremism in the Middle East and North Africa with Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur, David Gunnlaugsson and Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson. …
2015-04-20 By Robbin Laird Lt. General Robling recently retired as Commanding General, Marine Corps Forces Pacific (CG MARFORPAC) and is now serving as the CEO of PKL Services, Inc. (PKL), an aerospace services firm. PKL is headquartered in Poway, California, and throughout its now ten years of operation, has employed…
04/12/2015: By Robbin Laird I visited the Final Assembly Line of the A400M in Seville on April 8, 2015 and at the Bricy Air Base at Orléans on April 10, 2015. While at the FAL, I saw 4 A400Ms on the tarmac, one of them a developmental plane and three for…
2015-04-11 By Robbin Laird Two documents released over the last year provide a clear direction for the US Navy-Marine Corps team in 21st century operations. The first is Expeditionary Force 21, which provides a concept for the Marine Corps (MC) to build, equip and train their forces for 21st century…
