11/11/2014: In the first, second and fifth photos, U.S. Marines with the 1st Tank Battalion detachment, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), are seen working to replace an M1A1 Abrams tank engine during sustainment training at D’Arta Plage, Djibouti, Nov. 6. In the third…
2014-11-07 By Robbin Laird Land wars of the past decade have led the United States to a significant redirection of its military forces. The key roles played in ground operations and support by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the US Navy (USN) to the land forces have been evident and…
2014-11-11 Murielle Delaporte is visiting the French base in Djibouti. Djibouti is at the crossroads of Asia and Africa and a very important transit route. France has a long history in Djibouti. Djibouti was obtained as a colony by France in 1862 and officially controlled Djibouti until it received independence…
11/10/2014:A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462 begins to lift an 8,000 pound simulated cargo item during an external cargo lift exercise aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Aug. 21. The squadron conducted the training with the help of a Helicopter Support Team with Combat…
2014-11-09 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During our visit to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in October 2014, we had a chance to discuss the importance of training and the way ahead with CDR Charles "Chunks" Smith. Question; You are currently at Top Gun but what is…
2014-11-09 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During our visit to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, we had a chance to discuss the approach to strike integration being pursued in the training process at the Center with CDR Charles "Scotty" Brown, current STRIKE XO, previous TOPGUN Instructor. Brown…
2014-11-07 By Robbin Laird Visiting the USS Arlington for someone who lived in Arlington on September 11, 2001 is a very poignant event. And it is especially so for someone like me who was in the Pentagon that day. I went into my meeting. Suddenly, I felt the building rock.…
11/08/2014: The Marines and Sailors of 1st Marine Division commemorated the 10-year anniversary of the Second Battle of Fallujah, Operation AL FAJR, by hosting a ceremony at Camp Pendleton. The ceremony honored all service members who participated in the historic battle, and reunited veterans from private to general officer in…