USAF’s Big Penetrator Needs to Be Harder… Wednesday, Feb 1 2012 

Humor and Military and US Air Force , , , 1IDVET 08:01

H/T Ace.

The headline is just too funny not to post this.

USAF’s Big Penetrator Needs to Be Harder

Yup, the Massive Ordnance Penetrator MOP needs to be harder, according to anonymous Pentagon sources cited in a Wall Street Journal article.A series of recent tests found that the Air Force’s 30,000-pound tool for penetrating 32 stories of reinforced concrete might not have enough penetrating power to take out Iran’s most heavily protected nuclear facilities, reports the WSJ. This has prompted the Pentagon to secretly ask lawmakers for $82 million to improve the bomb’s penetrating power. The MOP is getting Viagra.

Remember, the Pentagon just spent about $60 million for 16 MOPs that are designed to be carried by B-2 stealth bombers.

via USAF’s Big Penetrator Needs to Be Harder | Defense Tech.

 

Army Versus Air/Sea Battle | Wings Over Iraq Wednesday, Dec 14 2011 

Military and Politics and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy , , , , , 1IDVET 14:50

Excellent post on the coming conflict with China over at Wings Over Iraq. You do know that it is inevitable, right?

Anyway, good read.

The Army is infiltrating a way in – and on a direct challenge – to the “AirSea Battle” concept.

The world’s ‘s largest ocean at first glance seems kinda – all wet – for land forces. So far, only Air Force and Navy have best capitalized on concerns over China, with the 2 highest-tech services putting forward a joint approach to controlling the Western Pacific that they call “AirSea Battle.” (The name, ironically, is a tribute to the influential Army-Air Force “AirLand Battle” concept of the 1980s).

With the goal of revising its guiding “Capstone Concept” document early next year, This We’ll Defend has kicked off a series of conferences on its role after Afghanistan. At the first event, at the end of October, a conclave of experts addressing “alternative futures” for the year 2020 repeatedly highlighted the rise of China. But both the participants and the generals hosting them seemed vague on what the Army could actually do about it.

The argument here is that the Air Force and Navy have fixated on the parts of the China problem that are most suitable to their high-priced, high-tech systems – the clash between aircraft, warships, submarines, and electronic networks to secure or deny access to the Western Pacific – while they have ignored other aspects that the Army is best suited to address.

via Army Versus Air/Sea Battle | Wings Over Iraq.

 

Veterans Day Freebies Thursday, Nov 10 2011 

Coast Guard and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , 1IDVET 09:32

I should have posted this sooner. Better late than never!

Here’s a list of participating businesses:

Applebee’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11: Last year, Applebee’s served 1,024,000 million free meals to military veterans and active servicemembers. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. There will be 7 entrées to choose from. Military ID or proof of service required. Find locations at http://applebees.com/.

Chili’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours on November 11, 2011 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.

Golden Corral – Free meal, Monday Nov. 14: The 10th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held on Monday, November 14, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/.

Special thanks to Golden Corral: To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 2.5 million free meals and contributed over $4.3 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization.

Hooters – Free Meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Choose one of the new specialty items on the Hooter’s menu. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. Drink purchase required. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com.

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut. Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans on Friday November 11th. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 13, 2011: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 13th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 13th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event.

Outback Steakhouse – A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes Monday Nov. 7 – Friday Nov. 11. Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel who have one of the following forms of identifications: U.S Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), DD form 214 Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), Photograph in Uniform, Wearing Uniform. For more information, visit, http://outback.com/companyinfo/veteransday.aspx.

The Outback understands commitment. For the past two years, The Outback, with the help of their patrons, has donated $2 Million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization providing everyday and emergency support for active troops, wounded warriors and their families.

Subway – Free Six Inch Sub. Select Subway locations offer a FREE six inch sub to military veterans on Veteran’s Day. However, Subway restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Please call ahead.

Texas Roadhouse – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Offer varies by location; our local Texas Roadhouse is offering a free meal from opening until 4pm. Other locations may vary in offer, hours, or availability. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information.

T.G.I. Friday’s – Buy one get one free Nov 11-14. At participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. November 11-14.

Uno Chicago Grill, Friday, Nov. 11. Uno’s is offering a free entree or individual pizza with a purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. Offer good for all military for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service. More info here.

Home Depot and Lowes Coupon Updates

Update: Home Depot and Lowes 10% Military Discount Available Everyday.

Home Depot: The Home Depot(R) is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 and is available at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center(R) locations. The 10% discount is available everyday for active duty and retirees, but not all veterans. Home Depot makes this offer available to all veterans on most military holidays. You can also find Home Depot discounts online.

Lowes: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 7 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards. Like Home Depot, Lowes offers this discount daily to active duty military members, but not to veterans. However, they extend the offer to military veterans on military holidays. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com.

Free Park Admissions for Veterans Day

Here’s to the Heroes
Anheuser-Busch Parks. Anheuser-Busch Parks offers Active Duty Service Members free admission for them and up to 3 dependents to any of their parks once a year. Throughout 2011, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission. The Here’s to the Heroes program is only available to Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman. Eligible parks include: Adventure Island, Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay or Williamsburg), SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio), Sesame Place, and Water Country USA. Not valid at Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not included as part of this program. For more information and to register, visit: Free admission summary, and ticket application.

Colonial Williamsburg Free Admission. Colonial Williamsburg offers free weekend-long admission tickets to active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their immediate dependents from Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 13th. The complimentary ticket incudes admission to Colonial Williamsburg exhibition sites, art museums, and most daytime programs, as well as free parking and use of the shuttle bus system. Tickets are only available at on-site ticket sales locations. Tickets are also available to families of deployed servicemembers. Tickets available on the following dates: Nov. 11-13.

Historic Jamestowne – Free Admission. The National Park Service commemorates Veterans Day with Fee Free days at Historic Jamestowne November 11-13. Free admission for everyone. See events calendar.

Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission. Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 24 November (Thanksgiving Day). Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six additional tickets for just $17 each. More info.

Fee Free Day at National Parks. To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the National Park Service would not charge entrance fees for Veteran’s Day weekend – November 11-13, 2011. Over 100 national Parks will be participating in this event.

San Jacinto Monument and Museum (La Porte, TX). November 7-13: Free admission to the theatre, Observation Floor, and (on November 12-13) the special exhibit to all veterans and their families. More info.

Bed and Breakfast for Vets
In the third year of the program, B&Bs for Vets has organized over 485 (and counting) participating Bed and Breakfasts and Inns across the US and Canada which will be offering veterans a free night’s stay on November 10th, the night before Veterans Day. This offer is available to both active duty military members and veterans with ID, but space is limited. Each Inn and B&B has at least one
room available for this promotion and reservations must be made directly through the participating Inns and B&Bs. For more information visit B&Bs for Vets.

Free Hugo® Canes for Veterans. Sam’s Club® locations nationwide will distribute 36,000 Hugo® canes free of charge on November 9th, 10th, 11th, 2011 to U.S. military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Limited quantities available, while supplies last. Sam’s Club® Membership is not required, but proof of military service may be required. For more information, visit HugoSalutes.com.

Other Veteran’s Day Discounts

Here are some additional Veteran’s Day Discounts. In all cases, be sure to provide proper ID or proof of service. In addition, some of these stores are franchises, so verify participation before assuming the discount is in place.

Free Car wash. Thousands of car washes around the country are offering vets a free car wash on Veterans Day. Find a list at Grace for Veterans, which helped veterans receive 101,537 FREE Washes on Veterans Day in 2010.

Amazon.com – Discount “Veterans Day Honor” MP3 album download. This downloadable album includes 12 songs as performed by the military bands and ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit Amazon on Veteran’s Day to download the album.

Netflix – One Month Free Trial.

Sport Clips – FREE haircut to active-duty military & veterans. Offer only available at select locations. Please call to verify local participation.

Tim Hortons – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).

 

Great Loss to America… Monday, Aug 8 2011 

Afghanistan and Hero and Military and Terrorism and US Air Force and US Army and US Navy , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:31

To the many SEALs, Soldiers, and Airmen that were lost over the weekend may your spirits be at rest now. Your duty is done.

Rest in peace.

And to their families for raising such men, my sincerest condolences for your loss.

Please read Onward.

 

Required Reading… Wednesday, Mar 2 2011 

Coast Guard and Hero and Military and Truth and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 14:06

We, as a nation seem to have forgotten that we are at war.

I lost a good friend to this fucking war. I think about him all the time. One of the last things he told me in an email, was right after he was promoted to major, that I was the reason he decided to stay in the Army and make it a career. I was his platoon sergeant, he was the last platoon leader that I would have in the Army. He was my son’s godfather.

Yeah, it’s personal.

Go read this article from the Washington Post. EVERY American should be required to read it.

Lt. Gen. John Kelly, who lost son to war, says U.S. largely unaware of sacrifice

Before he addressed the crowd that had assembled in the St. Louis Hyatt Regency ballroom last November, Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly had one request. “Please don’t mention my son,” he asked the Marine Corps officer introducing him.

Four days earlier, 2nd Lt. Robert M. Kelly , 29, had stepped on a land mine while leading a platoon of Marines in southern Afghanistan. He was killed instantly.

Without once referring to his son’s death, the general delivered a passionate and at times angry speech about the military’s sacrifices and its troops’ growing sense of isolation from society.

“Their struggle is your struggle,” he told the ballroom crowd of former Marines and local business people. “If anyone thinks you can somehow thank them for their service, and not support the cause for which they fight – our country – these people are lying to themselves. . . . More important, they are slighting our warriors and mocking their commitment to this nation.”

More

 

The Forgotten War… Saturday, Jun 26 2010 

Hero and Military and Truth and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , 1IDVET 07:20

60 years later.

I read the book Battle for Korea: The Associated Press History of the Korean Conflict not that long ago. If you are interested, it is an easy read with a lot of AP photos from the war. I recommend it.

The men and women that fought in that war suffered greatly at the hands of the North Koreans, Chinese and the weather. They endured what most people couldn’t even begin to imagine.

I spent three winters in Korea. I know exactly how cold it gets and have a frame of reference when I read their stories of the bitter cold that sweeps across Korea out of Siberia. I don’t complain about the heat anymore.

Here’s a few posts around the web related to this.

God Bless these men and women. They deserve far greater respect and admiration than they’ve gotten.

60th anniversary of the Korean War

June 25, 1950. [Updated]


 

Memorial Day Monday, May 31 2010 

Coast Guard and History and Military and Military History and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , 1IDVET 10:47

In loving memory of Major Douglas A. LaBouff, KIA 7 January, 2007 in Iraq. You will not be forgotten my friend.

And to all the other heroes our country has lost in wars past and present.

I salute you.

Stole the following from Ace:

“It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

God rest their souls…

 

New Military Technology… Tuesday, May 4 2010 

Health Care and Military and Truth and US Air Force , , , , 1IDVET 13:55

Stumbled on this over at Blackfive.

This is good shit. The military has always been a leader in innovation when it comes to technology, and much of the medical field owes a lot to the military.

Air Force Tests Method for Using Light to Heal Battlefield Injuries

In the near future, wounds may be treated with a flash of light. A process called photochemical tissue bonding can replace conventional stitches, staples and glues in repairing skin wounds and even reconnecting nerves and blood vessels.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, working with funds from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, recently completed a pilot study to determine the effectiveness of light bonding compared to traditional stitches. The study involved patients who had skin lesions removed and needed stitches.

The team just submitted the study for publication, according to Dr. Irene Kochevar, a dermatology professor at Harvard and a research fellow at Massachusetts General’s Wellman Center for Photomedicine.

More

 

Mother of All Bombs… Thursday, Oct 15 2009 

Military and Truth and US Air Force , , 1IDVET 15:55

Stumbled on this in my wanderings along the inter-tubes:

Meet the MOBB — Mother of all Bunker Busters

While US Administration officials hope their amicable diplomacy will convince Iran’s mad leader Ahmadinijad to stop his country’s quest for nuclear weapons, the Pentagon is already preparing military options.

Last week, the Pentagon requested from Congress (and received approval) to redirect $52 million dollars for the acceleration of purchasing 4 MOP bombs — Massive Ordnance Penetrators. This 30,000 pound weapon is approximately 31.5 inches in diameter and 20.5 feet long, with about the same amount of explosives inside as Wallis’ Tallboy (5,300 pounds).

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Laser Tag the Military Way… Tuesday, Sep 1 2009 

Military and Truth and US Air Force , 1IDVET 18:36

“You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that cannot be done. Ah, would you remind me what I pay you people for, honestly? Throw me a bone here! What do we have?”

ABL kickin’ butt. I hear Obambi wants to cut this too.

Advanced Tactical Laser Defeats Ground Target in Flight Test

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 1, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force on Aug. 30 defeated a ground target from the air with the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) aircraft, demonstrating ATL’s first air-to-ground, high-power laser engagement of a tactically representative target.

During the test, the C-130H aircraft took off from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and fired its high-power chemical laser through its beam control system while flying over White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The beam control system acquired the ground target – an unoccupied stationary vehicle – and guided the laser beam to the target, as directed by ATL’s battle management system. The laser beam’s energy defeated the vehicle.

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