U.S. Military Stuff

[sugar magnolia]

Kinda cool. And makes me wonder wtf is going on that requires all this training.

Summer camp for all the Reserves usually crank up about this time of year. We see increased air training from the ARNG base out by the airport and all the ground convoys from Shelby on the highways.

[Maybenaut]

Kinda cool. And makes me wonder wtf is going on that requires all this training.

Summer camp for all the Reserves usually crank up about this time of year. We see increased air training from the ARNG base out by the airport and all the ground convoys from Shelby on the highways.

Yeah, maybe. But we’ve never seen an uptick like this.

[raison de arizona]

STUDENTS FOR FAIR ADMISSIONS now suing West Point for affirmative action. Apparently there are not enough white officers.

30. As the Class Composition Chart makes clear, West Point considers any enrollment
rate lower than its racial benchmarks to be a failure, even when a racial or ethnic group’s percentage
of the incoming class exceeds its percentage in the population at large. For example, West Point’s
benchmark for African Americans in the Class of 2020 was “[greater than] 14%,” even though only
13.1% of U.S. citizens are African American.2 West Point believes that, because African Americans
are overrepresented in the enlisted ranks (at 22.5%), they needed to be overrepresented among cadets,
too. And because African Americans comprised only 13.8% of the matriculating class, the chart highlighted African American enrollment in red, indicating that the Academy had failed to meet its goal.
(The Class Composition Chart does not mention white applicants.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap ... 00.1.0.pdf

[RTH10260]

Coast Guard adjusts operations plan to mitigate 2024 workforce shortage

By AJ Pulkkinen, MyCG writer
Oct. 31, 2023

Coast Guard mission demands are growing while our Service faces a significant workforce shortage. The Coast Guard is short nearly 10% of the entire enlisted workforce and cannot continue to operate as we have historically with fewer people.

To mitigate the workforce challenge risk in a deliberative and strategic fashion, the Vice Commandant, Adm. Steven Poulin, has provided specific temporary operational guidance to adapt our operations while prioritizing lifesaving missions, national security and protection of the marine transportation system.




https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/ ... -shortage/

U.S. Coast Guard Reduces Active Cutter Fleet Due to Personnel Shortage

PUBLISHED NOV 1, 2023 8:55 PM
BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE


The U.S Coast Guard is adapting to a workforce shortage by making operational adjustments, aiming to preserve its capacity to fulfill critical missions. The agency has 10 percent fewer enlisted personnel than needed, and it has acknowledged that it cannot continue to operate as before with fewer people. Rather than attempt to run all its vessels shorthanded, it will be idling some of its cutters and transferring crew to fully man the remaining active vessels.

“We cannot do the same with less. Conducting our missions is often inherently dangerous, and doing so without enough crew puts our members and the American public at increased risk,” said Adm. Linda Fagan, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant.

While the agency says there will be no loss of search and rescue (SAR) capabilities, it will be reducing the number of operating vessels. Three medium-endurance cutters (WMECs) - the oldest oceangoing vessels in the fleet - will be put in layup pending decommissioning. Seven 87-foot patrol boats will also be laid up, with plans for eventual reactivation. Five of the 65-foot harbor tugs will be put on standby in case they are needed for icebreaking, but will not be continuously manned. Last on the list, two of the 154-foot fast response cutters will head into an uncrewed overhaul period at the Coast Guard Yard.

“The ‘Trackline to 10,000,’ to have ten thousand members assigned to afloat units, is still the goal for our future fleet and we will get there,” said Capt. John Driscoll, the Chief of the Office of Cutter Forces. “We need to adjust our operating capacity now so we can prepare for the future. We will gradually grow fleet capacity back through continued construction of ships with the latest technology and the best crew habitability."

The service will also be making cuts on shore. The Coast Guard has 44 stations and 36 aids to navigation teams (ANTs), which the agency says have more billets than needed. Owing to the workforce shortage, the stations will be reduced to their staffing formula standard and the ANTs to one billet below their staffing standards.




https://maritime-executive.com/article/ ... l-shortage

[Foggy]

That's very sad ... and important.

What the Coast Guard does is so very, very important. I hope they make up the personnel shortage. This would be a good fit for a president to use his soapbox. Help 'em out, Joe.

[northland10]

If the bottom of the “V” in the gap is the center of a clock....

Off Topic

My geology classes from school suddenly break through the brainbone. It looks more like a U, i.e. rounded, which would be created by a ice/glacier, versus a steeper V which would be created by water.

There is some sharpness so it may have had some water erosion after the glacier stuff. The fine points of my learnin' have faded over 30+ years.

[Maybenaut]

This is New Market Gap on Massanutten Mountain. It’s in the Ridge and Valley section of the Appalachian Range. Massanutten Mountain is a synclinal ridge made up mostly of sandstone and shale. The mountain, which is really a series of ridges and valleys, actually includes about 15 separate mountains, running from Elkton, VA at the southern end, to Front Royal, some 50 miles to the north. Although the gap looks from a distance like a single cut, it’s really where the different peaks of some of these mountains have eroded, and there’s a very wind-y road running through the gap.

[raison de arizona]

DIVERSITY: Shortly after a Navy P-8A overshot the runway and landed in Kaneohe Bay (everyone survived) I pointed out that the crew was diverse. For that I got a scathing community note saying it wasn’t true. The Navy is very proud of the fact that it’s P-8 fleet features the most diverse crews in military aviation. 1st Lt. Hailey Harms, a Marine spokesperson confirmed the crew was both diverse and alive. Because the MSM isn’t reporting the identity of the crew the community notes community decided my comment was wrong. Annoying and false. Before you apply a community note make sure you know what you’re talking about - your inability to confirm a statement isn’t proof it isn’t accurate. Note: This crew photo is just the one the Navy distributed to show how diverse its P-8 crews are. They did not share one of the P-8 crew that went for a swim.

[pipistrelle]

People are driving rather than flying for Thanksgiving because DEI kills (according to the troll-bots).

[RTH10260]

I do not temember if this was posted a year ago, but this Steve Letho clip popped up.

Recap: Army looked for recruits during the Iraq war. They paid out bounties for names that turned to signed up recruits (like 170K+). Years later it was determined that Senate (appropriation?) rules were broken with theses payments. There was an investigation into the Army and the process. Investigators built a database of suspected fraud with names of former recruits and bounty recipients. There seems to have been some convictions. Then the database was turned over to the FBI. During this process it seems that many 'clean' records were falsly flagged with arrests and accusations. Now background ckecks surprise innocent people with bad records, they lose / get jobs rejected, firearm applications denied. The FBI reject request to correct the database.

[RTH10260]

FWIW

[RTH10260]

Nov 10, 2023

[RTH10260]

US Air Force punishes 15 in connection with Jack Teixeira, the infamous classified docs leaker

Edited By: Abhinav Singh
Updated: Dec 12, 2023, 03:00 PM IST

The United States Air Force on Monday (Dec 11) announced it had taken disciplinary action against 15 service members who failed to report the actions of Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, the infamous mole who leaked sensitive military secrets on Discord, earlier this year.

The findings of an Air Force Inspector General investigation found that indirect factors enabled Teixeira's unauthorised disclosure of military documents. Fifteen individuals from the ranks of staff sergeant to colonel received the punishments, ranging from being relieved from their positions to non-judicial punishment.

Col. Sean Riley of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, the unit where Teixeira served has been relieved of the command while Commanders of the 102nd Intelligence Support Squadron who had been suspended were “permanently removed”.

“Had any of these members come forward, security officials would likely have facilitated restricting systems/facility access and alerted the appropriate authorities, reducing the length and depth of the unauthorised and unlawful disclosures by several months,” the US Air Force said in the report.

The report added that individuals in Teixeira’s unit had the picture of his intelligence-seeking behaviours, but they failed to report him appropriately, fearing security officials might ‘overreact'.



https://www.wionews.com/world/us-air-fo ... ker-668651

[pipistrelle]

US Air Force punishes 15 in connection with Jack Teixeira, the infamous classified docs leaker

The report added that individuals in Teixeira’s unit had the picture of his intelligence-seeking behaviours, but they failed to report him appropriately, fearing security officials might ‘overreact'.

That is the opposite of leadership, where you report issues because it's the right thing to do. They'd have been heroes of a kind if they had. Now disgraced.

[Maybenaut]

It’s an odd quirk of military law. In the civilian world there is generally no duty to report criminal behavior committed by others. In the military it is a crime to fail to report known offenses committed by other military members. Each service includes the duty in its general regulations, and failure to report is a violation of Article 92, UCMJ.

[pipistrelle]

It’s an odd quirk of military law. In the civilian world there is generally no duty to report criminal behavior committed by others.

Where I work, we are required to report unethical or criminal behavior. If we don't, out we go.

[northland10]

It’s an odd quirk of military law. In the civilian world there is generally no duty to report criminal behavior committed by others.

Where I work, we are required to report unethical or criminal behavior. If we don't, out we go.

There is the quirk with the military. Yes, it's not just an adventure, it's a job. However, a failure in that job can have some steeper consequences than just getting fired.

I'm pretty sure there is not stockade/brig in the basement of the church where I would be locked up if I were caught naughtily playing my organ.

[qbawl]

Your words paint a Picture for me that unfortunately has little to do with unauthorized use of musical instruments. I'm one sick puppy.

[Maybenaut]

It’s an odd quirk of military law. In the civilian world there is generally no duty to report criminal behavior committed by others.

Where I work, we are required to report unethical or criminal behavior. If we don't, out we go.

Oh, for sure. But you wouldn’t go to prison. That’s what I meant.

Unlikely any of these folks (other than Taxiera) will face prison either, but it is a theoretical possibility.

[RVInit]

It’s an odd quirk of military law. In the civilian world there is generally no duty to report criminal behavior committed by others.

Where I work, we are required to report unethical or criminal behavior. If we don't, out we go.

Same at my previous place of employment. Ethics. Gosh, what a concept.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Your words paint a Picture for me that unfortunately has little to do with unauthorized use of musical instruments. I'm one sick puppy.

[RTH10260]

B-1 Bomber Crashes at Ellsworth; Crew Ejects Safely

Jan. 4, 2024 |
By Chris Gordon

A B-1B bomber crashed as it was attempting to land at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., on Jan. 4.

All four crew members ejected safely from the aircraft and survived, Ellsworth Air Force Base said in a statement.


The incident occurred during poor weather in below-freezing temperatures with dense fog limiting visibility, according to local weather reports. Radio traffic from local first responders said there was an “active fire” after an “explosion.”

“An Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base crashed at approximately 5:50 p.m. today while attempting to land on the installation,” the base’s 28th Bomb Wing said in a Jan. 4 statement. “At the time of the accident, it was on a training mission.”

The airbase is closed to flight operations, according to a Notice to Airmen/Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) advisory issued soon after the incident. The NOTAM was extended on Jan. 5.

One Airman is currently being treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries, the 28th Bomb Wing said in a Jan. 5 statement. The other three crew members were treated on base for minor injuries. A typical B-1 crew consists of two pilots and two weapons systems officers, all with ejection seats.

A spokesperson for the wing told Air & Space Forces Magazine they could not provide further details of the incident.



https://www.airandspaceforces.com/b-1-b ... ellsworth/

[Dave from down under]

Plea deal 11 years

US Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to leaking classified military documents

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-05/ ... /103548094

[Suranis]

They are re-floating and moving the USS Texas out of Drydock this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/live/OyTavTbsiL ... 7Nl3RsYr5B

[Volkonski]

Now if they only had someplace to put it.