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PÁPA AIR BASE, Hungary (AFNS) —
The 56th Rescue Squadron and the 56th Rescue Generation Squadron assigned to Aviano Air Base, Italy, are participating in the bilateral training exercise Jolly Vihar 23-2 at Pápa Air Base, Hungary June 26 through July 7.
Exercise Jolly Vihar is aimed to enhance the U.S. and Hungarian forces’ ability to conduct integrated combat search and rescue scenarios and perform maintenance operations. This exercise benefits the 56th RQS and 56th RGS along with NATO ally and partner nations by enhancing interoperability while learning each other’s techniques, strategies and procedures.
“The purpose of exercise Jolly Vihar for the 56th Rescue Squadron is terminal employment,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kayleigh Jones, 56th RQS special missions aviator instructor. “This is a great time for aircrew to practice factor threat analysis because we never know what squadron or unit we’re going to be working with. The more we integrate, the better we can facilitate personnel recovery across Europe.”
Three U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawks flew to Pápa Air Base for Jolly Vihar. During the two-week exercise, a large portion of the training was live fire and search and rescue missions. Airman assigned to Aviano AB and Pápa AB act as red cells during the search and rescue missions. Red cells are role players whose purpose is to present problems that the aircrew must solve as a team.
A Norwegian flight medic responds to a survivor during exercise Jolly Vihar at a training range near Pápa Air Base, Hungary, June 28, 2023. Search and rescue missions covered a large portion of exercise Jolly Vihar and role players acted as survivors needing to be recused by the aircrew. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Synsere Howard)
Norwegian forces on each aircraft fulfill the role of a pararescue team. Their job is to help to mitigate threats and safely recover red cells with information relayed to them and the aircrew. According to Jones, working with the Norwegian forces improves cohesion with the knowledge learned from one another. This can also be applied to real-world situations.
“We’re out here working with NATO allies and partner nations such as the Norwegians and the Hungarians,” Jones said. “We’re working on interoperability and learning their techniques and procedures while sharing ours with them.”
According to Jones, there are a lot of moving pieces in an exercise of this magnitude. The mission cannot be accomplished without other agencies, such as maintenance personnel, aviation resource managers, communications technicians and aircrew flight equipment specialists.
“These personnel are essential to making sure this exercise is executed safely and efficiently,” Jones said.
Jolly Vihar aims to advance and support rescue capability in U.S. European Command and NATO. Training with NATO allies and partners in exercises like Jolly Vihar strengthens partnerships, reduces tensions between nations and helps address potential conflicts before they start.
“We’re trying to build this network to increase our partner building capabilities,” Jones said. “We can’t do this alone.”
By Airman Synsere Howard, 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Pretty straight forward, the Luminae Paid to Raid Hoodie is exactly what the name says, a hoodie with a logo.
Get yours at www.luminae.co.uk/Shop/Luminae-Paid-To-Raid-Hoodie.
West Valley City, UT – The American Suppressor Association (ASA) is excited to announce that SilencerCo has increased their sponsorship level to Tier 1. SilencerCo has also partnered with the ASA-Foundation supporting the No State Left Behind Campaign, a first-of-its-kind lawsuit challenging Illinois’ unconstitutional state ban on suppressor ownership
“We are excited to continue supporting the ASA in all of their efforts to fight for pro-suppressor reform,” said SilencerCo VP of Marketing, Mike Aland.
SilencerCo, a company that from its inception has been a category creator and a trend setter. They ascended from two men in a garage to an industry-leading suppressor and gun parts company continuously striving for greater sound suppression.
“SilencerCo has been a key part of ASA since day one,” said Knox Williams, Executive Director of ASA. “When we formed in 2011, they were one of the three companies that gave us the seed money to incorporate. At every step along the way, SilencerCo has gone above and beyond to help ASA advocate for industry and consumers alike. We are proud to call SilencerCo an ally in our fight for pro-suppressor reform, and we thank them for joining us once again at our top Tier 1 level.”
Join us in the fight to help protect and expand your right to own and use suppressors by becoming an ASA Member at www.ASAMember.com.
NEBRASKA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of a new Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) in Omaha, Nebraska. This comprehensive center serves the veteran communities of Nebraska and Iowa, fostering small business growth and entrepreneurial success.
This new VBOC stands as a testament to the SBA’s commitment towards veteran entrepreneurship. Providing essential resources such as mentoring, training, and business plan workshops, the VBOC seeks to empower veterans, active-duty service members, and their families as they embark on their business journey.
“The Veterans Business Outreach Center in Omaha is a critical step in our mission to support the brave men and women who have served our country,” said Tim Green, Acting Associate Administrator of the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD). “Veterans are a vital part of our economy, bringing a unique set of skills, experience, and leadership that translates exceptionally well to entrepreneurship.”
Green’s sentiment was echoed by Mindy Brissey, SBA Region VII Regional Administrator. “Veteran-owned businesses in Nebraska and Iowa have consistently shown their capacity for innovation and growth. This new VBOC is our commitment to providing them with the necessary resources and support. We’re excited to see the entrepreneurial spirit of our veterans flourish even further with this initiative.”
The VBOC is not only an investment in the veteran community but also in the economic health of the states of Nebraska and Iowa. “With the opening of this Veterans Business Outreach Center, we are strengthening the economic fabric of our community,” said Timothy Mittan, SBA Nebraska District Director. “This new VBOC is a commitment that we will continue to invest in our veterans, providing them with the resources and support they need to thrive in the business world.”
The opening of the new VBOC in Omaha strengthens the network of centers across the United States and territories, continuing the SBA’s mission to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business concerns. This new addition confirms the ongoing commitment to our nation’s veterans and their integral role in economic development.
For more information about the new Veterans Business Outreach Center and the services offered, visit www.sba.gov/vboc.
CORONADO, Calif. –
The indomitable spirit of Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Art Nicholas, one of the first naval commandos and a celebrated World War II veteran, was honored once again as Basic Training Command (BTC) paid tribute to him with a Trident presentation during the SEAL Qualification Training Class 355 graduation this week.
This remarkable recognition held immense significance as Nicholas, a member of the Scouts and Raiders, helped lay the foundation for Naval Special Warfare (NSW) before the Trident was a symbol of the Navy SEALs. After celebrating his 100th birthday in February, Art was unable to travel due to his age. However, his enduring legacy was recognized through the attendance of his devoted son, Jeff Nicholas, who traveled to Coronado to receive the Trident on his father’s behalf, signifying his honorary status as a U.S. Navy SEAL.
The three-day long event commenced with the Knife Ceremony, a poignant tradition that symbolizes the passing of responsibility and authority from one generation of warriors to the next. Jeff, standing among the Navy SEAL candidates, embodied the proud legacy of his father, Art, as one of the original naval commandos who paved the way for the formation of NSW and the Navy SEALs.
Following the Knife Ceremony, the SQT Class 355 graduation dinner provided a momentous platform for graduating candidates and attendees to come together and pay their respects to BM1 Art Nicholas. As Jeff Nicholas spoke on his father’s behalf, he shared stories that highlighted Art’s unwavering dedication to his country and his instrumental role in shaping the history of NSW. The BTC quarterdeck was adorned with photographs capturing Art’s heroic exploits, offering a visual testament to his extraordinary service. Admirals, officers, and fellow Navy SEALs joined in expressing their heartfelt gratitude and admiration for Art’s selfless contributions. The collective appreciation and camaraderie in the room served as a testament to the profound impact Art Nicholas made on the lives of those he served alongside.
The highpoint of the week arrived with the SQT Class 355 graduation ceremony on June 30. Jeff Nicholas stood before the crowd to receive the Trident on behalf of his father. This ceremonial transfer of responsibility represented the legacy of BM1 Nicholas and his role as one of the original naval commandos. It signified Art’s honorary status as a SEAL, symbolizing the enduring bond between past and present generations of warriors who embody the indomitable spirit of the Navy SEALs.
Addressing the audience, Capt. Timothy Sulick, commanding officer of BTC, recounted BM1 Nicholas’ valorous actions during World War II and his principled contributions to the Navy.
“Art Nicholas embodies the essence of a true American hero, exemplifying the finest qualities of a Navy SEAL. As one of the original naval commandos, his legacy is etched in the fabric of NSW,” Sulick stated with utmost reverence. “Today, as we honor him at this SQT graduation, we pay tribute to his extraordinary service and the timeless legacy he has left behind.”
The Navy’s tribute to BM1 Art Nicholas, underscores the enduring importance of honoring those who have shaped the history of NSW and the SEAL Teams. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by brave men and women throughout history and the indomitable spirit that continues to shape the Navy’s elite warriors.
By Lt Teresa Meadows, Naval Special Warfare Center Public Affairs
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States were a watershed in U.S. history. Though terrorist attacks on the American homeland and its global assets were not unique, they were neither common nor large scale.
The 9/11 attacks prompted a U.S. counterattack in fall 2001 against Afghanistan, which was the haven and training ground for the 19 Al Qaeda terrorists who had hijacked the four commercial airliners that claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Then, in spring 2003, came the invasion of Iraq for numerous reasons, most of all for allegedly developing and possessing weapons of mass destruction.
Though U.S.-led international military operations against Afghanistan and Iraq were initially successful and generally conventional in nature, occupation of both countries without full conquest of either one quickly inspired insurgency, often supported by international terrorist organizations. This shift led the American military to formulate counterinsurgency (COIN) doctrine to guide its ground forces primarily.
COIN required complex and nuanced operations directed at defeating the insurgents while rebuilding both countries as independent and secure states. TRADOC’s role in the roughly twenty years of the Global War on Terrorism involved training Soldiers for duty, principally in Southwest Asia and the Middle East, and convening the experts who produced the first formal Army doctrinal manual for conducting counterinsurgency operations since the Vietnam War.
After Vietnam and TRADOC’s establishment in July 1973, the U.S. Army largely abandoned its traditional experience with insurgency and counterinsurgency, dating all the way back to the American War of Independence. After the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the Army focused instead on the activities and programs associated with the Europe-focused AirLand Battle and the Big 5 materiel developments.
Now faced with the need from 2003 onward to defeat robust insurgencies, the Army, with TRADOC leading and with significant contributions from the U.S. Marine Corps, began to resurrect, revise, and reissue counterinsurgency doctrine.
Along the way as a stopgap measure, the Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas-based U.S. Army Combined Arms Center published Field Manual-Interim 3-07.22, Counterinsurgency Operations, in October 2004, with a scheduled expiration two years hence.
Then-Lieutenant General William S. Wallace, later the 12th TRADOC Commanding General, commanded CAC, which oversaw most of the Army’s service schools and wrote the bulk of the service’s doctrine. The changes initiated by the new counterinsurgency manual ultimately resulted in a cascade of updated doctrinal publications, including capstone doctrine, all reflecting the experiences of recent combat operations.
In September 2005, then-Lieutenant General David H. Petraeus assumed the duties of CAC Commanding General. Petraeus possessed extensive counter-terrorism experience in Bosnia about the time of the 9/11 attacks and later while commanding the 101st Airborne Division during and after the Iraq invasion.
Right away, Petraeus engaged both his USMC GWOT colleague, then-Lieutenant General James N. Mattis, commanding the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and his West Point classmate, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Conrad C. Crane, then-Senior Historian at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute.
Starting in mid-February 2006 in a conference at CAC, Dr. Crane led the writing team composed of experts from the military, academia, and the private sector and served as the principal author for the Army’s effort quickly to research, write, publish, and distribute the seminal December 2006 joint Army-USMC FM 3-24/Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-33.5, Counterinsurgency. The manual served for the next eight years as the Army’s guidepost for conducting GWOT counterinsurgencies.
Rooted in both historical study and contemporary experience, the manual drew immediate worldwide attention for many reasons, including its counterintuitive yet utilitarian “Paradoxes of Counterinsurgency Operations,” which included such strictures as “Sometimes Doing Nothing Is the Best Reaction,” “Many Important Decisions Are Not Made by Generals,” and numerous others.
In May 2014, the Army and USMC released the next and still current joint edition of FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5, now retitled Insurgencies and Countering Insurgencies, which builds on the 2006 version and casts counterinsurgency within the larger context of a range of military operations.
By TRADOC Military History and Heritage Office
Recently, I saw someone on Instagram bring up Buck Doyle’s technique for carrying a carbine in combat. As I had written something in this back in 2016, I thought it was worth sharing again.
This week I got to spend some time out in Utah with Buck Doyle, owner of Follow Through Consulting. Buck is very well known and respected in the Marine Reconnaissance and MARSOC communities, as well as industry. I expected to learn a lot from him and he did not disappoint.
One quick takeaway I picked up during the scoped carbine course he presented for hosts Proof Research, Erathr3, Leupold and Surefire, was this weapon grip for fast movement. I thought it was a great, quick share because anyone can easily adopt it on their own.
In the Army, I was taught to carry my rifle in a modified port arms by wrapping the fingers of my firing hand around the pistol grip with my trigger finger extended along the lower receiver above the trigger. Alternatively, I’ve seen guys extend their finger across the trigger with their fingertip resting on the magwell, as seen above. Additionally, I was taught to position my support hand under the forearm with my finger and thumb holding it securely.
Buck was taught the same thing in the Marine Corps. But the realities of combat taught him to modify this grip. Twice, he injured his trigger finger during falls in combat while rushing from one position to another. The first time he dislocated his finger and on the second, he sprained it. He said the sprain was worse because it took longer to heal. Once Buck started wrapping all of his fingers around the pistol grip, he didn’t injure it again.
I told Buck, “That makes sense for the firing hand, but what gives with the upside down grip on the support hand?” He told me that this method of carry served two functions. First, it serves the four rules of firearms safery quite well. It forces the muzzle down in a safe direction during movements. If you stumble, you won’t bring your muzzle up in the air like you would with the more tradtional port-style carry. Second, you can more naturally pull the weapon down into yourself in a full fall.
An important note. Buck adopted this technique for moving rapidly (ie running) while in combat. He fully acknowledges that you will have to transition your grip to shoot your weapon.
One of the things I find most refreshing about Buck Doyle is that there’s no BS. I talked to him about the grip and asked him what he called it. Unlike many tactical trainers, he didn’t have some fancy, trademarked name for it. For Buck, this wasn’t some theory-based technique he had dreamed up, but was based on years of actual combat as a Marine. It’s just an adaptation of a long-standing technique for use in certain circumstances. That’s the kind of thing you take away.
For those curious, the rifle is by Erathr3 with a PROOF Research barrel. The scope is Leupold and furniture by Magpul. More on all of that soon, but yes, I was hitting steel at 1164 meters with this 5.56mm package.
If you’re interested in learning more about Follow Through Consulting, visit www.followthroughconsulting.com.
