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1st Marine Division Enhances Lethality and Versatility with Innovative Infantry Training

Thursday, March 30th, 2023

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —

1st Marine Division units conducted a series of training events in recent weeks to increase small unit lethality and versatility, with an emphasis on innovative weapon systems, warfighting concepts, and training programs.

1st Marine Division Marines and Sailors took part in a week-long multipurpose anti-armor anti-personnel weapon system program, as well as a multi-day Designated Marksman range. Both training events provided experience and familiarity with weapon systems and tactics necessary to compete in hostile, fluid, and challenging environments.

“The 1st Marine Division exists to fight and win our Nation’s battles,” emphasized Major General Benjamin Watson, the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, in his Commanding General’s Intent. “We must be brilliant in the basics of combined arms warfighting; techniques that have long made us feared by our enemies.”

“…Marines assigned as Designated Marksmen have learned the necessary skills, demonstrated confidence and sustained proficiency in the M110 and MK13 in order to provide precision fires in support of rifle company operations.”

Gunner Tyler Maisey, the senior weapons and tactics expert for 2nd Battalion

General Watson took command of the 20,000 Marines and Sailors in the historic Blue Diamond last summer. Immediately, the commanding general emphasized the division’s ability to provide the most lethal and ready forces capable to compete in any environment, at any time. Division units consistently train with the most modern weapons, tactics, and techniques.

Marines and Sailors with the 5th Marine Regiment took part in a week-long MAAWS training event, first learning about the capabilities of the weapon system, and then taking their instruction to the field to test and examine its destructive strength. The MAAWS, also known as the Carl Gustaf, provides infantry squads the ability to neutralize and even destroy enemy armor and light armor assets at greater distances compared to the SMAW, LAW, and AT-4. The MAAWS also allows combat engineer units to breach obstacles and establish footholds in challenging objectives.

“The MAAWs recoilless rifle and family of ammo provide the service a capability that makes efficient what multiple weapon systems currently do. The ability to obscure objectives, fire HE/HEAT, illumination, and smoke missions, at ranges further than an organic rifle platoon can do currently with multiple systems is a capability enhancement,” explained 1st Marine Division’s lead weapons and tactics expert, Gunner Ray Browne. “For Designated Marksmen, DM training will ensure the capability gap in the squad is more effectively filled to employ these enhanced marksmanship skills with precision weapon systems that IBX30 allocates to the squad.”

Marines and Sailors with the 7th Marine Regiment spent multiple days out in the desert of 29 Palms learning and developing long-range precision rifle techniques and procedures. The Designated Marksman program allows sharp-shooting Marines to perform precision fire tasks in support of ground combat maneuver. The Designated Marksman training focused on the M110 and the MK13 rifles, capable of precision engagements of around 800 and 1200 meters, respectively.

“2/7 will move the long guns to the rifle company ‘arms-room’ and train 0311s to employ the precision weapon systems,” provided Gunner Tyler Maisey, the senior weapons and tactics expert for 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. “Marines assigned as Designated Marksmen have learned the necessary skills, demonstrated confidence and sustained proficiency in the M110 and MK13 in order to provide precision fires in support of rifle company operations.”

MAAWS and Designated Marksman training are just two focus areas of the Infantry Battalion Experimentation 2030, or IBX30. One aspect of IBX30 is allowing infantry battalions, the bulk of 1st Marine Division units, to remain versatile in their capabilities through an arms-room concept. The arms-room concept allows infantry Marines to be well-trained with multiple weapon systems, instead of limiting them to one or two weapon systems at a time. Additional, ongoing training includes scout platoon integration, which will provide infantry battalions organic reconnaissance capabilities for distributed operations. The redundancy and versatility of our critical infantry community reinforce the highest levels of battlefield effectiveness and allow 1st Marine Division to provide any force or operation with significant lethality and the ability to win in any clime or place.

Capt Joseph DiPietro, 1st Marine Division

Posted in Guest Post, Training, USMC | 1 Comment »

White Stag Exercise Prepares AMC Airmen for Mobility Guardian 2023

Tuesday, March 28th, 2023

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) —

The 305th Air Mobility Wing conducted the first iteration of their annual training exercise, White Stag, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 8-9.

White Stag is a wing level exercise implemented as a self-evaluation, validating the wing’s Full Spectrum Readiness and ability to deploy, operate and sustain rapid global mobility in any contested environment. Additionally, White Stag serves as a training opportunity for the 305th Air Mobility Wing to prepare for Air Mobility Command’s largest exercise, Mobility Guardian 2023, later this year.

“We’re starting to push Airmen past their comfort zones with these training exercises and change their mindsets,” said Lt. Col. James Salazar, 305th AMW inspector general. “Future conflicts won’t be the same as anything we’ve previously been involved in, it’s going to be fast paced with less support from a main operating base.”

With rapid mobilization generation as a foremost priority, White Stag began with an engine running crew change, demonstrating how quickly and efficiently aircrews can swap roles while the aircraft is running, minimizing the possibility of maintenance issues. ERCC’s ensure units are always ready to go with presenting a consistent and sustainable mobility force, aligning mission priorities with the new Air Force Force Generation model.

“Once a KC-46A Pegasus tanker has landed, maintenance has several hours to service and fuel the aircraft,” said Maj. Gage Owens, 305th AMW chief of wing exercises. “With an ERCC, we plan for approximately 45 minutes from landing, to crew swaps, and takeoff, which mitigates the time the aircraft is on the ground.”

During White Stag, crews were also able to implement the use of Agile Combat Employment concepts which allowed operations to shift from centralized physical infrastructure to a network of smaller, dispersed locations that can complicate adversarial planning and execution, providing increased flexibility, sustainability and defense options for joint force commanders.

“We’ve taken the classic elements of a readiness exercise and enhanced it with high-end training that we don’t always incorporate,” Salazar said. “For example, the wet-wing defuel is a newer capability that we’ve been working utilize across the C-17 fleet. We’re incorporating some of the ACE concepts and simulating what it would be like if our crews were required to operate in an austere environment, with minimal resources, personnel and support.”

These elements enable allied forces to operate with varying levels of capacity and support to generate lethal combat capability.

“This iteration of White Stag focused on minimized ground times and building flexibility,” Owens said. “Dynamic re-taskings were a big factor for this exercise. We had wing inspection team members flying on the airplanes and they would toss inject cards to the crew that would divert the aircrews, forcing them to replan at the last minute to accomplish the mission.”

The use of inject cards was to simulate real-life situations air crews might face during conflict that may require crews to act with little to no planning.

The integration of complex operational capabilities like ERCC and the wet-wing defueling enabled the teams at JBMDL to build their proficiency, knowledge and comfort while operating in high threat environments. It also allowed the 305th AMW to incorporate the 87th Air Base Wing, enabling Total Force integration with plans to expand those relationships across the Department of Defense.

“This exercise has helped with facilitating and building a lot of key relationships,” Owens said. “With upcoming exercises, we’ll continue to build relations with our joint partners like the 87th ABW, Navy, Marine Aircraft Group 49, the 108th Wing, and the National Guard units out in Atlantic City. We’ll continue to capitalize on Joint Force integration as we increase the scope and scale of these exercises.”

Total Force mobility Airmen are the backbone of ACE, and the AFFORGEN model provides consistent training opportunities for the 305th AMW to develop and employ mobility Airmen to generate-fly-deliver worldwide.

Exercises like White Stag further empowers airmen to employ ACE concepts, deter the pacing challenge and project critical support to the Joint Force from the DoD’s only tri-service installation.

By Senior Airman Sergio Avalos and Senior Airman Joseph Morales

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on White Stag Exercise Prepares AMC Airmen for Mobility Guardian 2023

Air Force Releases 102nd Uniform Board Results for Airmen, Guardians

Monday, March 27th, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. approved several initiatives submitted to the November 2022 Air Force Uniform Board for implementation in Department of the Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of United States Air Force and United States Space Force Personnel. Authorized changes are effective April 1.

As separate services, the Air Force and Space Force host independent uniform boards; however, the results of one service’s uniform board may be adopted by either service. As a result, some of the changes approved by the Air Force’s 102nd Uniform Board were adopted by the Space Force. These specific changes have been identified within DAFGM 36-2903.

Airmen and Guardians submitted change requests through the Guardians and Airmen Innovation Network online.

The summary of approved changes are:

Child Development Centers (CDCs):
This authorizes installation commanders to designate CDCs as a no-hat, no-salute zone. Additionally, in areas not designated, salutes are not required when either person is carrying children.

Authorizes the wear of cold weather headband:
This expands the current cold weather accessories to add a headband in addition to scarves, earmuffs, watch cap and gloves.

Authorizes wear of a total of four badges on the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform above the USAF tape.
This expands the current regulation, which allows a maximum of two badges to four.

Authorizes the wear of additional headgear for the Flight Duty Uniform (FDU):
This expands the current regulation to add an OCP patrol cap and tactical OCP cap in addition to the flight cap.

Authorizes a “small logo” on purses and handbags:
The logo must not exceed one inch in diameter. USSF only: When wearing civilian attire or in uniform, while carrying a backpack by hand, there are no color or logo restrictions.

Authorizes olive drab green authorized backpack color:
This expands the current regulation to allow olive drab green in addition to black, brown, gray and dark blue, as an authorized color for backpacks to wear with any uniform combination.

Authorizes any size logo on gym bags:
This removes the word ‘small’ from the DAFI, allowing any size logo on gym bags.

Authorizes the wear of parkas by characteristics:
This expands the current regulation to allow cold-weather parkas to be commercially purchased, with certain exceptions. Parkas must be OCP pattern or Coyote Brown and have name tapes, service tape, rank and patches worn in the same authorized configuration.

Authorizes Friday morale shirts with logo on the front and back:
This expands the current morale shirt regulation by allowing logos to be worn at a larger diameter on the back of the shirt in addition to having a logo on the left side of the chest not to exceed five inches in diameter. Regardless of the logo, the shirt must be Coyote Brown.

Authorizes the wear of “heritage-like” morale patches on the FDU:
This removes the verbiage from the DAFI limiting current or past official organizational emblem or any variation for the FDU, like the OCPs and two-piece Flight Duty Uniform.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Clothing, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on Air Force Releases 102nd Uniform Board Results for Airmen, Guardians

JB Elmendorf-Richardson Selected to Host New Joint Integrated Test and Training Center

Sunday, March 26th, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

The Department of the Air Force selected Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, to host the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center, which is the first center capable of joint and multinational force training.

The JITTC will provide the ability for attendees to blend synthetic and live-fly training while focusing on training events specific to employment of tactical joint assets.

“Establishing the JITTC at JBER allows our warfighters to train against our pacing challenge in realistic threat scenarios,” said Col. Kevin Jamieson, 3rd Wing commander. “This training capability is critical to ensure our men and women will be ready to perform their duties on Night-1 of a conflict if called upon and will be the premier training venue for decades to come.”

The decision to place the JITTC at JBER came after assessing the area’s ability to facilitate the mission and infrastructure capacity, while accounting for community support, environmental factors and cost.

“From our position in Alaska, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson is uniquely situated to protect the homeland and project joint forces,” said Col. David Wilson, 673rd Air Base Wing and JBER commander. “This investment powers us to deliver on those missions, increase readiness and build the next generation of agile combat warfighters and support teams.”

The environmental impact analysis was also completed this spring with a finding of no significant impact.

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in fall 2024, and once fully completed, will require an increase of approximately 116 personnel who are expected to begin arriving in 2027.

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post | Comments Off on JB Elmendorf-Richardson Selected to Host New Joint Integrated Test and Training Center

New Paint Design for ‘Next Air Force One’

Saturday, March 25th, 2023

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

President of the United States Joe Biden has selected the livery design for the “Next Air Force One,” VC-25B, a design that will closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernizing for the 21st century.

While accounting for the VC-25B’s larger 747-8i aircraft, the VC-25B livery has three primary differences with the VC-25A’s livery. The light blue on VC-25B is a slightly deeper, more modern tone than VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. Additionally, the VC-25B engines will use the darker blue from the cockpit area vice the VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. Finally, there is no polished metal section on the VC-25B because modern commercial aircraft skin alloys don’t allow for it.

A formal contractual decision for a VC-25B livery was not required until this year for Boeing to conduct engineering, certification preparation, and supplier selection activities for the program. The Air Force previously displayed a red, white, and blue livery for the VC-25B because it had been publicly expressed as a preferred livery in 2019. A thermal study later concluded the dark blue in the design would require additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing for several commercial components due to the added heat in certain environments.

The VC-25B Program will deliver a new fleet of aircraft to enable POTUS to execute the duties of Head of State, Chief Executive, and Commander in Chief. The aircraft will be uniquely modified to provide the POTUS, staff, and guests with safe and reliable air transportation with the equivalent level of communications capability and security available in the White House.

The VC-25B aircraft will replace the current VC-25A fleet, which faces capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence. Modifications to the aircraft will include electrical power upgrades, a mission communication system, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system, and autonomous ground operations capabilities.

VC-25B deliveries are projected for 2027 for the first aircraft and 2028 for the second aircraft. The Air Force remains postured to keep VC-25A available and mission-ready until delivery of the VC-25B.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post | 11 Comments »

Voluntary Recall – Black Diamond Recon LT Beacon

Friday, March 24th, 2023

We’re issuing a voluntary recall on the Recon LT avalanche transceiver to carry out a necessary firmware update.

In a limited number of cases, the Recon LT could unexpectedly enter search mode, despite its rotary switch remaining in the send position. There have been no accidents or injuries resulting from this malfunction.

This issue is easily eliminated when users update their firmware to version v1.3 or later.

All users should immediately stop using their Recon LT until completing one of the following options:

1. To update your Recon LT, simply download the Pieps app for iOS or Android devices, connect the transceiver via Bluetooth, then follow the on-screen prompts.

2. Send your Recon LT to our service center, where we will perform the update for you free of charge.

3. Receive a full refund from Black Diamond for Recon LT customers.

For firmware update procedures and related recall information, please click Learn More below.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and we apologize for the inconvenience caused by this recall.

Learn more here.

Posted in Guest Post, Mountaineering | Comments Off on Voluntary Recall – Black Diamond Recon LT Beacon

FirstSpear Friday Focus: First On W/ GP Pouch

Friday, March 24th, 2023

This First On w/ GP Pouch plate carrier was designed and developed out of a specific need for those who find themselves first to a crisis. The First On will go on quickly and easily over your duty soft armor and uniform.

Keeping essential features in the forefront of the design and removing items that will not be required for limited duration use, the First On keeps weight and bulk to an absolute minimum while utilizing FirstSpear’s patent pending Tubes closure system to make for a speedy on and off.

Magazine pouches integrated for standard 30 round 5.56 Patrol Carbine along with shoulder attachments for most common radio hand mikes. A sewn-on GP pouch is useful for storing an IFAK, tools or similarly size items.

Sizing: Will only fit a 10×12 shooter or swimmer cut plate.

Visit FirstSpear to find America’s premier tactical gear and equipment.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Load Carrying | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus: First On W/ GP Pouch

NSW Units Receive Inaugural Battle “E”

Friday, March 24th, 2023

CORONADO, Calif. –

Rear Adm. Keith B. Davids, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) announced the winners of NSW’s inaugural Battle Efficiency (“E”) award Jan. 19.

NSW Group One’s SEAL Team 3, NSW Group Two’s SEAL Team 2, NSW Group 4’s Special Boat Team 20, and NSW Group Eight’s Special Reconnaissance Team 1 received the awards for their respective groups.

This year marks the first time in NSW history that individual special operations teams are formally recognized for outstanding operational performance, proficiency in expeditionary skills, and contingency mission readiness in both day-to-day performance and battle readiness.

Rear Adm. Keith Davids, commander, NSWC, said the primary goal of the Battle “E” award competition is to strengthen and evaluate both command and overall force warfighting readiness and that he hopes the award encourages all units to strive for the highest possible level of performance.

“Naval Special Warfare’s people are our greatest strength, and the creation and award of NSW’s inaugural Battle “E” recognizes this truth,” said Davids. “I congratulate every single awardee for upholding the high standards of Naval Special Warfare and demonstrating that operational successes are underpinned by our ability to sustain the highest level of warfighting excellence.”

According to Command Master Chief Daniel Boyles, NSW Group 4, the idea to implement a Battle “E” award program for NSW was initially born from informal discussions with other NSW leaders on how to recognize operational excellence and superior performance within the community. Boyles helped explore the approval process for implementing the award with the command’s administration officer and eventually presented the idea to NSWC for approval.

From there, NSWC’s administrative team worked with the Director, Navy Staff in Washington D.C., who approved delegation of the program in April 2022. By May 2022, the command codified NSWC’s first ever Battle ‘E’ instruction, putting each NSW Group in charge of establishing categories and grading criteria and selecting a winner from their group.

“From previous surface and aviation tours, I have seen commanders effectively use the Battle “E” program to motivate their Sailors performance, instill pride in their work, and use as a marker of excellence to push towards,” said Lt. Paul Stallbaum, the flag secretary to Davids who played a key role in drafting and coordinating the new Battle “E instruction. “The same way a Sailor can be justifiably proud of being part of a Battle ‘E’ squadron or destroyer and the recognition that brings, now our NSW Sailors can do the same when they return to the fleet.”

Now that the NSW Battle “E” award program is officially established and recognized, every year NSW commands will conduct boards, select their winners, and forward results to NSWC by December 1. Winners will be announced via official message on or about January 15.

By MC1 Felicito Rustique, Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs

Posted in Guest Post, Navy, SOF | 2 Comments »