Interest in the United States’ seven Merchant Marine academies is growing as commercial shipping sustains its worldwide boom, and the demand for licensed mariners continues apace. While many of the academies maintain their own training ships, and offer opportunities for on-the-job training on U.S.-flagged and foreign commercial ships, openings still lag behind the number of interested cadets. [Entire article]
U.S. Sen. James H. Webb Jr. is the junior senator from Virginia. The first-term Democrat serves on the Foreign Relations, Armed
Services, Veterans Affairs and Joint Economic committees. [Entire article]
Services, Veterans Affairs and Joint Economic committees. [Entire article]
The fervor to get thousands of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to troops in Iraq — a drive fueled by mounting casualties resulting from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) there and political rancor here — may be cooling. [Entire article]
Expansion of the Panama Canal could be an economic boon to ports in the southeastern United States, but experts warn that most U.S. ports and their attending infrastructure are not ready to handle the larger ships and the surge in cargo they will bring. [Entire article]
When Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was stood up two years ago, some expressed uncertainty about the
combat-stretched Corps losing thousands of Marines to another command. Now, having deployed around the world to train foreign militaries and conduct combat missions in Afghanistan, the command continues to grow and transform. [Entire article]
combat-stretched Corps losing thousands of Marines to another command. Now, having deployed around the world to train foreign militaries and conduct combat missions in Afghanistan, the command continues to grow and transform. [Entire article]
Brig Gen. George J. Allen is the director for Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4), and chief information officer
for the U.S. Marine Corps. As such, he oversees all of the service’s information technology (IT) procurements and investments. [Entire article]
for the U.S. Marine Corps. As such, he oversees all of the service’s information technology (IT) procurements and investments. [Entire article]
The shrinking U.S. Navy cannot be everywhere at once. Even the navies of friendly nations banded together would have a hard time providing the detail of maritime domain awareness required by today’s increasingly complex and disperse sets of seaborne challenges and potential threats. [Entire article]
American ports will see an unprecedented increase in the amount of maritime cargo they must process in the coming years. That growth will put an enormous amount of stress not only on port infrastructure, but on the various modes of commercial transport out of those ports. [Entire article]
By all accounts, the summer exercise that saw U.S. Marine Corps Harriers embark on a U.K. Royal Navy carrier was a huge success. But it also may have added fuel to the long-simmering debate within the Department of the Navy over large-deck carriers versus small carriers with short takeoff/ vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. [Entire article]
A series of experiments being conducted at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory in Quantico, Va., could have dramatic effects on the way Marines engage in battle. [Entire article]
The Maritime Administration’s (MARAD’s) new network of “Gateway�? offices at ports around the country is the culmination of three years of work to streamline communications among ports, MARAD, industry, state and local agencies, as well as various agencies within the Department of Transportation (DoT). [Entire article]
Gen. James T. Conway, who became Marine Corps commandant in November, inherited from Gen. Michael W. Hagee a Corps stretched thin by ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. While winning the “long war�? is certainly the top priority, Conway faces the additional challenge of overseeing unprecedented growth in the Marine Corps — some 22,000 Marines in the next five years. [Entire article]
During the next five years, the U.S. Marine Corps is going to face growth not seen since Vietnam, as its ranks swell from 180,000 to 202,000. Exact costs of the expansion, especially for the outer years, are hard to estimate, as the Corps’ recruitment, retention rates and prior-service recruit numbers will no doubt fluctuate. But the effects of the expected growth are going to be felt throughout the entire Corps for decades. [Entire article]
High fuel prices and increasing environmental pressures are combining to create a perfect storm that could usher in a 21st century “age of sail�? in which merchant ships, and even some military auxiliary ships, could harness the wind, burn less fuel and make less of an environmental footprint as they ply the waters of the world. [Entire article]
During his two years at the helm of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and one year as deputy commander for Pacific Command, Adm. Gary
Roughead was involved in substantive changes in fleet operations from protracted relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami in
December 2004 to the “proactive�? deployment of the hospital ship USNS Mercy on goodwill missions from the Philippines to Bangladesh, and creative ways of fostering greater military ties with regional powers such as China. [Entire article]
Roughead was involved in substantive changes in fleet operations from protracted relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami in
December 2004 to the “proactive�? deployment of the hospital ship USNS Mercy on goodwill missions from the Philippines to Bangladesh, and creative ways of fostering greater military ties with regional powers such as China. [Entire article]
Defense Department officials believe they have made substantial headway in recent years in terms of energy efficiency, particularly in exploring the use of alternative energy sources. [Entire article]
As the U.S. Navy has directed its attention of late into operations in the world’s littoral waters, the public spotlight has been focused on warfighting issues such as how to counter swarms of small boats, which possibly would be dispatched by countries such as Iran or China. However, a less-publicized phenomenon lurking in the shallows has accomplished what few navies could: crippling the most modern aircraft carrier in the U.S. fleet. [Entire article]
Today, the Army and Marine Corps are working on bringing the same GPS-driven technology of the JDAMs to the most common artillery shells used by American forces, the 105mm and 155mm rounds. [Entire article]
The creation of a “marine highway�? as a viable alternative to road and rail seems to be gathering steam, though the ultimate vision of rivers and coastal waterways packed with vessels carrying cargo to ports around the country is still quite blurry. [Entire article]
To help shift the focus away from traditional Cold War military strategy and prepare U.S. forces for the kind of unconventional warfare they have been facing in Iraq and Afghanistan — and are likely to face in the future — the U.S. Army and Marine Corps have established a one-stop shop of sorts to improve counterinsurgency capabilities across the military. [Entire article]
As commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), an element of the multiservice Special Operations Command, Maj. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik is creating specialized foreign training teams and new combat capabilities within the Corps while continuing to develop his new, and sometimes controversial, fighting unit. [Entire article]
Last January, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., the military demonstrated one of the latest advancements in nonlethal technology, the
Active Denial System (ADS), which uses a focused beam of millimeter waves to produce an intolerable heating sensation on human skin, repelling the individual without causing injury. [Entire article ]
Active Denial System (ADS), which uses a focused beam of millimeter waves to produce an intolerable heating sensation on human skin, repelling the individual without causing injury. [Entire article ]
Holding hands with other men is most likely not something that comes easily to Leathernecks, but for members of the Marine
Corps’ Foreign Military Training Unit (FMTU) who recently returned from their first deployments overseas, it can be part of the job. [Entire article]
Corps’ Foreign Military Training Unit (FMTU) who recently returned from their first deployments overseas, it can be part of the job. [Entire article]
The conflict in Iraq is largely a land war, prompting the U.S. Navy to shift 11,000 sailors to ground combat roles with Central Command for tasks ranging from transportation to Riverine duties and prison security. The service today has more sailors in the Central Command than on its ships deployed worldwide. Nonetheless, in the conflict in Iraq — as well as in Afghanistan — the Navy mainly plays a supporting role to the Army and Marine Corps. [Entire article]
The 7.62mm round ripped through the Marine’s torso, damaging most of his internal organs before exiting on the left side where, ironically, it was stopped by a ceramic plate in his protective vest.
Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Jason Forgash at first believed the vest had stopped the round altogether. But he got up and “reached down with my hand and it was covered with blood,” he said.
Being shot “was like being kicked in the stomach by a 300-pound man without having a chance to brace.”
A sniper had fired with precise accuracy, placing the slug between the right ceramic insert plate and the front plate of his Kevlar vest. [Entire article]
Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class Jason Forgash at first believed the vest had stopped the round altogether. But he got up and “reached down with my hand and it was covered with blood,” he said.
Being shot “was like being kicked in the stomach by a 300-pound man without having a chance to brace.”
A sniper had fired with precise accuracy, placing the slug between the right ceramic insert plate and the front plate of his Kevlar vest. [Entire article]
Reaching out to foreign militaries has become a key strategic requirement of the U.S. military in the aftermath of 9/11 and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Defeating terrorist networks and fostering goodwill require new capabilities, including “multipurpose forces to train, equip and advise” indigenous militaries and deploy with partner nations, according to the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon’s assessment of future strategies and resources. [Entire article]
Brig. Gen. Carl B. Jensen reflects on the rescue of thousands from Beirut
Marine Brig. Gen. Carl B. Jensen heads the newly established expeditionary strike group (ESG) staff permanently attached to U.S. Fifth Fleet in U.S. Central Command, and in July and August handled the evacuation of Americans from Beirut. An ESG comprises a Marine Expeditionary Unit, amphibious warfare ships, destroyers, frigates and, often, a submarine. [Entire article]
Marine Brig. Gen. Carl B. Jensen heads the newly established expeditionary strike group (ESG) staff permanently attached to U.S. Fifth Fleet in U.S. Central Command, and in July and August handled the evacuation of Americans from Beirut. An ESG comprises a Marine Expeditionary Unit, amphibious warfare ships, destroyers, frigates and, often, a submarine. [Entire article]
The Navy and Marine Corps have established a new operations concept that “describes how the Navy-Marine Corps team will contribute to the defense of our nation.” The 36-page document calls for “more widely distributed forces” and “increased forward presence” as the guiding principles of how the services will operate in an ever-changing national security environment. [Entire article]
The M/V Maersk Georgia is a hulking container ship nearly 1,000 feet long. Its lines no doubt would preclude it from winning any ship beauty pageants, but beneath the utilitarian exterior lies a marvel of efficiency. [Entire article]
On July 14, Hezbollah scored a major strategic coup when it struck the Israeli corvette Hanit with a missile off the coast of Lebanon, killing four sailors and severely damaging the sophisticated ship. A similar attack narrowly missed another Sa’ar 5 corvette but hit a Cambodian-flagged merchant ship, sinking it. On July 31, there were reports of similar firings, though no ships were hit. [Entire article]
The Navy hopes to have a Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) replacement ready by 2015 that will provide substantially more lift capability and reliability than the 72 1980s-vintage LCACs now in the fleet. Whether it will be given the name LCAC(X), Seabase-to-Shore Connector or the currently en vogue designator, Joint Maritime Assault Connector (JMAC), the new vehicle is destined to be a vital linchpin in the Navy’s sea basing concept because of its speed and increased cargo capacity. [Entire article]
When 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines deployed to Afghanistan last spring, its 44 members moved the Marine Corps’ new concept of warfare off the Power Point slides and onto the battlefield. [Entire article]
More than year after the tragedy, the events of May 8, 2005, still bring tears to Lochlin Reidy’s eyes. Had it not been for the Coast Guard and a little-known effort called the Atlantic Merchant Vessel Emergency Reporting (Amver) System, he might not be here to share his harrowing tale. [Entire article]
As commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee presides over the service during a tumultuous time. Marines have been engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq from the onset of both wars, and today more than 20,000 are deployed to the two countries; most in Iraq. Marines also have provided humanitarian relief services in Indonesia, the Philippines and, after Hurricane Katrina, on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Marines have done much of the heavy lifting for the coalition task force in Djibouti, located at the Bab al Mandeb strait, the strategically vital link between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. [Entire article]
The Marine Corps is involved in a delicate balancing act. It wants to field the most capable Marines, equipped with the latest gear and protected by the best body armor. However, Marines are saddled with 70-100 pounds of gear — the combat load — and simply adding more equipment and armor can make them tired and less agile, which potentially could cancel out any benefits the new gear may offer. [Entire article]
This month, the private freighter Westwood Pomona will ease out of a slip in British Columbia, Canada, and begin a journey to the port of Long Beach, Calif. [Entire article]
A crucial tactic in the war on terrorism is being developed at a nondescript, temporary office in a dusty corner of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. A small education center here will lead the way toward the creation of Marine expeditionary forces much more adroit at dealing with the populations native to the areas where Marines will be deployed in the future. [Entire article]
Think back to the Iranian hostage crisis of the late 1970s. For 444 days, the United States was rendered impotent after a mob of Iranians overran the Marine Guard and took the U.S. Embassy staff hostage. [Entire article]
Humvees, the family of armored cars widely used in Iraq and elsewhere, have proven to be vulnerable. In Iraq, hundreds of U.S. soldiers and Marines have been killed or wounded in Humvee-related incidents. [Entire article]
Newly appointed Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter will head a lineup of top national security speakers during the Navy League’s 2006 Sea-Air-Space (SAS) Exposition April 4-6 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C. [Entire article]
Marines deploying to Iraq are being armed with a weapon common among large metropolitan police departments, but new to the military. It’s called Counter Insurgency (COIN) surveillance technology, developed by Lockheed Martin. It is a marriage of technology and good old-fashioned police investigative work. [Entire article]
As commander of the Pacific Command (PACOM), Adm. William J. Fallon is head of U.S. military operations in one of the most complex regions of the world. In the Pacific, all eyes are on China, a surging economic power that is rapidly improving its military capabilities and expanding its political influence around the globe. [Entire article]
The 9th Coast Guard District once had the reputation as the “sleepy 9th.” But that changed in the aftermath of 9/11. [Entire article]
Less than two months after the creation of the Marine Special Operations Command, its Foreign Military Training Units (FMTUs) were ready to deploy this spring on missions in Africa, South America and, eventually, around the globe to train indigenous military forces to deter budding terrorist networks before they have a chance to fester and grow. [Entire article]
A central challenge of the Pentagon’s warfighting concept of the future, called sea basing, is to devise ways to get materiel from cargo-laden transport ships at a sea base to shore without docking and offloading in the traditional manner. Operations relevant to the sea base, such as troop staging and the offloading of weapons, munitions, food and parts for U.S. troops, would be done about 75 miles at sea. [Entire article]