I've been working with some SOF operators lately and as a thank you they invited me out to their range here on FOB Warrior - Kirkuk, Iraq. What a glorious day it was too. Mostly sunny, mild breeze, mid 80's, approximately 2500 rounds of ammunition and an arsenal that would make any gun nut giddy with excitement.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

by Jesse Crittenden

Lets get warmed up on your basic fully automatic MK18 mod 0

by Jesse Crittenden

Now it was time to move on the the REALLY fun stuff.

First up: The Special Operation Combat Assault Rifle- otherwise known as the SCAR. This thing is a BEAUTY to shoot. Quite a kick but extremely fun! By far my favorite of the day. If I only had $3500 laying around to buy one of my own...

by Jesse Crittenden

Now onto the M110 SASS (Semi Automatic Sniper System). Beautiful piece of weaponry. About 40 decibels quieter than your standard rifle and a hefty price tag at $30,000 a pop.

by Jesse Crittenden

Finally the MK46 mod 0 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). Belt fed and although fairly heavy when not on the ground with the bipod, it has very little kick to it.

by Jesse Crittenden

All in all- a great day was had by all!

by Jesse Crittenden

*Note: I accidentally tagged the photo of the SCAR as a SCAR-L; it is actually a SCAR-H with a shortened barrel. It fires a 7.62x51mm NATO / 308 Winchester round. The SCAR-L fires a 5.56x45mm NATO round.

Not everyone can pull off the mustache look. Hair on upper lips tends to make even more people look like they should be driving a van with "Free Candy" written on the side than end up looking like Tom Selleck, but if you are on an Air Force Base this month, you will probably see the evidence of reduced razor use.

Welcome to "Mustache March"!

The idea behind Mustache March dates back to the early beginnings of military aviation during World War I, it continued throughout World War II, and on to the Combat 'Stache of the Vietnam conflict. Pilots would grow a "Bulletproof" mustache, not only for the luck that it provided, but also as a good natured protest against military regulations which strictly regulate facial hair- it serves to highlight the need for mission focus during a conflict. At a time when aircrew were being lost on almost a daily basis it was imperative to focus on the accomplishment of the mission, rather than being waylayed into spending time enforcing minor regulations that have little to do with winning the war. Also known as "queep".

No discussion of Mustache March would be complete without acknowledging the most famous "Bulletproof" facial hair of all - worn by the Vietnam-era Commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, "The Wolfpack", Brigadier General Robin Olds.

by Jesse Crittenden

My unit, here in Kirkuk, has continued this tradition. We are using it as a fundraiser to buy school supplies for local Iraqi children. For a nominal entry fee Air Force personnel can enter a contest to be held at the end of the month judging everyone's mustache. Prizes awarded for "Best Mustache", "Creepiest Mustache", "Honorary membership in Law Enforcement" and finally "Most in need of a testosterone shot".

I must say, it does look kind of funny to see this small group of Air Force members walking around with dirt lips amongst all the clean shaven Army personnel. As one of my younger female airmen said to me last night... "I hope I don't get in trouble this month. I think I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face if you start yelling at me with that silly thing on your face." There's no arguing with that reasoned logic.

I'm laying in bed this morning, sleeping peacefully after working a 13 hour shift the day/night before. About 10 minutes before my alarm is set to go off I get woken by an extremely loud explosion and subsequent shaking of my room/bed. This is followed by two more explosions- not near as loud as the first. After 10 minutes of no one calling for accountability I figure it was EOD conducting a controlled detonation of found munitions. I was wrong.

"Three car bombs kill 6, wound 75 in Iraq's Kirkuk" http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/09/us-iraq-violence-idUSTRE7181O820110209

Although this occurred off base, it was close enough to be heard and felt in our living area. I hope those responsible are dealt with swiftly.

Now on to the facepalm of the month award. This month's award goes to the US Air Force. Due to reasons I can't talk about we AF members stationed here in Kirkuk got issued weapons today. Mind you that once issued you have to have these weapons on you at all times unless showering or doing PT. It's a force protection measure.

So I go get my weapon, check the serial number and sign it out. The facepalm moment comes when the issuer tells me that they we are not getting any ammunition or magazines with the weapons . Obviously I ask myself "So why am I required to carry around what is now essentially an 8 pound paperweight?"

I guess if worse comes to worse I can pick up a rock and hit it with my rifle towards the enemy.

September 23, 2009, 12:20 PM (GMT+02:00)

Iran's AWACS destroyed in parade collision

Up above a big military parade in Tehran on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as Iranian president declared Iran's armed forces would "chop off the hands" of any power daring to attack his country, two air force jets collided in mid-air. One was Iran's only airborne warning and control system (AWACS) for coordinating long-distance aerial operations, DEBKAfile's military and Iranian sources disclose.

The proud military parade, which included a march-past, a line of Shehab-3 missiles and an air force fly-past, was planned to give Ahmadinejad a dazzling send-off for New York and add steel to his UN Assembly speech Wednesday.

Dubbed "Simorgh" (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in mid-flight), the AWACS' appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for the Iranian Air force's fly-past over the parade. Instead, it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmen were killed.

Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine. According to Western observers, no distress signals came from either cockpit indicating that the collision and explosions were sudden and fast.

DEBKAfile's military sources say the disaster was a serious blow to the Iranian Air Force not long after its first and only AWACS went into service in April 2008. It was a renovated version of the Russian Ilyushin 76, part of Saddam Hussein's air force before it was transferred to Iran in 1991 during the first Gulf War.

Tehran hired Russian technicians to carry out renovations and install up-to-date radar. At the launching ceremony of the upgraded AWACS, Air Force commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Miqani boasted its new radar systems were made in Iran and able to spot any airplane or missile at a distance of 1,000 kilometers from Iran's borders.

The loss of this airborne control system has left Iran's air force and air and missile defenses without "electronic eyes" for surveillance of the skies around its borders.

http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=6280

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I bet the water-cooler talk in Israel is getting pretty interesting about now.

Saw this story from Jefferson County, MO-

An angry letter from a driver complaining about having to stop as a military funeral passed by has been met with dozens of even angrier responses. And the one written by the Jefferson County Sheriff has people cheering.

Here's the email Sheriff Boyer of Jefferson County received:

"September 10, 2009 Letter of Complaint From Citizen to Sheriff Boyer

I tried to call you earlier this morning, but was unable to obtain your extension from the voice mail system as I was not sure of your first name or correct spelling of your last.

I was inadvertently in this procession as I was leaving work on 270 from Creve Coeur and proceeding on Hwy. 30 West. I have some issues and complaints. I called the Sheriff's office last night, but the officer in charge would not speak with me. His name was Corp. Curtis. I am in no way complaining about your officers. I, however, was not treated very fairly when I called last evening because I wanted a ticket/complaint/or at least a slap on wrist for the people involved. Let me explain: 1) This procession should never have been held during rush hour traffic! Hwy. 270 is dangerous and people drive way too fast and there is too much traffic. This soldier's certainly would not have want his family hurt on the interstate taking him to Cedar Hill. People were dead-stopping on the interstate even though the procession was in the far right lane, the other three lanes just stopped. There were many near accidents and possibly were after I drove through. I was in the 2nd to left lane, no way obstructing the funeral procession. 2) I exited off on Gravois (30 W), far right lane. Your police officers went in the left lane to stop any additional on-coming traffic so the procession could exit off 270 into the LEFT lane of 30. Again, I was in the right lane. The St. Louis County officer stopped and turned around at Weber Hill to return on 270 after the procession passed. 3) The road was not closed. (Only for president as far as I know.) Again, the road was not closed. Your officers only had the left lane blocked/closed for the funeral. All other traffic by MO law can proceed as long as they do not interfere (weave in and out )with funeral procession. Let me say, that I did not know what was happening. I knew the did not have Kennedy coming to STL, at least not yesterday. I was at work all day. No news. Nothing reported on the traffic on the radio driving home. Anyway, two of these dirty, nasty, renegade, who knows what motorcycle men that were escorting the procession proceeded to stop in front of me in the right lane on Gravois. I had to stop in the middle of an intersection. They proceeded to scream and yell at me about respecting this soldier, etc. One of them climbed off his motorcycle and came over to me and stuck his head in my car continuing to scream at me. I asked him what this was for and he told me I needed to stop as the officers had the road blocked and show some dang respect. #1, the road was not blocked, the funeral was in the other lane. #2, I am proud of our country and sorry for the family, but they had no idea where I was going or anything else. I could have a child at day-care, I could have been sick and racing to the bathroom, I could have a sick parent waiting for me, etc., etc. #3, They are not law enforcement and had no right to stop in the lane on Gravois and they had no right to scream at me and intimidate and threaten me. If I would have had my pepper spray, I would have used it on this nasty man! He is just a big hoo ha that is not even related to this soldier. The other man did not get off his scooter, but was along side of my passenger window screaming. I left an abusive husband 1 1/2 years ago and I did not need this intimidation. I was livid and shaking!! My son is a deputy sheriff in another MO county. I respect police officers. It was not their fault as they were busy with traffic, but I called to make them aware of what was going on during this thing. The St. Louis County officer saw it but of course he was out of jurisdiction. However, I called last night and your office asked me if I knew about this soldier. Again, I am sorry about him, but I am a taxpayer. I got a speeding ticket a few months ago and paid the fine. I do not deserve to be treated like this. I wanted to let the officer know how these men were acting. Also, they were driving into the turnarounds on Hwy. 30 and then back onto the road. the funeral was much further ahead. One of them nearly got hit by me and other people almost hit him and another as well. I wanted to lodge a complaint about them why they were still there, but no one in your office would take any information or do anything. This was not a military funeral, even though it was a soldier. There were not military vehicles. It was a funeral and the road was not closed, the lane was closed, I was in the other lane and again, these nasty men had no right to do this and I would have liked them to get a ticket! I am sorry for the soldier and his family but you cannot let these motorcycle renegades do this. They could have caused several accidents and I really wanted them arrested. If they had any respect for the soldier they would have dressed better and not looked and acted so scuzzy.

Thank you."

Sheriff Boyer's Response

Dear XXXXX:

Yes, you do deserve a response and I am willing to give you one.

I would like to say that I am sorry for the inconvenience we caused you during the funeral procession of Sergeant 1st Class William B. Woods, but I cannot do so. I would ask instead that you take a moment of your time to take into consideration the scope of the event. Your very right to complain was the reason Sgt. Woods fought for his country and ultimately gave his life; thus making the ultimate sacrifice for you and your family.

Let me introduce you to him. After high school, Sergeant Woods entered the Marine Corps. After his contract was up, he joined the Army, where he became a Green Beret. He comes from a long line of military members in his family. His Uncle is a Vietnam Veteran and two of his grandfathers were World War II Veterans. His job in the Army was one of the most dangerous jobs - he was a sniper looking for the bad guys to stop before they killed or injured one of our soldiers. He has numerous decorations to include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

He grew up in Catawissa and was best known by his middle name, Brian. He enjoyed the outdoors, playing sports, and skydiving. He had a wife, Elizabeth, and two daughters, whom he loved dearly. He was a soft-spoken, level-headed young man who was proud to serve his country no matter what the risk. Now, I did not know him, but I wish I did. I am quoting from newspaper articles written about him.

At the young age of 31, he was shot during an engagement with Taliban forces in Ghanzi , Afghanistan . He died of his wounds in Germany on August 16, with his family by his side. He did not choose the time of his death, nor did he choose the time his remains would be brought back to his home in Catawissa. He just did his duty. He was quite a young man.

While you were being inconvenienced in your car on your way home, there were soldiers just like Sergeant Woods carrying 100+ pounds of equipment in 120 degree heat, up some mountain or in the middle of some desert. They will shower out of a helmet liner if they get the chance. They will eat a cold meal of MRE's; something most people would consider garbage. They cannot text their family or friends, or go to McDonalds, or watch TV. They can only continue the mission and look out after the guy to the left and right of them. They don't complain because they know they volunteered. The only thing they ask is that we do not forget the sacrifices they have made.

One of the dirty "big hoo ha" bikers, as you call them, was Brian's uncle, a Vietnam Veteran, like myself. We were not treated with a homecoming. We were spit on and called baby killers by a misguided public. Brian's uncle was giving him the respect that he, himself, never received when he came back and I, for one, am proud of him for doing so.

You say that your brother is a deputy in another Missouri county. I am sure he would be proud to escort the casket of a fallen solder, the same as he would that of a fallen officer. I am also sure he would not agree with your complaint about being inconvenienced.

My mother recently passed away. She was a World War II Veteran, serving the U.S. Army. She would say, maybe you should pick up Sergeant Woods' ruck sack and carry on where he left off. Then you could see first hand what it really is to be inconvenienced.

Per your request, I will forward your complaint to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office for his review. It is my personal opinion that your complaint is self-serving and without merit.

Sheriff Oliver "Glenn" Boyer

Sheriff Boyer, if you ever make to our area of Kansas I'd be happy to buy you a beer or two. Ha-rumph!

I have an idea the lady writing the initial complaint has no children, no living parents, and wasn't sick. She was probably rushing to get home to her cats. http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...