by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 20, 2017 | Afghanistan, Asia, CENTCOM, Current Events, Foreign Affairs, Iran, Iraq, ISIL, Korea, NATO, North Korea, Russia, Syria
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joe DUNFORD, appeared before the National Press Club yesterday (Monday, June 19 2017) and YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO HIS COMPLETE COMMENTS — you’ll be smarter, trust me.
The Chairman talks Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, SU-22’s being shot down, Russia, Turkey, Iran, North Korea, the Defense Budget and strategies in each of these regions as well as his vision of how American involvement contributes to success. What you’ll get is complete answers to difficult questions, not sound bites.
Well done by the National Press Club!
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 20, 2017 | Combat, Current Events, History
Richard Sisk
Lt USMC
Vietnam
Richard Sisk was Commissioned a 2ndLt in the Marine Corps in 1967. He graduated from The Basic School (TBS) with 498 other lieutenants in the Fall of 1967. Of his TBS class approximately 50% would become casualties — “forty-three were killed in Vietnam. One was killed in Lebanon. Another six died in training accidents. More than 200 were wounded.” No other TBS class has ever suffered casualties like 6/67 did. Richard talks about looking back at their time in Vietnam during the height of the fighting of that War and what that view looks like after 50 years.
His article about his Basic School class and their 50th reunion is here published on militarycom. The article itself is certainly worth a read, as is the link provided within the article that details the death of 2ndLt Terry Graves who was posthumously award the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions while serving as a platoon commander with 3d Force Reconnaissance Company (click here). Graves Hall at TBS is named in his honor.
— Richard Sisk was a member of TBS 6/67. He served with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, in Vietnam where he was wounded twice. He has spent a career in journalism with the New York Daily News and now with Military.com . He can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 19, 2017 | Aviation, Combat, ISIL, Syria
Joey Porrazzo
Major USMC (ret)
F18 Pilot
Joey Porrazzo, Maj USMC (ret), a former FA-18C/D pilot will join us to talk air to air combat over the weekend and how it happens.
Joey talks mission planning for the specific situation over Syria, in the midst escalating tensions in the area. He then walks us through the air-to-air engagement between the F/A-18E and the SU-22 that resulted in the downing of the Syrian SU-22.
We also discuss the Russian Defence ministry’s statement describing “American planes flying west of Euphrates will be treated as targets and that it has suspended safety agreement with US.”
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 19, 2017 | Accident/Incident, Current Events, US Navy
Josh Brooks, CDR USN (ret)
Josh Brooks, CDR USN (ret), a career Surface Warfare Officer joins us to explain in detail:
(1) How is an American warship configured to operate on a 24-hour cycle at sea?
(2) How the “Navigation Watch” is setup?
(3) What goes on in the ship’s CIC (Combat Information Center = USMC COC) vs “the Bridge”?
(4) The challenge of doing damage control after any accident on a vessel at sea.
Josh does at GREAT job explaining how a US Naval Warship operates on a 24 hour basis while out sea. He also does a great job explaining the immediate actions
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 14, 2017 | History
Battle of Gettysburg
Day 1
DAY 1 AT GETTYSBURG, Phil Smith, Col USMC (ret), joins us to talk about the meeting engagement that occurred on July 1, 1863 to the west and north of Gettysburg.
An epic battle in American history with incredible decisions to study for fans of military history and decision making.
Phil and I look at the meeting engagement that happened as General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia moved into Pennsylvania with the General George Meade’s Army of the Potomac in pursuit.
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