It’s Army-Navy week where the MILITARY Academy and the Naval Academy (there’s a reason behind the names) ramp up school spirit culminating at the annual Army-Navy football game.  One of the more spectacular pranks is mascot stealing of which much has been written.  I was personally involved in the most obscure and largely unreported mascot …

There’s been a tremendous amount written on the startling news of Turkey’s shoot down of a Russian fighter.  Just as surprising is the superficial analysis and stunning lack of discussion of the background events leading to this event.  Numerous media analysts and pundits have characterized Turkey’s shoot down of a Russian fighter as an overreaction …

  There are 22 million vets in America today, 7% of the US population.  Veteran’s Day is America’s way of celebrating her living veterans.  A veteran is an American who at one point or the other served in our armed forces during war or peace.  Most are volunteers, some were draftees.  They all took an …

Every year I wish my fellow Marines all the best on the occasion of the Birthday of our beloved Marine Corps.  I also remind them that though the Corps is positively besotted with glory… other services have done their part as well.  No Marines died at Shiloh or Gettysburg or Bastogne or the Ia Drang… …

Recently the media alleged that presidential candidate Ben Carson lied about receiving a “scholarship” to West Point as a teenager.  My intent here is to explain the very unique process one goes through to get into the Academy so as one reads the various reports one is better educated than the overwhelming majority reporting on …

Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller approved making the M4 the primary rifle for all infantry battalions.  The Marines are adopting the M4 as its primary Infantry rifle something the US Army did for its light Infantry in the late 90’s and for the rest of its combat arms troops in 2006.  I presaged this decision …

What do Poland and Syria have in common?  Both have been playgrounds for Russian adventurism and political manipulation by the application of brute (sometimes brutal) military force. History tells us of the product of the Molotov-Ribbentrop meeting.  Ribbentrop  was Hitler’s foreign minister and Molotov was Stalin’s representative.  At the meeting they agreed to invade and …

   –  The day was getting late.  Much longer and it would be a few remaining Martini-Henry’s against thousands of assegais in the gloom.  The horses were long dead… and many of the volunteers.  One more hard push by the Matabele and it would all be over.  It was becoming obvious that any relief force …

Recently, US forces struck a hospital in operations to recover Kunduz Afghanistan from the Taliban.  The hospital was engaged because it was reported Taliban forces were firing on Afghan Forces (initially reported as US Force) inside or in the vicinity of the hospital.  The hospital was engaged by an AC 130U gunship.  This version is …

  Published here with permission from LTC (RET) Terry Baldwin & Soldier Systems Daily.  (Thanks!)   I was a freshly minted Infantry Staff Sergeant in the spring of 1981 attending the 25th Infantry Division’s Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course. We had a 2-Star guest speaker one day. I admit I don’t recall his name or job …

I attended the Maneuver Conference 2015 at Ft. Benning this 14-17 September.  As usual, it was a great event and if you are ever in Columbus Ga when the conference is being held it would be well worth your time to attend.  I always leave informed impressed and foot weary from all there is to …

The facts are still coming in.  Next of Kin are still being notified.  Thankfully the “T” word isn’t being avoided. I have some sad predictions.  As soon as the authorities announce the type of rifle Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez used to murder four unarmed Marines the anti-gun community will revisit their attempts to limit American’s right …

The NYT reported the story of Lt. Col. Kate Germano, a commander of an all women Marine basic training unit.  Besides increasing female Marine physical performance and a three-fold increase in rifle qualification Germano made enemies and was recently relieved.   Statements like “telling them (female Marines) their male counterparts will never respect them if they …

The House Armed Services Committee asked the Pentagon in late April why the Army and the Marines use different primary ammunition types in their most common small arms caliber 5.56mm.  It’s a curious contradiction since the Army and Marines are fighting the same enemy in the same regions of the world.  Now that the worldwide …

35 years ago I celebrated my first 4th of July in uniform.  My memory might be a bit hazy but I remember it as follows.  Three days after arriving at West Point and surviving R-Day I found myself on the “Plain” participating in the Cadet Basic Training Regiment 4th of July Review.  R-Day stands for …