Airstrike Limits Frustrate Ground Forces, Pilots

The Air Force Times reports on comments from troops in Afghanistan that the restrictions on airstrikes over the past year have emboldened the adversary.  While the mere sight of B-52 contrails was once enough to send the enemy scurrying, they now often ignore armed fighters directly overhead.

The Taliban no longer run and hide when they see a fighter jet overhead, brazenness that airmen attribute to the nearly year-old directive to limit close-air support.

[JTACs] and fighter pilots report that insurgents are encouraging Read more

The Next Fighter Aircraft: The FC-130

The US Marines are putting Hellfire surface-attack missiles on one of their less traditional airframes:

A KC-130 aerial refueling tanker/transport.

In fact, it’s a fascinating (if not completely new) idea.  Over the years ideas have been floated from putting hundreds of air-to-air missiles on the B-52 to turning C-5 and C-17 cargo aircraft into bombers.  (The payload of a B-2 is reportedly 40,000lbs.  The C-5: 250,000lbs.)  What were once innovative flights of fancy by aircraft designers and Air Force operators are now standard fare (ie, the addition of Hellfire missiles to the Predator UAV).

Still, a little caution is warranted.  Necessity is often the mother of invention (reference the early AC-119 Gunships in Vietnam).  However, boredom and “mission-envy” sometimes play a role as well.

USAF Not Seeking Light Attack Aircraft

Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz has apparently said the Air Force is buying light attack aircraft — like the AT-6 — but not for its own use, as some thought late last year.

“What you’re suggesting here is we need a light strike, light attack platform to perform our organic requirements and I would argue that there is a limited need for that. Again, with the platforms that we already have in our force structure, in our capability, we can service any close-air support requirement. As simple as that”…

The Air Force’s sole purpose for buying the light aircraft, Schwartz said, is to help poorer nations such as Iraq and Afghanistan establish Read more

Judge Suggests Judicial Review of Prayer

The US Court of Appeals for the DC circuit recently dismissed the case of Newdow v Roberts.  The suit had sought to make “so help me God” in the inaugural oath illegal, as well as restrict inaugural prayer.  Newdow may be a familiar name, as he has filed many lawsuits claiming references to God in government are unConstitutional.

The ruling is largely procedural; the three-judge panel of the 11 member court said the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue.  However, the concurring opinion by judge Brett Kavanaugh actually addressed the merits of the case, and it is an interesting insight into religion in government.  It also contains some troubling commentary, which directly relates to the military.  Read more

Gen Gould Recalls First Year, Quiet Solutions

An article summarizing USAFA Superintendent LtGen Gould’s first year at the helm contained an interesting anecdote about a cadet “proselytized” by a Chaplain last summer:  

Diversity and a culture of respect go hand-in-hand, General Gould said, adding that he is pleased with the culture of respect that has developed at the Academy in recent years. He recalled the story of a basic cadet from the Class of 2013 who complained of having been proselytized when the cadet went to see a chaplain.  Read more

Army Considers Anonymous DADT Forum

According to the Associated Press, the Army is considering standing up a forum that would allow

soldiers to anonymously express their opinions about the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay troops.

It is unclear how this would be different from the one already established by the DoD, unless its objective truly was to gather opinions on the policy, rather than the implementation of its repeal.  The latter is the stated objective of the DoD page.

Religion and the Military in Pictures

The first set of pictures documenting religion and its place in the US military is now up on the Resources page.  Chaplains are shown “in action,” alongside the servicemembers with whom they serve everyday.

Many seem to be surprised by the presence of men and women of faith in the US military, and the fact that they can (and do) express that faith.  These pictures and those to come — all of which are publicly available — will show that faith has a fitting and integral role in many lives in the military.

Franklin Graham Prays at Pentagon

As promised, Franklin Graham prayed outside of the Pentagon yesterday before joining other National Day of Prayer events in the Capitol area.

At least one organization that opposed Graham’s invitation applauded the “religious freedom” that allowed Graham to pray on the sidewalk:

Rev. Franklin Graham may not have had all the bunting and military brass of an official Pentagon event backing him, but he managed to pray today anyway, and in what I consider a more suitable venue: impromptu on the sidewalk. There, any American of any faith can pray, without needing an invitation, without appearing to speak for the government, and without compromising their prophetic voice. Religious freedom is alive and well in America.

They are not the only ones to presume that Graham’s presence would be “speaking for the government,” and they are also not the only ones to forget the “religious freedom” of the men and women in the military Read more

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