Iraq Makes First Payment on New F-16 Fleet

According to various (and official) sources, the Iraqi government has begun the process of purchasing F-16s to stand up a new capability in its fledgling Air Force.

Iraq has signed an estimated $3 billion deal to buy 18 fighter jets from the United States, officials said Tuesday, in a measure aimed at protecting its air space alone after years of relying on help from American pilots.

Though the planes won’t arrive in country for some time, Iraqi pilots are reportedly already being trained in the US:  Read more

Weinstein, Rodda Go After General Gould and Get it Wrong. Again.

Michael Weinstein and his associates in his self-founded “charity” have a history of being unable to defend an argument by relying on simple truth.  Instead, their accusations have to be dramatized with hyperbolic language or, in some cases, the facts simply need to be misrepresented.

And Chris Rodda, Weinstein’s researcher, has done it again. And again, apparently.

Weinstein and Rodda have recently been trying to make hay out of General Norton Schwartz’s recent memorandum on “religious neutrality.”  Naturally, they imply it was their eloquent arguments (and senior-leader influence) that convinced General Schwartz to issue the memo.  That’s not enough glory, however.

The accusation that US Air Force Academy Superintendent Read more

A-10 Crashes in Georgia

An A-10C Warthog crashed in Georgia Monday afternoon.  The pilot ejected and was being evaluated at Moody Air Force Base’s medical facilities.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — An Air Force A-10C pilot assigned to the 23rd Wing ejected from an aircraft during a routine mission at approximately 2:45 p.m. today in a non-residential area northeast of Berlin, Ga., in Cook County.

Update: The pilot was released with minor injuries.  Public Affairs has posted pictures of the crash site.

Missionary Aviation: A Day in the Life

The Mission Aviation Fellowship blog has an impressive blow-by-blow day in the life of an MAF pilot in the Amazon.  With a 0635 show at the airport and an 1805 last landing (2 minutes prior to sunset), the day is filled not only with a variety of sorties, but also with challenges from the weather, diversion, passengers, and emergencies.

Though abbreviated, it makes for an extremely educational peek into the work of mission aviation.

Dakota Meyer, Morality and the Medal of Honor



On September 15th, former US Marine Sergeant Dakota Meyer was presented the Medal of Honor for his actions in a pitched battle in Afghanistan.

There has been a frequently mentioned, though just as frequently passed over, detail to Meyer’s story (emphasis added):

Former Marine Corps Cpl. Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor…for disregarding orders in Afghanistan. [1]

President Obama…bestowed the nation’s highest military honor on Dakota Meyer, a young and humble Marine who defied orders… [2]

Defying orders, Meyer drove into a firestorm Read more

USAFA Cadet Wing to Shrink. Again.

A recent Military.com article renews the prior discussion about the US Air Force Academy’s plan to reduce its cadet wing by about 10%, down to about 4,000 from its current strength of about 4,400.

Since USAFA was first authorized 40 cadet squadrons and a size of about 4400 cadets in the late 1960s, it has occasionally dipped and re-grown.  For example, four squadrons (37-40) were deactivated in 1999 when the wing downsized; they were reactivated in 2006 when the wing was reauthorized the higher number.

US Soldiers Celebrate Ramadan, Afghans Look to Christmas

A variety of previous articles have covered the celebration and recognition of Ramadan by the US military in Afghanistan.  A recent article noted the same, with an interesting comment from one of the participating Afghans.

“I am very happy to have shared tonight with [American soldiers],” said Haji Tor Jan, local leader and organizer of villages surrounding [US Camp Nathan Smith.] “I know it is not your celebration but we are grateful to share it with you…”

“We have a bond together and if it’s your Christmas we will do the same celebration for you guys; we will bring you food, music and everything,” Tor Jan said.

Now that would be kind of interesting.

Military Curbs Religious Group’s Activities

According to an international paper called, interestingly enough, The Hindu, Dawat-e-Islami has attracted the attention of the Pakistani military after a policeman apparently from that group was accused of assassinating a governor.  As a result, the military has

decided to curtail the activities of a proselytising organisation in their ranks after intelligence reports warned that its growing influence in the armed forces would have serious implications.

Dawat-e-Islami, which literally means “invitation to Islam,” claims Read more

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