The Marine Corps Wants LAVs On The Flight Deck

Sgt. Xavier Gaudig, assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, uses the M41A4 SABER system to observe as Marines fire a Light Armored Vehicle’s M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun impact during gunnery training on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship Wasp. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sean Galbreath/ Navy)

Marine Times: Here’s why the Marine Corps is strapping LAVs to the flight deck

The Corps already has fired its rocket artillery from a Navy ship. Now the Corps is experimenting with strapping light armored vehicles, or LAVs, to the flight deck to counter small boat and other threats.

In September, Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary, or MEU, embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship Wasp parked LAVs on the flight deck for a ship defense drill in the South China Sea that was designed to mimic the MEU’s voyage through dangerous waters.

While the use of the Corps’ LAVs aboard the amphib ship was innovative, it opens a slew of questions about the security and capabilities of large U.S. Navy and transport ships operating in dangerous waters across the globe that may have to rely on aging Marine assets to counter some surface threats.

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WNU Editor: Extra fire-power on deck.

This Year's Marine Corps Marathon Declared A Success

RACE WINNER - U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky crosses the finish line to win the 35th Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Va., Oct. 31, 2010. Bradosky, stationed on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., finished the 26.2-mile journey in 2:23:30. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Lett

Bradosky's Late Push Secures Win -- Washington Post

With a strong push just past the 20-mile mark, Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky dropped defending champion Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Mentzer, a Marine 1st Lt. and a Kenyan civilian who aspires to join the U.S. military to win the 35th Marine Corps Marathon in 2 hours 23 minutes 30 seconds.

"I was told to run the first 20 miles with my head and the last six with my heart," Bradosky said, "and that worked very well."

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More News On The Marine Corps Marathon

Increased Police Presence at Marine Corps Marathon -- FOX news
Military widow honors husband in Marine Corps Marathon run -- CNN
Marine Corps Marathon Results: American Takes The Top Spot In Men's Division -- Bleacher Report
Top marathon finishers -- Baltimore Sun

My Comment: Congrats to all those who participated in the marathon. For more news on the marathon, go here.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 20, 2009

From Inside Nova:

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2009 - The Marine Corps is lean and built for a fight, including the scrutiny of the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review, its commandant said during a military strategy forum here today.

“The Marine Corps pulls down about 6 percent of the department’s budget,“ Conway said. “For that 6 percent, you get about 15, 16 percent of the maneuver battalions; you get 15 percent of the attack aircraft [and] you get 19 percent of the attack helicopters. The average Marine costs the country about $20,000 less than the next closest service man in other services.“

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My Comment: A fascinating look at the U.S. Marine Corp. The stats that are outlined on what the Marine Corps does is impressive.