Crashed Sukhoi Superjet flight data recorder found

By: Mavis Toh Singapore

Search teams have recovered the flight data recorder of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft that crashed into a mountain in Indonesia on 9 May.

The recorder has been passed to Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee, says Mardjono Siswosuwarno, the case's chief investigator. He could not say when it was found.

"Investigations will start immediately in Indonesia," he adds.

The aircraft's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was recovered earlier on 15 May.

Although there was damage to the casing of the CVR, its memory chip was intact, another NTSC official tells Flightglobal.

"There is 20 minutes of recording and it's being analysed in Indonesia. We've finished downloading it and three translators are trying to verify the information," he adds.

The Sukhoi Superjet was on its second demonstration flight of the day when the incident happened. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 14:33 local time, 12 minutes after take-off from Jakarta's Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport.

Before that, the aircraft had requested to descend to 6,000ft (1,828m) and to do a 360 degree orbit right rotation in the training area of Atang Sanjaya, Indonesia's transport minister revealed in parliament this week.

Sumber :
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/crashed-sukhoi-superjet-flight-data-recorder-found-372501/
http://foto.vivanews.com/read/6925/82949-black-box-sukhoi-ditemukan-kopasus_1

Iran to Unveil Home-Made Cobra Chopper

TEHRAN (FNA) - The Iranian Army plans to unveil and put into operation Iran's first home-made Cobra chopper in special wargames of the Army's Airborne unit in the near future, a senior commander announced on Wednesday. Speaking to FNA, Lieutenant Commander of the Army's Ground Force Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari said that the unit would unveil the national military chopper in the special airborne exercises to be held in the near future.

As regards the capabilities of the national chopper, the commander stated, "The chopper is an advanced generation of Model 209, or Cobra, choppers which is also equipped with different types of home-made caliber guns, rockets and missiles."

"All the phases of designing and manufacturing of the chopper have been done inside the country and the helicopter enjoys some capabilities which make it preferable to Apache Choppers," Heidari said. The commander further announced that different types of anti-chopper and anti-armor weapons will be tested in the wargames.

Iran has taken wide strides in designing and manufacturing different types of light, semi-heavy and heavy weapons, military tools and equipment. Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

Credit: courtesy FARS

Sumber : http://worldwide-defence.blogspot.com/2012/05/iran-to-unveil-home-made-cobra-chopper.html

Facts about El Marino

Marine Fighter Squadron (VMA) 231 with AV-8B Harrier
A Marine with Marine Fighter Squadron (VMA) 231 inspects an AV-8B Harrier prior to flight operations aboard the USS Kearsarge. Marine Corps roles working with the AV-8B include Aircraft Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Communications Technicians

Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced) with MH-53E Super Stallion
An MH-53E Super Stallion assigned to Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced) lifts an M777 Howitzer off the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York. The MH-53E is a variant of the CH-53E Super Stallion, which is used for both long-range insertion missions and rapid resupply; learn more about Marine Corps aircraft at http://bit.ly/GR5bM1

Marines and Sailors with 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th MEU, make their way towards a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM-261) (Reinforced) prior to conducting a simulated air field seizure as part of a Realistic Urban Training (RUT) exercise.

Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263) (Reinforced) with MV-22B Osprey
An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263) (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), flies near Mount Etna, Italy earlier this month.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced) with CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter
A CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced) prepares to land on the flight deck of the USS Essex. The Sea Stallion can carry enough combat-loaded Marines to lead an assault or a humanitarian operation; see a 360-degree view of the CH-53E and learn more at http://bit.ly/H6nP07.

A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit prepares to take off from the flight deck of USS Denver.

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 with MV-22 Osprey
An MV-22 Osprey whips up a storm as it prepares to land aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 provided flight operations for 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion's jump operations training, including low-level static line and high altitude, low opening (HALO) jumps.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) with AH-1Z Super Cobra
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) pilots flying an AH-1Z Super Cobra approach the USS Makin Island, currently deployed to the Arabian Sea.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (HMM-268) Reinforced with CH-53E Super Stallion
Marines perform maintenance on a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter assigned to the Red Dragons of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 268 Reinforced, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island.

Marine Attack Squadron 311 (VMA 311) with AV-8B Harrier
An AV-8B Harrier with Marine Attack Squadron 311 (VMA 311) lands on the flight deck of the USS Essex. The pilots of VMA 311, part of the Air Combat Element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), were conducting night carrier landing qualifications in preparation for their certification exercise.

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363) with CH-53D Sea Stallion
A CH-53D Sea Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363) discharges flares during a routine flight operation; Marine pilots utilize flares to ensure crew safety and safeguard the aircraft during poor visibility weather.

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 (HMH-464) with CH-53E Super Stallions
Two CH-53E Super Stallions from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH-464) take off from the USS Iwo Jima. The Super Stallion is the largest US military helicopter.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 764 (HMM-764) with CH-46E Sea Knight
Marine Corps Medium Helicopter Squadron 764 (HMM-764) flew CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters into the Grand Canyon in December during OPERATION HAVASUPAI to conduct training operations in the area and bring the Toys For Tots program to children of the Havasupai tribe.

Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) with CH-46 Sea Knight
A Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) CH-46 Sea Knight sits on the Pentagon helicopter landing pad in Washington, DC. HMX-1 is responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members, and other VIPs.

1st Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion
One Marine with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion helps another out of a canal while on patrol last month during Operation Highland Thunder in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, where they swept for insurgent weapons and drug caches.

11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
Marines assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which is embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island, conduct insertion exercises into a combat rubber raiding craft from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter.

A Marine Corps scout sniper with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) hides in bushes during a stalking exercise in Malaysia late last month during KILAT EAGLE, a training exercise between the 11th MEU and Malaysian soldiers.

An amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departs the well deck of the USS New Orleans while providing support for maritime security operations in the Middle East.

11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Marines use noncommissioned officers' (NCO) swords to practice close order drill movements aboard the USS Pearl Harbor. Close order drill instills discipline and teamwork in Marines.

15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
Sailors prepare two Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jets for takeoff on the flight deck of the USS Peleliu earlier this month during IRON FIST 2012, a training exercise between the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and the Japaness Ground Self Defense Force.

22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263) (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), flies near Mount Etna, Italy earlier this month.

24th MEU
Marines with 24th MEU fire an M-240B machine gun at a floating target from the flight deck of the USS Gunston Hall. The 24th MEU was aboard the U.S. Navy ship completing their Certification Exercise (CERTEX), a series of missions intended to evaluate and certify the unit for an upcoming deployment.

An AV-8B Harrier II with the 24th MEU takes off during COMPUTEX, an amphibious operations and crisis response training exercise. 22,000 pounds of thrust enable the Harrier II to hover like a helicopter and then blast forward like a jet at near-supersonic speeds.

Marines and Sailors with 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th MEU, make their way towards a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM-261) (Reinforced) prior to conducting a simulated air field seizure as part of a Realistic Urban Training (RUT) exercise.

A Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC) hovercraft transports Marines and tactical vehicles with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) aboard the USS Iwo Jima off the coast of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC.

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) push off the stern gate of the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga in combat rubber raiding crafts during a night exercise. A MEU, made up of approximately 2,200 Marines, maintains a constant state of readiness, able to plan and launch a mission within six hours

A Marine with 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) provides security for his squad as they fast rope from a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter.

A Marine with 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) fires an AT-4, an 84mm anti-tank weapon, as fellow Marines lay down fire support during combined arms live fire training during Exercise COBRA GOLD 2012.

A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit prepares to take off from the flight deck of USS Denver.

1st Marine Logistics Group
Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group perform a training exercise with an MV-22 Osprey that allowed both the landing support specialists on the ground and the pilots in the air to prepare for night support operations.

3rd Marine Division
With the mountains surrounding Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan as a backdrop, smoke trails from an M777 howitzer after being fired by Marines from 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of exercises designed to maintain combat readiness.

http://www.marines.com/operating-forces/first-to-fight

Comparison between C-295 and CN-235

Specifications (C-295M)

The EADS CASA C-295 is a twin-turboprop tactical military transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus Military facilities in the San Pablo Airport, in Seville, Spain. The C-295 is in service with the Armed Forces of 14 countries. As of 4 August 2011, 85 C295s have been contracted and 75 are in service, one was lost in accident.

General characteristics
Crew: Two
Capacity: 71 troops
Payload: 9,250 kg (20,392 lbs)
Length: 24.50 m (80 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 25.81 m (84 ft 8 in)
Height: 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 59 m² (634.8 ft²)
Loaded weight: 9,250 kg (20,392 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight: 23,200 kg (51,146 lbs)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G Hamilton Standard 586-F (six bladed), 1,972 kW (2,645 hp) each
 
Performance
Maximum speed: 576 km/h (311 knots, 358 mph)
Cruise speed: 480 km/h (260 knots, 300 mph)
Range: 4,300 km (2,600 mi) 2,300 nmi; (with 4,550 kilograms (10,000 lb) payload)
Range with full payload: 1,333 km (828 mi; 720 nmi)
Ferry range: 5,220 km (3,240 mi; 2,820 nmi)
Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
Takeoff run: 670 m (2,200 ft)
Landing run: 320 m (1,050 ft)

CN-235, Multi-Purpose Transport Aircraft

The Airtech CN-235 is a twin-engined medium-range multi-purpose transport aircraft developed jointly by the Spanish manufacturer CASA (EADS CASA) and the Indonesian manufacturer IPTN, marketed by the joint-venture company Airtech.

General characteristics
Crew: Two
Capacity: 44 troops
Payload: 5,950 kg (13,120 lb)
Length: 21,35 m (70,0 ft)
Wingspan: 25,81 m (84,7 f)
Height: 8,18 m (26,8 ft)
Wing area: 59,1 m² (636 ft²)
Loaded weight: 
Empty weight: 8.600 kg (18.960 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight: 16.500 kg (36.376 lbs)
Powerplant: 2 x Turboprop Engines General Electric CT7-9C (four bladed), 1305 kW (1750 shp) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 509 km/h (317 mph)
Cruise speed: 459 km/h (248 knots, 285 mph)
Range: 2,871 km (1,7184 mi) 1,550 nmi; (with ... payload)
Range with full payload: ... km (... mi; ... nmi)
Ferry range: ... km (... mi; ... nmi)
Service ceiling: 9,144 m (30,000 ft)
Takeoff run: 400 m (1,325 ft)
Landing run: 375 m (1,240 ft)

Source :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EADS_CASA_C-295
http://www.flugzeuginfo.net/acdata_php/acdata_cn235_en.php
http://www.hankrueter.com/freelance/c295/specifications.html
Our conclusion :
CN-235 can carry 1 platoon
C-295 can carry 2 platoons
C-130 can cary 3 platoons or 1 company

U.S. Cost of War In Midlle East

Reuters reports that a new Brown University Study on the cost to the United States of the War on Terror has concluded that as many as a quarter million people have died as a direct result of bombs and bullets and that the final bill for waging war will be at least $3,700,000,000,000.

That $3.7 trillion, incredibly, is more than the entire annual gross domestic product of Germany, the world’s fourth-largest economy. It is more than the combined GDP of Great Britain and Canada, or the combined GDP of South Korea, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Argentina, South Africa and Israel. You get the point.

It is far, far more than the $1 trillion President Barack Obama has cited as justification for withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan. According to the Brown study, titled “Costs of War,” the US has already spent between $2.3 and $2.7 trillion waging war since al-Qaeda attacked New York and Washington, DC on September 11, 2001.

Those attacks, by the way, exceeded Osama bin Laden’s wildest expectations, killing 2,995 people and causing $50- $100 billion in economic damage– and they cost no more than $500,000.

But what’s even more important is the human toll of this seemingly endless war against terrorism, a tactic that will never be eradicated as long as there disaffected and economically disadvantaged people on this planet. For every person killed by al-Qaeda on 9/11, 73 have been killed since. The Brown study measured only those killed directly by bombs and bullets as a result of the War on Terror. That number is between 224,000 and 258,000– the population of the entire city of Orlando, Florida, with 125,000 civilians dying in Iraq alone. And again, the study did not calculate those who have died from lack of health care, clean water and food resulting from the war. It did, however, count 365,000 wounded and 7.8 million– the population of the entire country of Switzerland or the combined populations of the states of New Hampshire, Idaho, West Virginia and Kansas– displaced persons.

These numbers, of course, will only continue to grow as the war drags on. And what’s often overlooked is the cost of taking care of the veterans who have served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. To date, according to the Brown study, nearly half of the 1.25 million War on Terror vets have made health or disability claims, totaling some $32.6 billion. Over the next 40 years, those costs will soar to as high as $934 billion.

Another $401 billion has been spent since 9/11 on Homeland Security. Add another $185 billion in accumulated interest on the debt incurred from borrowing huge sums of money to finance the war. Then there’s the $74 billion spent on war-related foreign aid. Projected war-related spending though the year 2020 adds another $453 billion to the tab.

U.S. Soldiers forge new friendships in Indonesia

By Sgt. 1st Class Frank L. Marquez, 106th Public Affairs Detachment

BANDUNG, Indonesia (June 28, 2010) -- "What we leave behind will have a positive lasting impact," said Col. Tony Diaz, the U.S. commander for this year's fourth annual Garuda Shield 2010, which drew to a close June 22.

The exercise ended with a ceremony at Indonesia's Infantry Training Center, in the District of Cipatat, with U.S. Army Pacific Commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon and Lt. Gen. Budiman, the Training and Doctrine Commander for the Indonesian Army.

Garuda Shield 2010 hosted five other nations including Bangladesh, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, and Nepal in peacekeeping training for U.N. recognition, which encompassed role playing by senior leaders in a command post exercise, and security controls practiced by the nations' various armed forces in the field training exercise.

"Exercises like Garuda Shield better prepare us to address both traditional dilemmas and unconventional threats that transcend national borders," said Mixon, in explaining the purpose for the training. "Indonesia is a key partner nation that is taking an increasing role as a regional leader, and its armed forces continue to support ongoing peacekeeping efforts throughout the world."

Indonesia currently deploys thousands of troops to peacekeeping missions in Lebanon and the Congo.

Garuda Shield also provided humanitarian civic assistance, which benefited an estimated 250 households in the villages of Marga Mulya and Nyomplong. The project sites sit adjacent to the training center less than five miles away.

Engineers from the 797th Engineer Company -- 21 Reserve Soldiers from Guam -- joined with 89 Soldiers from the 9th and 3rd Engineering battalions of the TNI-AD to build a community center, baby clinic and open air amphitheatre. The HCA projects in 2009 are being used for baby care, dental care, and pre-school classes.

"We went out into the communities of Marga Mulya and Nyomplong to seek input," said Diaz, comparing the condition of the villages in Indonesia to the quality of life in the United States 100 years ago. "We asked what the communities needed. And leaders in the community would say that they would need such things as a place for women to wash laundry. So, we dug a well. In fact one of the village men dug the well by hand."

Ron O'Brien, the lead U.S. Army Pacific planner said that contracting allowed the engineers to build more than the projects that were planned before the exercise began in late May. Dollars were stretched twice as far as in previous years, according to O'Brien, so that the engineers were able to add a bath house, walkways and playgrounds to the list of projects already on the slate. "It's important for Hawaii to know what their Soldiers do," he said. "Those buildings will be there a long time."

Diaz added that the structures were made from Indonesian designs.

While the engineers built, the 9th Mission Support Command provided administrative support and the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team managed guidance on the lanes for the field exercise at the infantry training center.

"It's also important for people to know that an exercise of this magnitude requires funding from many sources to ensure success," O'Brien said. "USARPAC and the Pacific Command provided the bulk of the funding, while the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative funds paid for U.N. subject matter experts, which injected realism into the command post exercise."

As the nearly 160 U.S. Soldiers headed home, they took with them the memories of working together with their counterparts, and getting to know them as friends. Less than 24 hours before the closing ceremony, Mixon and other dignitaries had attended a dedication ceremony at the baby clinic.

Nearby, the Indonesian National Armed Forces or TNI were conducting a medical readiness exercise, at a clinic built in 2009. Tents were erected to shade more than a thousand village residents seeking treatment for their health concerns.

Diaz remarked that the structures from previous years continue to stand. He gestured to O'Brien and added that they had a chance to visit the year-old community center.

"The last time, we dropped by, the women were using it for a flea market," he said. "In fact, the mayor of the village had to schedule events; it got to be so popular. We see that it's being used as a preschool, for meetings, a wedding hall, and a recreation facility where they can play chess and checkers."

Ratih, 43, a resident in Marga Mulya, has a house that stands mere feet from the new community center. "Me and my family won't have to go far for meeting friends," she said smiling.

Capt. Alejandro Buniag, the commander for the 797th, pointed out that many of the infantry soldiers serving in the TNI-AD live in the same villages and have a vested interest in improving their communities. "So, there's a connection with the community," he said. "Even the people of the community know what it means. I watched as even the oldest man moved stones and materials to help us."

Siti Aminah, one of the leaders in the community, said its people feel obligated to help with manpower. She spent a lot of time knocking on doors, but didn't find any trouble finding help. "It's all volunteer-based," she said. "As part of the community, we assist with construction. People understand what it's for and gladly help."

The engineers shared that sense of community, bonding through the experience. They were laying the foundation of friendship, brick by brick, securing that friendship by pounding nails into wood frames. They talked, not only about different methods of construction, but of life and family.

Lt. Yudo, who headed the TNI's engineer contingent, said there are different options for doing things - some things were done by hand instead of using tools. And despite the language barriers, the Soldiers learned new handshakes and words in Bahasa, the various dialogues in Indonesia. Yudo said he relied on his experience of a year living and working in the Congo in 2006-07.

"We fixed the road, airfield and base camp," he said. "I find this exercise using the same kind of coordination."

With plans for an exercise in Bogor next year, the buzz from Soldiers was about coming back next year. Mixon addressed it at the closing ceremony. "Our countries continue to demonstrate the willingness to develop unified responses and bring together diverse governmental agencies and military capabilities to work closely on a range of shared interests," he said.

And the result is that many of the Soldiers look forward to seeing their friends again.

Photo note :
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, and Lt. Gen. Budiman, Training and Doctrine commander for the Indonesian National Armed Forces, review the troops at the closing ceremony of Operation Garuda Shield 2010, a humanitarian and peacekeeping training exercise. Background : Bangladesh, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines and Nepal Armed Forces.

Link : http://www.army.mil/media/135198/

In US Army, the beret is out and the cap is back

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Army is abandoning the beret, after a failed 10-year experiment.

The black beret, which proved deeply unpopular with American soldiers, will be replaced by a patrol cap for everyday wear, US Army spokesman Colonel Tom Collins said Monday.

The move came after outgoing Army chief of staff, General Martin Dempsey, asked the army's sergeant major "to go out and talk to soldiers across the force and see what was on their minds," Collins told AFP.

"One of the things that soldiers consistently brought up was the desire to wear the patrol cap as part of their duty uniform," he said.

The beret will still be part of the Army's dress uniform, but will no longer be worn in the field as soldiers complained that it was impractical, he said.

"It does not have a visor and doesn't shield the sun, doesn't absorb sweat well," Collins said.

One soldier put it more bluntly.

"I hate wearing a wet sock on my head," Chief Warrant Officer Mark Vino, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, told the Army Times. "Plus it makes head/skin break out."

Before 2001, the black beret was associated with the elite Rangers special operations forces. Many Rangers resented the idea that the hat they had earned the right to wear had been assigned to the entire force.

The uniform change applies to 1.32 million soldiers -- including 566,473 active duty troops -- and goes into effect immediately. The new headwear comes with a lower price: a beret costs $11.90 while a patrol cap is only $6.50.

The decision does not affect units that have long worn berets as a mark of distinction, including the Rangers' black beret, Army special forces' green beret and Airborne's maroon version.

As part of the change, soldiers will have the option of having their name tags, rank and badges sewn on to their uniforms.

There also will be a new look for Army soldiers working at the Defense Department's headquarters at the Pentagon, with camouflage to be replaced with the more business-like dress uniform, Collins said.

"For soldiers serving in the Pentagon, we will transition to the dress uniform," starting in July, he said.

In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001, all the armed services started wearing combat uniforms in the Pentagon, to underscore the country's war-footing.

But Defense Secretary Robert Gates last year had his staff drop the combat uniforms, and some other offices in the Pentagon have returned to the dress uniform.

"Our perspective is that this is the corporate part of the Army," said Sergeant Major of the Army, Raymond Chandler, quoted on the US Army's website.

U.S., Indonesia maintain a partnership of peace

By Sgt. 1st Class Frank L. Marquez
BANDUNG, Indonesia -- Continuing an era of cooperation, the Indonesian military hosted the opening ceremony of Garuda Shield 2010 on Thursday at the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) Infantry Training Center in the District of Cipatat.

Maj. Gen. Soenarko, commander of the infantry center, and Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, the adjutant general of Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG), greeted more than 1,100 military members at the hour-long ceremony. Representatives from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Thailand, Nepal, Philippines and the United States stood in a mass formation while listening to welcoming remarks delivered by both Soenarko and Lee.

Garuda Shield began four years ago in Bogor with the goal of training various nations' militaries for United Nations peacekeeping missions. The objectives have not changed over the years with the exception of the Indonesians taking the lead on training. Their U.S. counterparts now give limited guidance.

"Each country has its own standard, which explains the reason for having a U.N. certification," Soenarko said. "The idea is to have one standard."

Indonesia is preparing to send an engineering company to Lebanon later this year. The Indonesians have been sending troops to Lebanon for year-long rotations since December 2006, according to Maj. Charles Carter, exercise coordinator. The Indonesians have also deployed engineers to the Congo.

"The objectives of this exercise show Indonesia's contribution for worldwide peace, and the solidarity between participating countries," Lee said. "The benefit of having exercises like Garuda Shield is the knowledge that we can work together when natural or other disasters strike."

As part of the exercise, staff officers from the Pacific Command, the HIARNG, USARPAC, and the TNI will form a brigade to test peace support and stability operations capabilities.

Other troops are in the middle of conducting a field training exercise to exchange UN standardized organizational tactics, techniques and procedures to improve tactical interoperability.

Meanwhile, engineers are working in Indonesia's rural communities to provide humanitarian civic actions (HCA). Every day scores of children mil about the construction sites to watch the progress. Engineer partners are making quick work of a baby clinic, community center and amphitheatre.

"As the executive of the mission, without forgetting the peacekeeping and field training aspect, I strongly emphasize the lasting impression those kids will have of the U.S.," said Exercise Commander Col. Tony Diaz. "That's priceless. It's beneficial when those communities see our soldiers working next to their soldiers."

The HCA work sites represent how the U.S. and Indonesian military-to-military ties have improved greatly in the last five years, and hold the promise of continued improvement in the years to come, according to organizers. There remain some minor challenges. Lee described one of those hurdles as having the appropriate mindset. "First, countries are asked to defend their own nations," he said. "But they are also asked to be diplomats. Therefore, we must involve many more nations in our efforts which would be a key to circumventing world conflicts."

Sgt. Rick Domec of the HIARNG met that challenge as he arrived in Indonesia. He discovered that U.N. standards apply different rules of engagement. He and Soldiers from C Troop, 299 Cav (Recon Surveillance Target Acquisition), have been observing the various tactics at the field training exercise adjacent to the TNI Training Center.

"We just returned from a deployment in Kuwait last August and September. We were running convoy operations through Iraq to as far as Mosul," he said. "There, we had to constantly be alert. But with the U.N., we don't have to look at everyone as a threat. We look at them as friends, and we are asked to identify ourselves as U.N. peacekeepers."

As Indonesia grows more confident in its training role, it is believed that the same will happen with other nations. "In three years, I've seen the Indonesian military progress. This is their exercise now," Diaz said. "We came here to provide support and guidance, but they run it. They plan it. They execute it. They are on a par with any national military that I've been associated with in my 29 years.

Diaz added that "hopefully with U.N. training, other nations will accept a larger role as their forces become more professional with access to training like Garuda Shield 2010, and they develop military doctrine modeled after our education system - the Command and Staff College, and Army War College. Those countries can then become our strategic partners."

(Spc. Emerson Marcus, 106th Public Affairs Detachment, contributed to this report.)

Photo Note :
BANDUNG, Indonesia -- Col. Nono Mulyono, Maj. Gen. Soenarko, and Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee review the more than 1,100 troops representing six nations standing in formation at the Opening Ceremony for Garuda Shield 2010.

Link : http://www.army.mil/article/40837/

US, Indonesia partner for Exercise Garuda Shield 2011

By Capt. Christina Douglas, 9th Mission Support Command
BOGOR, Indonesia " Hundreds of U.S. and Indonesian Soldiers gathered to participate in the opening ceremony of an annual bilateral exercise, today, at the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI-Indonesian Armed Forces) Engineer Training Center of Army Education and Training Command, Pusdikzi.

Sponsored by U.S. Army, Pacific and hosted by the Indonesian Armed Forces, Exercise Garuda Shield is the latest in a continuing series of rigorous, multi-faceted exercises designed to promote regional peace and security.

This year’s exercise is comprised of three main components: a command post exercise, a field training exercise and a humanitarian civic action project.

Productive team-building efforts and staff processes for resolving complex security situations will be the focus of the CPX. Soldiers of the 9th MSC and Hawaii Army National Guard’s 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will serve as members of division, brigade and battalion staff, working closely with their TNI counterparts.

The FTX, led by the Asia Pacific Counter Improvised Explosive Device Fusion Center, will consist of academics and small unit training designed to counter IEDs. U.S. Soldiers will train approximately 240 Indonesian Soldiers how to identify and react to potentially hazardous situations.

Additionally, Hawaii-based Army Reservists of the 871st Engineer Detachment, 411th Engineer Battalion, 9th MSC, will partner with their Indonesian counterparts to complete a humanitarian civic action project. This intense engineering effort will result in the establishment of a large, modern community services building and public market in a rural district.

Participants from U.S. and Indonesia will further strengthen their relationships by competing in sporting events and enjoying cultural activities.

During the opening ceremony, Brig. Gen. Michele G. Compton, the commanding general of the 9th MSC, welcomed the troops and described the importance of the regionally significant training event.

“Garuda Shield is an opportunity for the Indonesian Army and the United States Army to come together in a learning environment to share experiences and lessons learned with each other. Of equal importance during this exercise, is the opportunity to form and maintain close friendships and also to gain an enduring appreciation of each other’s customs,” said Compton.

Brig. Gen. Mulyono, the training director for the TNI Training and Doctrine Command said the exercise is, “expected to further strengthen the professionalism of the Soldiers as well as to deepen and strengthen cooperation between the Indonesian Army and USARPAC, which is based on mutual respect.”

Exercise Garuda Shield 2011 is slated to conclude June 22.

Photo Note :
U.S., Indonesia kick off bilateral exercise
BOGOR, Indonesia – Brig. Gen. Michele G. Compton, the commanding general of the 9th Mission Support Command, and Brig. Gen. Mulyono, the training director for the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI-Indonesian Armed Forces) Training and Doctrine Command.

Link : http://www.army.mil/article/59478/

Why is the U.S. flag worn “backwards” on the uniform?

Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, is the governing authority for the wear of Army uniforms. Paragraph 28-18 governs the wear of the United States Flag on Army Uniforms.

The flag may only be worn on the utility and organizational uniforms (such as the camouflage BDU). The flag may only be worn during joint-duty and multinational deployments. When the servicemember returns to home station, the flag must be removed. (Guide Note: A message went out in February 2004 changing this restriction, and making the U.S. Flag a mandatory uniform componant for all soldiers, effective October 1, 2005.

Chapter 1, Title 4, United States Code, provides for the design of the U.S. flag and specifies the colors as red, white, and blue. Colors other than red, white, and blue violate the U.S. Code; therefore, subdued-colored flags are not authorized for wear. Joint commanders have to make the decision as to whether or not the wear of a full-color flag, for morale purposes, is more important than having all aspects of the uniform camouflaged.

When approved for wear, the full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is sewn 1/2 inch below the right shoulder seam of the temperate, hot-weather, enhanced hot-weather, and desert BDU; the BDU field jacket; and the cold-weather uniform. The flag is worn on the right shoulder, because, in the military, the “place of honor” is to a military member’s right.

The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward.

The rule dates back to the Army’s early history, when both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer, who carried the Colors into battle. As he charged, his forward momentum caused the flag to stream back. Since the Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section stayed to the right, while the stripes flew to the left.

Sumber :
http://adoptaplatoon.org/site/?p=77