Flt Lt Mike Anderson DSC

Flt Lt Anderson’s citation read: 'Anderson’s courage, and his calm, highly professional display of captaincy enabled the entire crew to conduct a textbook helicopter medical evacuation in the face of a bold, determined and coordinated enemy.' Photo: PA

Out of England, comes a story of amazing bravery. It includes Chinooks, Blackhawk MedEvacs, and Afghan children.

From the Telegraph:

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent

15 Feb 2012

Flt Lt Mike Anderson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after he landed his large Chinook helicopter during an intense gun battle in Helmand province.

Flt Lt Anderson’s Chinook was sent to the scene to rescue the children, who, it is suspected, were deliberately wounded by the Taliban to draw in helicopters.

In a substantial evacuation operation, he was accompanied by two American Blackhawk “medivac” helicopters and an Apache attack helicopter.

The American aircraft went in first to assess which of the children were most seriously wounded. But as the second Blackhawk landed, it was met with a barrage of mortar and machinegun fire.

Despite the maelstrom of incoming fire, Flt Lt Anderson, 31, flew into the landing zone, with his two crew members firing the helicopter’s machineguns to suppress the enemy....

What follows is a MUST READ here.

DHS 'mismanage' chemical plant security??? *gasp*

From Homeland Security News Wire:

Lawmakers blast DHS for problems with chemical facility security program
15 February 2012

At a recent Congressional hearing, lawmakers blasted DHS officials for their failure to follow through with a program designed to secure chemical facilities in the United States.

Lawmakers blast DHS for failure to security plan chemical plants // Source: ab-na.com

“This is beyond disappointing. You have totally mismanaged this program,” Representative Joe Barton (R – Texas) said to Rand Beers, DHS’ undersecretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD). “We’ve spent about $90 million a year, and we have no well-developed direction and no plan.”

According to Fox News, the program in question was originally establishedin 2007 and ordered DHS to review the nation’s chemical facilities to determine which were at risk of a terrorist attack or intentional sabotage. Those deemed to be a high-risk would then be required to work with DHS to develop a security plan.

According to an internal government memo from November of last year, NPPD, which oversees the program, had not conducted compliance inspections and had only recently begun approving security plans with thousands to go....

It gets worse. Go read the rest of this here.

Are you paying attention?

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. John Batemon
B-Company 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, 111th Military Intelligence Brigade


Sgt. John Batemon, B-Company 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, 111th Military Intelligence Brigade removes his shoes and shows off his injuries after the 12-mile march and range portions of the Best Warrior Competition.

Photo Courtesy U.S. Army Taken By Natalie Lakosil

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of Wednesday Hero. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Some Gave All: Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin

Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin killed in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

14 Feb 12

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin, of 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment who was killed on the 13 February 2012.

SAC Tomlin was taking part in a partnered patrol to reassure and interact with the local population in the Western Dashte area on the edge of Nad-e Ali district in Central Helmand Province when he was fatally wounded by small arms fire from an insurgent attack.He was evacuated by air to the field hospital at Camp Bastion where sadly he succumbed to his wounds.

Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin, 21, from Hemel Hempstead was born on 29 May 1990. He joined the Royal Air Force in October 2008, completing his Trainee Gunners Course in April 2009 before moving on to the Phase One Field Gunners Course. He was selected to join 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, based at Royal Air Force Honington, in June 2009.

He arrived at an incredibly busy time for the Squadron and launched straight into Afghanistan pre-deployment training. Ryan completed his first tour in Afghanistan in 2010 as a specialist driver on a rifle flight (the RAF Regiment equivalent of a platoon), defending Kandahar Air Base. After returning from this successful deployment, he showed promise and desire to develop new skills.

He deployed on a second tour to Afghanistan with No. 3 RAF Force Protection Wing at Camp Bastion in October 2011. From the start of the tour, he and his section supported Squadron operations out on the ground around Bastion with great skill and determination, often deploying for several days at a time through the harsh Helmand winter.

A highly professional and skilful gunner who achieved all he set out to do in his three years in the Royal Air Force Regiment, Senior Aircraftman Tomlin became one of the rising stars of his squadron and regiment, and showed great potential for what promised to be the brightest of futures.

He leaves behind his mother and father, Diane and Kevin, and a sister, Michelle. The thoughts of all in 2 Squadron and No. 3 Force Protection Wing are with them at this most difficult of times.

The family of SAC Tomlin said:

“Ryan loved and lived life to the full. He gave his life at a very young age doing the job he loved. Ryan will be sorely missed by his family and friends and everyone who loved him. We will remember his cheeky grin and great sense of humour. Ryan will be forever young and never forgotten. Our true hero and shining star.”

Wing Commander Jason Sutton OBE, Commanding Officer, No. 3 RAF Force Protection Wing, said:

“Senior Aircraftman Tomlin was one of the finest men on my wing and his loss has come as a terrible blow to all of us, especially his comrades on his beloved 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment. Bright, gifted and an absolute master of his craft, he had the complete trust of those who had the privilege of serving alongside him. When the task was hard, he would immediately rise to the challenge. When those around him were weary, he was the one to lift their spirits, and when the enemy threatened, he was the first to be ready to fight. In our grief, we take comfort that he fell doing the job he loved, protecting his mates and the Afghan National Army soldiers we work to support in our shared task of building a better future for Afghanistan.

“Senior Aircraftman Tomlin had the brightest future ahead of him, and his loss has deprived the Royal Air Force Regiment of one of its very best. In continuing our mission here to protect air operations and the people who work at Camp Bastion, we will strive to do justice to the fine example he set. His loss is deeply felt by us all, but our grief can never be deeper than that of Diane and Kevin and their family, with whom our thoughts and prayers are with at this most difficult time. He will never be forgotten. Per Ardua.”...

Go here to learn more about how this young Hero lived.

Always remembered. Always honoured.

File under: Oh, why the hell not?!!!

From the BBC:

Abu Qatada release from Long Lartin jail prompts debate

"Prompts debate"??? Ya think? After the fact? That makes a lot of sense - NOT!

Abu Qatada, accused of being one of the UK's most dangerous extremist preachers, has been released from Long Lartin top-security jail in Evesham.

He was seen hiding his face in the back of a van which left the Worcestershire jail at around 21:15 GMT.

The UK government says he is a threat to national security but has been blocked from deporting him to Jordan.

Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile said people's incredulity over the 51-year-old's release was "entirely justified".

They walk among us, folks, and seems our politicians don't give a damn.

Read the rest here. The Beeb even has a handy dandy profile of this terrorist that nobody wants, but is now free to walk the streets of the UK

RAF Regiment leads operation against Taliban bomb-makers

A Military Operations news article

13 Feb 12

Members of the RAF Regiment have found and destroyed a large cache of Taliban IED-making equipment in an operation conducted alongside Afghan and US forces.

Members of II Squadron RAF Regiment and the US Marine Corps board a US Osprey aircraft at Camp Bastion in Helmand province [Picture: Corporal Andy Benson RAF, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

Operation DISHATA PASHA (Pashtu for 'backfoot') was launched at dawn on Monday 6 February 2012, with RAF Regiment troops from II Squadron. The force also included warriors from the Afghan Army's 3rd Brigade of 215 Corps, and US Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force.

The troops deployed by US Osprey aircraft, with its unique tilt-rotor capability, and the operation resulted in the finding and destruction of a suspected insurgent IED cache close to Bastion Airfield in Helmand province. They also acquired a wealth of intelligence despite coming under fire several times.

The operation took place in the dashte (or desert) south of Bastion Airfield, whose protection is the task of II Squadron, operating as part of 3 RAF Force Protection Wing....

More here.

Dancing in the Dark

Because I CAN!