Inside the Headquarters

Though SEAL missions are usually of the super-double-secret ilk, recent deadly accidents have received quite a bit of warranted attention and pushed Navy officials to halt ops and take a closer look at its risky business. 

SEALs die, and it seems we rarely hear much about it, possibly because of the nature of what we mortals assume to be “The Unit”-like and Jack Bauer-esque missions. But three training deaths, one during a live-fire exercise and more perplexing, two parachute mishaps at the same training site less than one month apart have given everyone pause. 

The parachute accidents occurred March 6 and Feb. 13 at a training area 30 miles outside Tucson, Ariz. The close combat, live-fire training took place at the Mid-South Institute of Self Defense Shooting in Lake Cormorant, Miss. (Since 2005 this outfit only has been working with government and law enforcement agencies. We’re sure the money is pretty good. Where else would you train for this stuff except maybe at gunslinger headquarters — Big, Bad Blackwater in Moyock, N.C.?)  

During roughly the same period, the SEALs suffered three combat deaths. Two men reportedly were killed by small-arms fire in Iraq Feb. 4, and the first fatality in this tragic string for the Navy occurred Dec. 11, 2007. Not many details for us, the clearanceless masses, at this time. 

An increase in optempo, would up the opportunities for mishaps, possibly making an increase in the number of fatalities statistically reasonable. (Though, this is not always the case. As the Joint IED Defeat Organization honchos have shown, a significant increase in IED activity does not correspond to a similar increase in casualties. More on that later.) 

A run of bad luck? Coincidence? Regardless, the show stoppers were the parachute training fatalities. What are the odds of two parachute mishaps for the SEALs (an organization reportedly numbering just over 2,400) at the same training site less than a month apart? 

If it can happen to some of the best, it can happen to anybody, which makes answers to these questions crucial.

In a twist from “Man Bites Dog,” a military officer is suing a defense denizen. A Missouri Air National Guard pilot is suing Boeing Corporation after his F-15C Eagle fell apart in flight with him in it. As bizarre as it sounds the aircraft broke into pieces following a routine — albeit a 7-plus G — turn.

The suit alleges Boeing endangered the lives of pilots and should have known the plane was not built to specifications, though it was built by McDonnell Douglas years before that aviation legend was gobbled up by the insatiable Boeing in the late 1990s. An investigation by both the Air Force and Boeing concluded a longeron, or support beam reinforcing the fuselage, “snapped,” because the beam was thinner than specs called for. The beam’s rough finish also made it more susceptible to cracking.

In a fleet of more than 400 F-15s, 149 aircraft were found to have longeron issues. Worse, nine were found to have cracked beams. Though most of the planes have been cleared, inspectors are keeping an eye on the problem aircraft. (Bet that makes the pilots flying them feel a lot better!) We wonder if the Air Force has considered ditching the planes. While it is an expensive proposition, can the Air Force afford to play what seems to be a game of aircraft roulette? Do you want to be the pilot to find out? Probably not.

This dirty little secret could present more challenges for battered Boeing. But how far does its liability extend? What is the reasonable expectation of performance? These planes are almost 30 years old, and they are having this problem after the 25 year mark? (Or has this problem been concealed in some way? Conspiracy theorists want to know.) Other aircraft over the years have been well-known for their flaws. How about those cracking A-6 wings and the aging CH-46? Should the Air Force bear responsibility for not replacing this aging fleet sooner?
Have we sold any of the deficient planes to our foreign friends and current foes? Saudi Arabia might have been the only one to specifically purchase the F-15C, though surfers in what appears to be an Iranian/pro-Iranian chat room seem to love the plane.

“I love IEDs, so put another round in the front gun, baby. I love IEDs so don’t waste time and run from me.”

We understand this might not seem humorous by home-front standards, though it could get a laugh in the hot zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. Regardless of where you are, the photo shows a few soldiers who have taken a unique approach to the improvised explosive device (IED). This master of mirth, the perpetrator of this in your face “Bring it on. Show us what you got!” tactic is the first lieutenant smiling off to the left. That’s his HUMVEE, and he cut and pasted the bumper sticker together. Sort of a 21st century “Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead.” These boys and their bumper sticker did see some action. More on that in a bit.

Back in Washington. D.C., at “Defeat the IED” central, the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), formally was established in early 2006, more than one year after this fall 2004 photo was taken in remote Paktika Province in Afghanistan. JIEDDO’s mission is to attack the network, defeat the device (the IED), and train the force. This is serious business — super serious, even — and received a 2008 budget of a $4.3 billion. With all that money, why not take a few of those dollars and have some of these babies made — in English and Farsi and a bunch of other languages? Why not provoke the populace with the same dreaded set of Western values that this “enemy” purports to destroy?

Sensitivities aside, we think our boys on the Afghan frontier might have had a winning combo. While the tactical significance here is a stretch, our guess is it relieved some tension and made a few boys and girls laugh. It probably also solidified trust and confidence in this young leader. The photo was taken by his boss, a Marine and the provincial reconstruction team commander at the time. Bravado? Hardly. This Iowa National Guard lieutenant put his bravery where his bumper sticker is and went on to receive the Silver Star for actions during a deadly ambush of the unit. Yes, the bumper sticker was there in the ravine that day along with a bunch of hostiles, though no IEDs were reported.

We don’t hear much about Bulgaria, and there probably are reasons for that, but our favorite throwback to the last gasps of Communism has decided to raise some cash like the capitalists they now struggle to become. This friend of World War II Germany is auctioning off a number of its World War II- and Soviet-era tanks.
That’s World War II German. Nazi. (Cha-ching.) It seems the bidders might be lining up. 

The Bulgarians used the beasts after the Second World War as obstacles principally on their border with our chum and NATO ally, Turkey. (A Bulgarian Maginot Line?) But they began ridding themselves of the rusting hulks after working to become NATO buddy and European Union wag. All but forgotten, the disappearance of one tank sparked renewed interest. The one that literally got away reportedly had been a gift from none other than Third Reich bad boy Adolf Hitler to Bulgaria’s Queen Yoanna (Joanna). (The war equivalent of a toaster? Or more like the horse’s head a la “The Godfather?” You decide.) Several have been charged in the theft, and the belief is this prize is back in Germany. (How much bribe money does it take to smuggle a tank?) 

Regardless, this incident probably clued in the Bulgarians they had something of value and pushed them to make a move before others found their way across the border or rusted into memory. Our guess is American collectors, museum honchos, eccentrics, and reenactors are salivating over these gems. “Find another,” said one collector we consulted. “Our group would love to have one of the German tanks.” (Smuggling would give these relics their much deserved shroud of historical mystery.) 

This is one auction to watch, and even those tanks in poor condition probably will fetch considerable sums. Bulgarian curators are hoping to exchange these wares for items missing from their collections, but we’ll see what the cash-strapped govvies have to say about that. Interest in war relics has skyrocketed in recent years. World War II is fast becoming the new Civil War, and money flows freely.
Capitalism again meets Communism to buy Nazi and Soviet prizes.

Recently, U.S. Navy Secretary Donald “Wizard” Winter called for shipbuilders to modernize, strongly implying there will be cuts in the defense riches flowing from Congress. He clearly stated current levels of “investment in acquisition” could not be sustained. 

Just about everyone has figured this gravy train carrying defense contractors will grind to a halt, but calling for private entities to modernize is curious. It seems shipbuilders outside the U.S., like those in Denmark and Great Britain, are highly automated and can compete with cheaper labor pools like those in China. Our guess is our European brothers and sisters are less reliant on manpower, which has resulted in fewer jobs. 

Danger! The U.S. tornado forms at the very mention of job cuts. 

Following the Yellow Brick Road to modernization, though it leads to the Emerald City of contracts and profit, also means job losses along the way (in the near term), especially among the semiskilled and unskilled of labor. Don’t these guys belong to … unions? Aren’t politicians terrified of … unions? 

… So the Wizard called for the builders to follow the Yellow Brick Road and cautioned that any resulting job cuts would unleash the wrath of the Wicked Witch who would send her Flying Monkeys to darken the doors of Congressman Cowardly Lion and senators Scarecrow and Tin Man. Then, he foretold from his vast experience, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow would say to shipbuilder Dorothy, “Not so fast there, Ruby Slipper Girl.” Dorothy, to save her beloved Toto, would abandon her quest for the Emerald City. All the boys and girls in Munchkinland would cheer because they would get to keep their jobs — until a house would drop on Munchkinland, wiping out the Lollypop League, because those boys would not update their skills. Glenda the Good Witch would move to the Danish shipyard. Dorothy would start out again on the Yellow Brick Road because she could not afford to lose another contract. (Nor could the Munchkins.) “Not so fast, Ruby Slipper Girl!” Enter the Flying Monkeys. (We’re seeing a pattern here.) Soon the Cowardly Lion and company again are off to see Dorothy. Road abandoned and another house drops, wiping out all the jobs in Munchkinland. 

Wizard Winter probably is dead on and for the long-term heath of shipbuilders and those like them in defense, they might have to take on the Wicked Witches at the unions and a few Cowardly Lions in Congress to remain competitive. More importantly, they might have to forego the government subsidies that have proved crucial for foreign yards. 

Somewhere over the rainbow?

Hey, they are really the same thing as evidenced by two weeks of anti-something-or-other events at the Ground Zero of the nation’s leadership. Though Spring Flingers congregate in Washington, D.C., each year, themes seem especially heavy on antiwar. But who has time for all those angry people? We prefer to approach this from a tour guide and entertainment coordinator’s perspective. No reason to wait for a weekend! Just head to MacPherson Square midweek and a wide array of entertainment choices surround you. 

Notes: This list for March 19 events came from our brothers and sisters at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The MacPherson Square Metro stop is on the Blue-Orange Line. Most important, ripped jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies are de rigueur. 

“Blockade the IRS”: Participants will meet at 7:30 a.m. at McPherson Square Park and march south-southeast to the IRS headquarters at 1111 Constitution Ave. between 10th and 12th streets, NW. They will gather outside the main entrance at 8 a.m. (We think a kickoff with the IRS is ill-advised for an antiwar event, but hey, who are we?) 

“Disrupt the War Profiteers”: Student groups and activists will converge upon the streets throughout the day to rally outside offices of large corporations such as ExxonMobil, Shell, Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, Bechtel, and the IMF/World Bank. Violent actions are not expected but participants might attempt to enter buildings and disrupt routine activities. (We knew they’d get the World Bank into the mix. This event probably catches every activist group and those looking for a cause.) 

“Separate Oil and State”: Participants will meet outside the American Petroleum Institute at 1220 L St., NW, at 13th St. Starting time for this event is not yet available. (Catchy title. Love it.) 

“Veterans March for Peace”: The march will begin at 9 a.m. at 7th St., NW, on the National Mall between Madison and Jefferson streets. Marchers will pass a variety of locations. (Bring your hankies. These are typically sad. Spectators often view the supposed veteran participants with pity more than contempt.) 

“Critical Mass”: Cyclists will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Dupont Circle (P St. and 19th St., NW). They will travel through downtown possibly riding south on Connecticut Ave., NW to the White House. It has been their intent in the past to intentionally disrupt traffic. (Any disruption at 8:30 a.m. will go unnoticed in this normally grid-locked location.) 

“Granny Peace Brigade Knit-in”: A sit-in is planned for noon outside the VA office at 810 Vermont Ave., NW. Violence is not likely, and there should be minimal disruptions to routine activities. (We think this is another new one. Full marks for creativity. We rank this as a must see, though we are unsure why they’re at the VA.) 

“Funk the War”: Similar to Disrupt the War Profiteers, student groups will converge on the K Street corridor. Participants will meet at Franklin Square Park (14th and K streets, NW) at noon and travel down K Street. (Sigh. Boring.) 

“March of the Dead”: Dozens of activists will roam the city dressed in black representing those killed in the Iraq war. Minimal disruptions are likely. (This one is our personal favorite. If we’re lucky, they’ll appear gaunt and in white face with black robes. Right out of a cheap B flick. This tactic is especially popular with the San Francisco Bay Area crowd and once a year outside Fort Benning, Ga.) 

“The World Can’t Wait”: Anti-torture rally at 1 p.m. at Lafayette Square Park on H St., NW, by the White House. (This is a new one and should be a real hoot. Is it us or is the implication that the rest of us are pro-torture? Those guys are slick.) 

“March on DNC”: Participants will gather at 5 p.m. at the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall and march to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at 430 S. Capitol St., SE. (We are unsure why they’d march on the party that supports many of their stances. Biting the hand …?) 

One DHS suit meandered over to take in the sights and reported quite a state of chaos. He saw a number of animal rights people (these things attract everyone), some guests in our nation’s capitol who were very angry over U.S. foreign policy toward Israel, a rainbow of hair colors (none natural), and every imaginable sub group against a backdrop of a heavy law enforcement presence. (Did we mention the live band and vegan sandwiches?) 

Now that we have tortured the subject of the annual migration of Spring Flingers to Washington, D.C., and tried the patience of our kindest readers, we will move on.
A Happy Easter to all, including our activist brothers and sisters: Mornin’, Sam. Mornin’, Ralph. See you next spring.

The last thing we expected was to hear what seemed to be a balanced military commentary on less-than-balanced Pacifica Radio. Pacifica is sandwiched between National Public Radio and C-SPAN on the dial in Washington, D.C. (we possess exciting listening habits), and an mp3 paired with deteriorating vision is a lethal combination. A seasoned listener normally can tell the difference between the three stations. We stumbled upon a deep-voiced, 20- or 30-something male (Marine? Soldier?) who sounded like he was reading a statement before some congressional subcommittee. Yet his words were less formal and with an edge — not the stuff of Capitol Hill fodder. The announcer broke the suspense and confirmed it was Pacifica (gasp), and this was Winter Solider. 

Winter Who? It’s nearly spring. 

The deep-throated speaker commanded our attention; his recitation was compelling. It seems his unit accidentally took out a friendly Iraqi security group. The Voice himself stated he pumped M-60 rounds into at least one innocent Iraqi. Voice considered the incident fratricide. Fair enough. 

Love it or hate it, another “antiwar” love fest was just heating up. 

The first Winter Soldier Investigation was organized in Detroit in 1971 by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in an attempt to expose a pattern of war crimes in Vietnam. Fast forward nearly 40 years, and we have the same rhetoric, though a different war. 

This time it was Iraq Veterans Against the War (note the original name) that organized Winter Soldier 2008, which took place March 13-16 at (get this) the National Labor College (underwritten by our friends at the AFL-CIO), Silver Spring, Md. (Convenient for the Spring Flingers who have descended upon the District and surrounding environs.) 

But our lowly FM broadcast told only part of the story. One news outlet reported a former Marine ripped his medals off his shirt and threw them into the audience. Bet that was a sight. It’s our guess he did not get the text message that such stunts, while great theater, negate the message (except with that limited audience). 

Sadly these boys and girls are fresh meat for the fringe element looking to exploit them for sundry causes. Activists: Fat on rhetoric, lean on facts. Until these freshmen shed their self-serving handlers, their message will remain trapped with the impotent do-gooders and hug-fest frequenters that surround them.
We are unsure if there was a candlelight vigil or the singing of vintage antiwar ditties.

Aye, on this St. Patrick’s Day, we thought it lucky to credit the U.S. military with the founding of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 

According to some sources, the first official St. Patrick’s Day Parade, organized by Irishmen in a colonial military unit, was held New York City in 1766. For several years, the military continued to organize the event. After 1811, Irish fraternal and charitable organizations took over this “running of the boys.” 

There have been other military ties to the patron saint of Ireland — some honorable, others infamous. It seems there was a St. Patrick’s unit in the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War (1846-48) comprised on U.S. deserters. Sources say they deserted because of American atrocities. Regardless, the men of El Batallón de San Patricio were viewed as traitors, and most met an untimely and tragic end. 

Aye, but we digress. Military units still march in the New York parade and most, if not all, the many parades across the country, though their participation is dwarfed by that of civilian bands, dancers, and even a number of politicos (if you can believe that one!). 

Though not a military event, the St. Patrick’s Day cabal is a sight to behold in the City of Our Lady of Perpetual Decay. Never a hamlet to turn down an opportunity to parade or drink (or both), St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans is a must see. During the recent Inside the Headquarters Road Show, our staff had the fortune (aye, luck of the not-so-Irish) to catch the St. Patrick’s Day Practice Parade. As so eloquently put by one of the participants, “You have to be able to drink and walk.” He took a sip of his drink and wandered off. What might be considered marginal behavior by some (say, we in D.C.) seems pretty normal and even admirable when you’re observing (reveling) first-hand here in this City that Time Forgot. 

Oh, and this was the running of the boys. All male. Guys only. Chicks need not apply. Anywhere else, this would be grounds for a declaration of war. Here, for a bunch of beads and a few kisses, it’s amazing what one will overlook. Hey, even one male member with our staff was invited to run with the boys next year. Aye!
If you have nothing else to do next March, check out this or the actual St. Patrick’s Day parade in New Orleans. (The Italian St. Joseph’s Day parade runs a week earlier.The revelers we encountered seemed quite the gentlemen and were to parade in tails in the actual event.

How do you say “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” in Gaelic?

… and know a few insiders and maybe Joey the Clown … 

Recently, the U.S. Air Force announced its decision to award the contract that ultimately would replace its aging tanker fleet (a whole lotta planes built by Boeing) to Northrop Grumman and partner, European Aero Big Boy, or EADS. The contract was Boeing’s to lose, it widely was thought, and loose they did. But hey, this is America — all you have to do is dream (and have a few well-placed congressmen and lobbyists) and anything is possible. Did we mention labor leaders? 

We applauded the Air Force’s choice, because it appeared to choose what was best for the Air Force and its tanker fleet’s future. Shortly after the award announcement, it was rumored that narcissistic Boeing balked not only at this award to someone other than mighty Boeing, but at the request for proposal specs. Boeing says the Air Force called for a medium-size tanker. Boeing put up its medium-size 767 while EADS put up Airbus’ big, BIG A-330. Go big, go often! So the Air Force chose the Airbus proposal. 

“Foul!” cried Boeing. But according to our industry source, who was “stunned we would buy a French jet for the Air Force,” he thought Boeing and the Air Force were spooked by their shared scandal. In 2004, Bad Boy Boeing lost a sweet $26 million deal when some pretty shady dealings between it and the Boys in Blue were revealed. Boeing was fined more than $600 million, and people went to prison. (Untidy.) Our favorite industry source politely speculated that Boeing might have lost touch with its client and had “no idea of the value the Air Force placed on the additional items that Airbus provided.” (Read: Boeing was clueless as to what the Air Force wanted.) This source stated Boeing’s unfortunate situation comes down to a “business development failure. They bid the 767 when they should have bid the 777. Boeing dropped it on that one. It is up to them to know.” (Touche!) 

Did the Air Force alter how it would evaluate the proposals? We say red herring, but that’s for the GAO to determine. Although serious irregularities on the part of the Air Force are possible, they are unlikely. After the bloodletting that followed its super-secret-special deal with its former cohort-in-crime (Boeing), it’s difficult to imagine our fly boys would risk their careers and contracts and the future of the crucial tanker fleet. The GAO has 100 days to render its opinion.

Sit. Wait. Lobby.

Welcome to Spring Fling in Washington. It might not be Daytona Beach, but Yee-haw and meet me in central booking!

On March 12, a reported 10 members with the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance entered the Senate chamber and watched lawmakers in session below. The group caused a ruckus when its members staged a protest, making some “antiwar” statements and donning gauze over their heads to portray the “Ghosts of War.” Their T-shirts, emblazoned with ”We Will Not Be Silent” (nor will Inside the Headquarters), must be the equivalent of the protesters’ wet T-shirt contest.

The whole swallows and Capistrano cliché applies: Each year, the passionate and misinformed from across the country descend upon the nation’s capital to lobby (inform) members of Congress. Topics touted range from the war to global warming to World Bank monetary policies to closing the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Ga. (More on our buds at School of the Americas Watch in a later post.)

Protesters and protesting are a part of the fabric of life in and around the myriad headquarters in Washington. For quite some time Afghanistan and Iraq “antiwar” protesters would (legally) stand across from the Pentagon Metro escalators imploring those walking toward DoD headquarters not to enter. There have long been “antiwar” placards in windows in and around D.C. We have not seen them in other cities. (Maybe we’ve been on the dark side too long.)

Back to our Spring Flingers in the Senate gallery. Though they claim to be a nonviolent group, violence is not unknown in the halls of Congress (and we’re not talking politico-on-politico assaults, either). In 1835, an assassination attempt was made on then-President Andrew Jackson in the Capitol’s Rotunda. In March 1954, Puerto Rican nationalists opened fired in the House of Representatives, wounding five members of Congress. A bomb was detonated in the early 1970s, reportedly by those protesting U.S. policy in Laos. A 1983 bomb detonation signaled disfavor with the U.S. invasion of Grenada. In 1998, an armed intruder killed two Capitol Hill police officers inside the building.

Sure, it’s illegal to protest on government property, but that won’t stop these die-hard activists. Criminal record? Jail time? Hah! Badges of honor. Staging a protest in the Senate chambers? We get they’re trying to make a point, but some have grown weary of Washington as activist kegger.