Army crew served weapons qualification tables

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Army crew served weapons qualification tables

The Army's new rifle qualification standards are already being rolled out to units across the force, in the largest refresh of training and qualification tables since 1956. In a nutshell, these new standards mean soldiers will have less time to shoot from more positions, and it's going to be tougher than ever to earn the coveted expert rating on your M16 or M4 service rifle. Training has also been revamped to match to new standard, with the training and testing now broken down into six tables: preliminary marksmanship instruction and evaluation, pre-live fire simulation training, magazine and shooting position drills, grouping and zeroing, practice qualification and qualification. Shooters will not only be firing their rifles under normal circumstances, they will also be expected to fire at night and while wearing gas masks -- both of which are meant to reflect legitimate combat possibilities. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Sarah Sangster, U.S. Army) No More Alibis To make matters even more difficult, soldiers will also no longer be given "alibis" when they suffer a weapons malfunction. Traditionally, if a soldier's weapon failed to fire during Army rifle qualification, they were given an opportunity to re-shoot that segment of the testing table. Now, however, soldiers will be expected to clear the malfunction and continue shooting. While this does present an increase in testing difficulty, it's also seen as a more realistic form of evaluation, as weapons may malfunction in real combat scenarios. Of course, if this all sounds rather intimidating, don't worry. Soldiers will be given training in each element of the new Army rifle qualification course prior to their scored intervals. They will also receive refresher training on rifle fundamentals. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Sarah Sangster, U.S. Army) "Soldiers start by receiving a series of classes on how to properly zero the rifle, whether it's a bare rifle or with optics," said Staff Sgt. Tadeysz Showers, assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "Soldiers received classes on laser bore sight, Minute of Angle (MOA), zeroing process, windage, ballistics, and also received EST training and practiced position changes before going to a live range." Making Rifle Qual More Realistic The intent behind all of these changes isn't necessarily to make things more difficult, but rather to bring testing closer to the sort of shooting soldiers may be expected to do in real combat environments. Rather than testing a soldier's accuracy under very controlled circumstances, soldiers will now be operating more independently in a more realistic fashion. "The old qualification did not help in combat situations, so they incorporated magazine exchanges and position changes by yourself to represent combat," said Staff Sgt. Tadeysz Showers, assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "No matter the military occupational specialty (MOS), any MOS can teach a Soldier how to do this new weapons qualification." (Photo Credit: Sgt. Sarah Sangster, U.S. Army) Soldiers will be issued four magazines, each loaded with ten rounds. They will then be expected to engage 40 pop-up targets from four different shooting positions, exchanging magazines with each transition. Each soldier will start in the standing position, then go to the prone unsupported, then prone supported, kneeling supported, and finally, standing supported positions. The supported positions will utilize a barricade, and soldiers will have 8-10 seconds between positions to move their bodies and change out magazines. The magazines will not be stacked and ready as they have been in previous tests. Instead, they'll be in the soldier's kit, just like they would be in combat. Less Instruction During Qualifying While this represents a significant change from previous testing models, the biggest change in the Army rifle qualification for soldiers may be the lack of instruction provided during qualification itself. Previously, soldiers would be instructed by the Range Safety Officer in the range tower to change out magazines and change positions. Now, the only commands issued are to begin the table and when it has been concluded. Soldiers will be expected to navigate the rest of the table on their own. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Sarah Sangster, U.S. Army) "The new qualification is more challenging, but a lot more realistic," said Lightning Academy Senior Instructor Staff Sgt. Daniel Martin. "Some Soldiers have never conducted magazine exchanges on their own without being told when to on the line during the Automatic Record Fire. The course is helping the Army become more efficient in urban combat scenarios." Some elements of the course remain unchanged however, including the scoring requirements. Although soldiers will have less time to fire, they will still be expected to hit 23 out of 40 targets in order to meet the qualification minimums. Hitting 23 to 29 targets will earn a soldier a Marksman rating, 30-35 hits will earn a soldier a Sharpshooter rater, and 36 or more will earn a solder an Expert qualification. "This new weapons qualification is more combat oriented with changing positions, changing magazines and engaging the targets," said Sgt. Octavius Moon assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "This will help Soldiers shoot better as well as make ranges faster and have more Soldiers qualified. It helps Soldiers become more knowledgeable about their weapon as well." Cropped feature photo courtesy of Sgt. Sarah Sangster, U.S. Army Qualification with the M249, M60/M240B machine gun consists of achieving the minimum standards for 10-meter day and transition day firing tables. One point is allowed for each round impacting within the scoring space (maximum of 7 points [M249] or 9 points [M60/M240B] for each space) for Firing Table I. For Firing Table II, 7 points (M249) or 9 points (M60/M240B) are allowed for each target hit whether the target is hit on the first or second burst. For Firing Table III, place an X in the hit column and place an O in the miss column. The maximum possible score for Firing Table I is 91 points (M249), 117 points (M60/M240B). A minimum of 63 points (M249), 81 points (M60/M240B) is required. The maximum score for Firing Table II is 110 points; at least 70 points must be scored on this table to qualify. The maximum possible score for Firing Table III is 11 hits. A minimum of 7 hits is required. The combined minimum total score is 133 (M249), 151 (M240B); the combined maximum total score is 201 points (M249), 227 points (M240B). The trainer uses DA Form 85-R (Scorecard for M249, M60/M240B Machine Gun) for recording the gunner's performance on the machine gun qualification range. The instructions for completing the scorecard are on its reverse side. For an example of a completed form, see Figure 4-23. A blank locally reproducible form is in the back of this manual. The instructions are on the back of the form explaining how to fill out the form: The gunner must score 63 points (M249), 81 points (M60/M240B) on Table I, 70 points on Table II, and 6 hits to meet the minimum score for each. The following is a summary of ammunition required M249 M60/M240B TYPE Table I, Practice 185 231 Ball Table I, Record 91 117 X4:1 Table II, Practice 182 236 X4:1 Table II, Record 154 200 X4:1 Table III, Practice 360 460 X4:1 Table III, Record 154 200 X4:1 Continue reading here: Combat Techniques Of Fire Was this article helpful? In 2019, the Army approved a new rifle qualification and individual weapons training strategy. The old qualification, the automated record fire, was developed back in 1956. Since then, the Army's battles and the way it fights them have changed. The new qualification, the rifle and carbine qualification, was developed with the same principle as the Army Combat Fitness Test. It more holistically assesses a soldier's ability to employ situational awareness, safe weapon handling, and core marksmanship competencies. A 10th Mountain Division soldier shoots the new qualification (Miguel Ortiz) Due to COVID-19 considerations, full integration of the new rifle qualification in 2020 was slowed. However, more and more units in both Forces Command and Training and Doctrine Command are starting to test their soldiers on the new standards. Training and evaluation for the rifle and carbine qualification is broken down into six tables: preliminary marksmanship instruction and evaluation, pre-live fire simulation training, magazine and shooting position drills, grouping and zeroing, practice qualification, and qualification. "Soldiers start by receiving a series of classes on how to properly zero the rifle, whether it's a bare rifle or with optics," said Staff Sgt. Tadeysz Showers, assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "Soldiers received classes on laser bore sight, Minute of Angle (MOA), zeroing process, windage, ballistics, and also received EST training and practiced position changes before going to a live range." The rifle qualification consists of four firing phases for which soldiers will employ four magazines with 10 rounds each. 40 targets will pop up on their own or in groups for varying lengths of time depending on their distance. Soldiers will fire from the standing unsupported, prone unsupported, prone supported, kneeling supported, and standing supported positions. A barricade is used to simulate cover and provide a more stable shooting position for supported fire. Transitioning between positions and changing magazines are integrated organically into the course of fire in order to more closely simulate real-world combat situations. "The old rifle qualification did not help in combat situations, so they incorporated magazine exchanges and position changes by yourself to represent combat," said Staff Sgt. Tadeysz Showers, assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "No matter the military occupational specialty (MOS), any MOS can teach a Soldier how to do this new weapons qualification." A soldier of the 25th Infantry Division engages targets from the kneeling supported position (U.S. Army) Whereas commanders could previously dictate whether or not their soldiers could shoot "slick" without their body armor and helmet, the new rifle qualification requires soldiers to wear them. Magazines are retained on the soldier's gear rather than laying ready on the ground or on a sandbag in order to more closely simulate a combat situation. The first shot of the qualification will be on a close-range target from the standing unsupported firing position. From there, soldiers will transition into the prone unsupported firing position and engage the next nine targets through a port in the bottom of the barricade. The last 30 targets will appear in three waves of 10 with soldiers conducting magazine and firing position changes on their own in between. The new qualification also includes guidance for night and CBRNE shooting. Soldiers will be expected to utilize night-vision goggles, IR lasers, and gas masks to engage targets under adverse conditions. The inclusion of these variables reflects the Army's return to training for a near-peer fight against conventional armies. Additionally, soldiers will no longer be given alibis. Previously, if a soldier experienced a weapon malfunction during their course of fire, they could be given the opportunity to re-shoot. Now, soldiers will be expected to assess and clear the malfunction during the course of fire and continue to engage targets. Any missed targets during this time will count against them. While this can make the qualification more difficult, it encourages soldiers to build the muscle memory necessary to address such variables under stress. Some aspects of the old rifle qualification have carried over though. Soldiers are still required to hit 23 of the 40 targets in order to qualify. 23-29 hits earns a Marksman qualification, 30-35 hits earns a Sharpshooter qualification, and 36-40 hits earns an Expert qualification. "This new weapons qualification is more combat oriented with changing positions, changing magazines and engaging the targets," said Sgt. Octavius Moon assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. "This will help Soldiers shoot better as well as make ranges faster and have more Soldiers qualified. It helps Soldiers become more knowledgeable about their weapon as well." A 10th Mountain Division soldier conducts the new qualification while wearing cold weather gear (Miguel Ortiz) The annual Army-Navy football game is intense. And though the players will be doing their best to out-maneuver and out-muscle the opposition, the competition extends well beyond the field. The fanbase of each service academy, which includes the troops and veterans of their respective branches, rally loudly behind their team with a single, unifying phrase: "Go Army! Beat Navy!" Or, for the sailors and Marines, "Go Navy! Beat Army!"As creative and ambitious as the smacktalk has become in recent years, the phrase never changes. And that's because these rallying cries are nearly as old as the Army-Navy game itself. Which I can only assume would cause confusion (and maybe a bit of jealousy) from the players of Notre Dame.(Photo by Mike Strasser, West Point Public Affairs)The tradition of military academy fans shouting out, "Go [us]! Beat [them]!" can be traced back to some of the earliest Army-Navy Games. It's unclear which side started the tradition, but both teams were shouting their own versions of the simple phrase as early as second game, long before the sport of football became the mainstream cultural staple it is today. Over the years, the phrase remained unchanged. The only variations come when a West Point or Naval Academy team faces off against the Air Force Academy or the Royal Military College of Canada. It doesn't even matter if the team is facing off against a university unaffiliated with the Armed Forces -- they'll still add the "Beat Navy!" or "Beat Army!" to the end of their fight song. Plebes who don't follow this would presumably do push-ups and add "Beat Navy!" after each one. (Photo by Mike Strasser, West Point Public Affairs)The plebes (or freshmen) of each academy are also expected to be fiercely loyal to their football team at every possible occasion. At the drop of a hat, a plebe is expected to know how many days are left until the next Army-Navy Game. They're also only allowed to say a handful of accepted phrases: "Yes, sir/ma'am," "No, sir/ma'am," and, of course, "Beat Navy/Army."Plebes are also expected to finish every sentence or greeting with a "Beat Navy" in the same way that an Army private adds "Hooah" to pretty much everything. It doesn't matter if it's an in-person meeting, e-mail, phone call, or text message. They better add "Beat Navy" to the end of whatever point they're trying to make. Go team! Beat the other team! (West Point)In the end, it's still a friendly game between the two academies. They're only truly rivals for the 60 minutes of game time. The phrase is all about mutual respect and should never get twisted. Years down the line, when the cadets become full-fledged officers, they'll meet shoulder-to-shoulder on the battlefield and joke about the games later. The rivalry is tough -- but isn't it always that way between two siblings? Sun Tzu advised in The Art of War, "When the enemy occupies high ground, do not confront him." This is why, since the advent of flight, all battlefield commanders have sought to control the airspace above the battlefield ? the "ground" above the high ground. Control of the airspace grants its occupant a clearer view of an enemy's movements, better communications with friendly forces and the freedom to move quickly and unpredictably to attack downhill well behind the enemy's front lines. Forces on land, at sea and in the air all reap the advantages of the establishment of air superiority ? the keystone to victories from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Just as important, occupying that high ground denies those same advantages to the enemy. Research into lasers may offer advancement in propulsion technology to get us into deep space and beyond for a fraction of the cost. The geniuses at the Air Force Research Laboratory are developing multiple ways to utilize laser power to enhance weapons, mining in space and electrolyze water. In peacetime, maintaining air superiority provides a deterrent to those potential adversaries who heed the warning of Sun Tzu. That is why the Air Force and its researchers are constantly looking far beyond the horizon of the current battlefield to develop new technologies enabling access to the highest ground possible ? space. Even before the Soviet Union successfully launched the first satellite, Sputnik, into orbit in October 1957, the United States was developing its own top-secret satellites to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) of potential adversaries ? Project Corona. While Sputnik was little more than a beeping aluminum ball orbiting the Earth, it was an undeniable Soviet flag planted on the global high ground. The U.S. government knew that ceding that high ground greatly increased the chances of defeat should the Cold War with the Soviet Union turn hot. Vice-President Lyndon Johnson, who oversaw the fledgling National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), firmly acknowledged the national security benefits of advancing the peaceful exploration of space in 1963. "I, for one, don't want to go to bed by the light of a Communist moon," said Johnson. Today, the Air Force operates the largest GPS constellation in history with more than 30 satellites. Originally developed and implemented as a military navigation system, today we share it with the rest of the world while still relying on it for a variety of tasks from guiding precision weapons to delivering humanitarian supplies on the other side of the planet. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) To this day the U.S. Air Force has remained at the forefront of pushing farther into space, from launching communications and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to providing astronaut Airmen who first ventured into Earth orbit during Project Mercury, walked on the Moon during Project Apollo to Col. Jack D. Fischer currently aboard the International Space Station. It is a legacy that surrounds and drives Dr. Wellesley Pereira, a senior research physical scientist with the Air Force Research Lab's (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The very site at which Pereira conducts his research is named for an Airman who led the charge to put an American on the Moon. Col. Buzz Aldrin was one of the first two humans to land on the Moon, and the second person to walk on it. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) The Phillips Research Site is named for Air Force Gen. Samuel Phillips, who served as Director of NASA's Apollo manned lunar landing program from 1964 to 1969. That program culminated in the first humans, Neil Armstrong and then Air Force Lt. Col. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, landing on the moon in 1969 as Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 Command Module overhead. It was the kind of aggressive manned exploration of space that Pereira would not only like to see continue, but accelerate. "The Air Force and its Airmen are seen as trendsetters, as in the case with GPS, benefiting all humanity, or with technologically-inspired precision airdrops from 30,000 feet of lifesaving supplies during humanitarian crises," said Pereira. "In doing this the Air Force establishes itself as a global power in which it does not cede higher ground to anyone... It pays dividends to be at the leading edge of that technology as opposed to playing catch up all the time. The Air Force can really send a very positive message by being that trendsetter in space." The Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) is an American military airdrop system which uses the GPS, steerable parachutes, and an onboard computer to steer loads to a designated point of impact (PI) on a drop zone (DZ). (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) Pereira is currently researching infrared physics and hyper-spectral imaging as a means to provide ISR data over a wide range of light not visible to the human eye. "We simulate cloud scenes viewed from spacecraft," said Pereira. " (Examining) all the aspects that affect an image from space like the artifacts caused by movement in the space platform; trying to process signals, trying to process information. We try to simulate these things in our lab just to understand spacecraft processes and how we can deal with this in post-processing." Pereira's current position at AFRL as a research scientist coupled with a background in astronomy, physics and space research gives him the opportunity to think deeply about space and human space flight. "As a research scientist, I've been involved in building payloads for the Air Force on satellites," said Pereira. "This has led me to think about satellites in general; launch, orbits, moving in and out of orbits, the mechanics of orbits and the optimization of orbits." Those contemplations have led Pereira to envision an Air Force of the future that will propel its assets and Airmen to increasingly higher ground in space in a cost-effective way that combines technology old and new ? sails and lasers. "Up until now, we've been using chemical propulsion to get into space. Chemical propulsion is limited in what it can do for us in the future. We cannot go very far. We have to take resources from the Earth into space, which is a big issue considering we only can carry so much mass, we only have so much power, and so on. It is limited by chemical bond, but it is also limited by size, weight, power," said Pereira. Description Here (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) The concept of solar sails has existed for quite a while. A solar sail uses photons, or energy from the sun to propel a spacecraft. Photons have energy and momentum. That energy transfers to a sail upon impact, pushing the sail and spacecraft to which it is attached, farther into space, according to Pereira. "The Japanese have already proven that we can fly stuff with a solar sail. In 2010, they sent up an experiment called IKAROS, Interplanetary Kite-raft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun. This was a very successful project," said Pereira. "In the same vein as solar sails, futurists have also thought about laser sails. I think this is an area where the Air Force can develop an ability for us to propel spacecraft farther using lasers, either in the form of laser arrays on Earth or taking a laser array and putting it on the moon, to propel spacecraft without the cost of lifting spacecraft and chemical propellant from the Earth's surface." In the near future, Pereira sees this method as a cost-effective way the Air Force can lift satellites into higher Earth orbit. "You have spacecraft go into orbits that are just about 300 to 600 kilometers above the Earth. We call those Low Earth Orbits or LEO. Likewise, you have orbits that could be about 36,000 to 40,000 kilometers above the Earth. We call them Geostationary Earth Orbits or GEO orbits. Many communications satellites, as well as, a few other satellites are in Geostationary orbit...the way of the future, would be to use laser based arrays, instead of chemical propulsion, to fire at a satellite's sail to push it to a higher orbit," said Pereira. "Our goal is to try and minimize taking resources from earth to space. We can literally just launch a rocket using a catapult that could boost to about 100 meters per second and, once we get it to a certain altitude, we can have an array of lasers focus on the sail on the rocket, propel it out farther, whether it's intended for a LEO orbit or whether it's intended for a GEO orbit. As long as you can build material that can endure the laser energy without tearing, I think this is a far cheaper way to go and it could save the Air Force a lot of money." According to Pereira, developing this technology would naturally lead to the ability to propel spacecraft carrying Airmen farther into the solar system where they could establish self-sustaining outposts on ever higher ground. NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the MPCV, is essentially a spacecraft designed to take astronauts farther than any human has ever gone before. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) "NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the MPCV, is essentially a spacecraft designed to take astronauts farther than any human has ever gone before. One test flight concept is to visit an asteroid called 1999 AO10, in around 2025," said Pereira. "This asteroid does not have a lot of gravity and not a lot of surface area, so rather than walking on the asteroid, the idea is for the spacecraft to connect itself to the asteroid, and for the astronauts to do spacewalks to mine materials, so that they can bring them back to Earth for analysis." Past and current Air Force research during manned space flight has led to increased understanding of human physiological response to microgravity and exposure to radiation, development of life support systems, nutritious food packaging, sophisticated positioning, navigation and timing software and systems that could one day enable Airmen to routinely fly to and mine asteroids and planetary moons for needed resources. Pereira also sees Air Force cooperation with commercial companies developing space flight technologies as a benefit to both, from developing suborbital space planes, manned capsules and space waypoints, or "hotels", to projects as ambitious as Breakthrough Starshot, a proposed mission to send a microchip all the way to Proxima B, an exo-planet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri, and transmit data back to Earth. "They want to do this at about 20 percent of the speed of light, meaning it will take five times as long as it would take light to travel between the Earth and Proxima Centauri, approximately four light years away. So it could take only about 20 years for this chip to get to Proxima Centauri. Then if it beams images back at the speed of light, it would take another four years for that data to come back. In about 24 years, we would get data from Proxima Centauri, our nearest star," said Pereira. To this day the U.S. Air Force has remained at the forefront of pushing farther into space, from launching communications and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to providing astronaut Airmen who first ventured into Earth orbit, walked on the Moon and are currently aboard the International Space Station. The future holds promises of laser-based sails and self-sustained space outposts. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Maureen Stewart) Pereira believes that the Air Force participating in such ventures into the space domain could lead to technologies that could send Airmen to the moons of outer planets in our solar system within a person's lifetime, benefiting the human race and keeping the Air Force firmly atop the high ground. "First and foremost, Airmen, as many times in the past, can serve in the capacity of professional astronauts: providing services in scouting and setting up breakthrough scientific missions, establishing colonies for repair and mining in order to reduce or avoid having to take materials from Earth to space...enabling safe pathways, providing in-flight maintenance, refueling crews, more effectively than machines might be able to do." "There are so many wonderful things about space that are so fascinating that we can explore and learn so much more if we just keep that aspect of space exploration going. We can achieve this by having our Airmen lead the way to an era of exploration enabled by human space flight." Good news for U.S. Air Force retirees: The service has expanded plans to not only welcome back retired pilots into active-duty staff positions, but also combat system officers and air battle managers.To help alleviate its manning shortage, the service is encouraging retirees from the 11X, 12X and 13B Air Force Specialty Codes to apply for the Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty Program, it announced May 23, 2018.It could take in as many as 1,000 former airmen."Officers who return to active duty under VRRAD will fill rated staff and active flying staff, test, training and operational positions where rated officer expertise is required," said VRRAD Rated Liaison Maj. Elizabeth Jarding of the Air Force's Personnel Center."We can match VRRAD participants to stateside or overseas requirements where they'll fill critical billets that would otherwise remain vacant due to the shortage of rated officers," Jarding said in a service release.Airmen who are currently in rated positions in those specialties but have already put in their retirement orders will also be welcome to extend their service in the VRRAD program, the release said. Capt. Brad Matherne, 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman) The program expansion comes as the Air Force faces a growing deficit of 2,000 pilots, or roughly 10 percent of the total pilot force.Previously, the VRRAD program -- one of many efforts the service is making to ease the shortage -- accepted only the 11X career field and remained limited in scope, said Air Force Personnel Center spokesman Mike Dickerson."The program was limited by law to a maximum of 25 participants and for a maximum 12-month tour, which limited officers to serving in non-flying staff positions," Dickerson told on May 23, 2018.Active-duty tour lengths have now increased to a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of 48 months, he said. VRRAD participants will deploy only if they volunteer, unless they are assigned to a combat-coded unit, the release said."Many who inquired expressed interest in the stability afforded by a longer tour. In addition, longer tours also afforded the potential to utilize these officers in flying as well as non-flying positions, providing more time to requalify and be effectively utilized in various airframes," Dickerson said in an email.To date, the 2017 VRRAD program has approved 10 officers, and five have returned to active duty, he said."We anticipate that will continue with the expanded authorities," Dickerson said, adding the officers currently in the program could expand their tour lengths.Some of the criteria for the expanded VRRAD program have changed: Eligibility applies to rated officers who received an active-duty retirement within the last five years or those in the window to retire within 12 months of their VRRAD date of application, the personnel center said. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.) Airmen must have previously served in the ranks of captain, major or lieutenant colonel, and must be under age 50. Those who are 50 and older may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Previously, the criteria applied to those age 60 and younger in those ranks."Applicants must be medically qualified for active duty and have served in a rated staff position within 15 years or been qualified in an Air Force aircraft within 10 years of application for flying positions," the release said.Officers who retired for physical disability reasons are not eligible to apply.The personnel center will accept applications for VRRAD until Dec. 31, 2018, or until all openings are filled, the release said. Those who return to active duty will not be eligible for the service's aviation bonus nor promotion consideration.In 2017, the Air Force asked for expanded authorities for its retention shortfalls. As a result, in October 2018, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13223, which allowed the service to recall up to 1,000 former pilots.The Air Force has said it does not plan to force anyone back on active duty involuntarily in any capacity. Officials said at the time they would work through how they could best use the executive order to voluntarily recall pilots.Officials said additional VRRAD application procedures and eligibility requirements can be found on the VRRAD page of the AFPC public website.This article originally appeared on . Follow @ on Twitter. The U.S. Navy last week watched a single-seat Russian Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E come within 25 feet of a P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft while at high speed and inverted, causing wake turbulence and putting the U.S. "pilots and crew at risk" over the Mediterranean Sea.Days later, another Flanker mimicked the move over the same waters, zooming in front of a P-8 and exposing the sub hunter aircraft to its jet U.S. officials in Europe and the Defense Department said the incidents involved Russian pilots behaving in an unsafe, unprofessional manner. Experts argue that, while the intercepts expose a pattern of behavior from the Russian military, they also show that Russia is willing to capitalize on the publicity the aerial maneuvers bring, even during a global pandemic.The Russian military "feels as if it's necessary to let everybody know that they're still on the world stage, that they're still on the scene, and that they have pretty good military power," said retired Gen. Frank Gorenc, the former commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Gorenc, an F-15 Eagle pilot, headed the command during Russia's annexation of Crimea, when the U.S. sent sophisticated aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor to the theater in show-of-force missions to deter Russian aggression."It's not only the pandemic, which obviously is keeping the western countries occupied, but also the oil [crash] too," he said in an interview this week.In recent weeks, Russia, one of the world's leading oil exporters, was also hit by the unprecedented collapse in the market for crude oil."Declining powers have to do [something]," Gorenc said. Opportunity to Go ViralUnlike the Cold War, when pilots would return to their squadron and file a debrief of an aerial intercept, then simply move along to their next mission, being buzzed or barrel-rolled is gaining more visibility with the help of social media, said Doug Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank."You know, it goes kind of viral," Barrie said. "So you wonder if there's an element of that, of how it plays on social media and in wider Western media, whether or not if it's valuable."Notably, the recent incidents involved Russia's multi-role Su-35 fighter jet, which has received improvements over the last few years -- a significant upgrade from other aircraft used in past intercepts, such as the Su-27 Flanker or the Su-24 Fencer, Barrie said."It's perhaps unsurprising that these aircraft have been bumped into [the rotation] more often than we've previously seen them; the imagery of the Flanker is great," he said."The Su-35 is a highly capable airplane that they produce," Gorenc added. "They're obviously ... trying to sell it. And this is a good way to show it off."Predictable ResponseGorenc stressed that, while these incidents tend to flare up once in a while, pilots need to stick to the rules of engagement and try to be as predictable as possible.The 1972 bilateral Russia-U.S. agreement "Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas," followed by Incidents at Sea Agreement (INCSEA), are accords that establish basic "rules of the road" for both countries to safely navigate near one another.Holding Russia accountable for its behavior in international airspace can be tricky, Barrie explained. "To some extent, these things are difficult to kind of legislate around because it really comes down to the units, the pilots [and their behavior]," he said.More often than not, intercepts are conducted in a safe manner, but errors happen because of a loss of communication or a human or technical mistake, officials have said.For example, then-Gen. Petr Pavel, the former chairman of the NATO Military Committee, told reporters in 2018 that most aerial scrambles are seen as "routine.""From time to time, we can see some measures as provocative, especially in the areas that we exercise ... both to the ships and in the air," he said. "But it's up to the captain [or pilot] to judge if it's dangerous or not."Last week, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, NATO supreme commander and head of U.S. European Command, described the first incident on April 15 as the result of "unprofessional" conduct by a Russian fighter pilot acting on his own, rather than a deliberate attempt by Moscow to provoke an incident."My conclusion at this point is that it was probably something more along the lines of unprofessional as opposed to deliberate," Wolters said April 16."Given the unpredictability, you have to make sure that you maintain a safe distance and don't assume anything. Don't assume that they even see you, because they may not see you," Gorenc said.Not Backing DownLike the U.S., it's unlikely that Russia will back down from what it sees as military priorities despite the pandemic, Barrie said."We're not completely dissimilar. ... You can see the messaging coming out of these NATO nations, including the U.S., which says, `OK, we recognize a pandemic is an enormous problem ... but [we're still] taking care of the day-to-day national security needs,'" he said.Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, head of U.S. Northern Command, told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. military should be mindful that rivals like Russia will look to test any weaknesses among the U.S. and its allies during the coronavirus crisis."We are postured and maintain that ability to respond at a moment's notice," he said.On Friday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper renewed the message. "Our adversaries are not standing down," he said. "We will continue to make sure that the [Defense Department] is ready to protect the USA."Barrie added: "The Russian Su-35 incident, in part, is simply a reflection of that [response]. It is simply a reflection of Russia doing what it does."This article originally appeared on . Follow @militarydotcom on Twitter. Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin told a group of veteran advocates that he was cutting funding to a program that addresses veteran homelessness, according to a Dec. 6 report from Politico. The conversation reportedly happened over the phone, with "advocates for veterans, state officials, and even officials from HUD" reacting to the news from Shulkin in outright anger. The program, co-sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), allocates $460 million a year to housing homeless veterans. It seems to have been working, too, as veteran homelessness is down 46 percent from 2010. First, La Crosse. Next, the country? (Photo from Tomah VA Medical Center) Nevertheless, Shulkin determined that nearly $1 billion should be moved from "specific purpose" funds to "general purpose" funds. This means moving all of the funding used specifically to ameliorate veterans homelessness. According to a Sept. 2 memo, the VA believes that money designated to specific programs, like addressing veteran homelessness, transplant programs, amputation care, and women's health, would be better used in a general fund, leaving veterans hospitals to decide for themselves how to use the money. The memo states that the move is designed to support "the Secretary's five priorities" and could be used for administrative things, like hiring more VA employees. The memo does not state how each individual hospital must use its newfound funds. Rather, it simply notes that network directors will have control over how much (if any) to give to specific programs. Also Read: This city ended veteran homelessness in just 100 days The Senate Committee on Appropriations responded to Shulkin's plans to move the funds with a bipartisan, strongly worded letter signed by every member. In it, the committee reminded the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that his department had previously been extended the privilege of flexibility to move money without review because of its willingness to be transparent. That transparency, the letter argued, would all but disappear should Shulkin divert the specific purpose funds. The letter closed with what seemed like a warning in the form of a suggestion: Stop, think, and before you do anything, submit to us a detailed "funding allocation plan" in the future. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin. Photo courtesy of VA. It didn't take long for Shulkin to shift gears and reverse his earlier statements. "There will be absolutely no change in the funding to support our homeless programs," Shulkin wrote in a statement released Dec. 6. However, Shulkin added, "we will not be shifting any homeless program money to the Choice program." It is not immediately clear whether the Choice program is where Shulkin suggested the funds would go in his Dec. 1 phone call. Upon further review of the VA's budget brief, the department does, in fact, plan to cut funding from "certain Veterans' benefit programs" to offset the cost of money borrowed from the nearly bankrupt Veterans Choice Program, a program designed to offer veterans medical care closer to where they reside. The brief does not specify which programs will be cut. Numerous scams often target military members due to their consistent paychecks and many troops being young and financially inexperienced. From predatory lending to online scams, it's important for service members to learn how to protect themselves from being taken advantage of. Here are 9 scams every military service member needs to be aware of. 1. Social Media Scams (Card Popping) Fake accounts are being created on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, where scammers often impersonate military personnel. They will then friend military troops and begin building a relationship through direct messaging. Eventually they will claim they can make you quick money by depositing money in to your account and in exchange you just send them a fee. They will ask for personal banking information such as your username, password, bank card number, and pin. Once the information is exchanged they deposit fraudulent checks and withdraw the cash, leaving you without money and possibly liable for the losses. 2. Rental Housing Scams Scammers will post fake rental properties on classified websites in areas around military bases and communities targeting troops. Service members moving in to the area will be offered fake military discounts and be asked for a security deposit by wiring money to the landlord. 3. Military Loans Military car and personal loans that require no credit check, have instant approval, upfront fees, or promise guarantees are highly likely to have hidden fees and terms that take advantage of service members, leaving them with crippling debt. 4. Veterans' Benefits Buyout Scam Military veterans hard pressed for cash may be lured into this buyout plan offering a cash payment in exchange for their future disability pension payments and benefits. However, these payouts are only about 30 to 40 percent of what their value is and structured in ways harmful to veterans' finances. 5. Car Purchase Scams Photo: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer Using websites that offer classified ads, scammers will create car ads targeting military members. They will pretend they are a service member who is being deployed or moving because they are being stationed somewhere else and need to get rid of their car quickly. They will ask for wire transfers or up front fees and will offer fake claims such as free shipping or discounts. 6. Employment Scams Veterans and active duty members searching for jobs may come across employers who offer special consideration for their military service. Be wary of employers asking for personal information such as bank account numbers or that want to conduct a credit or background check. Some are scams that use your personal information to steal your identity and/or expose you to fraud. 7. Jury Duty Scam Photo: Marine Corps Sgt. Rebekka Heite Military members will be targeted by callers who claim they work with the court system and tell the service member has a warrant out for their arrest due to not showing up for jury duty. Fearing they can get in trouble by their command, the caller says it can be taken care of by providing personal information such as a social security or credit card number. 8. Veterans Affairs Scam Military veterans are being targeted by phone scammers who call claiming they work for Veterans Affairs and say they need to update their information with the VA. The VA never calls and asks for your private information by phone. 9. Military Life Insurance Scams Hard sales tactics are used by agents who target military members. They will make false and inflated claims about life insurance policy benefits which are expensive and most likely unnecessary. Learn how to protect yourself! To help military members and their families the Better Business Bureau has created a BBB Military Line to educate service members on how to protect themselves. Be sure to follow their Facebook page to keep up to date on all current scams and ways to protect yourselves. (Note: The BBB has put out a warning about scammers trying to take advantage of the military and veteran community during Memorial Day weekend. Read how you can protect yourself.) SEE ALSO: Army Captain saves 3 lives while wearing `Captain America' t-shirt Russia carried out the latest test of a new high-speed cruise missile last week as part of a program that is raising concerns in the Pentagon about the threat the missile poses to American warships. The test of the Zircon hypersonic missile was tracked by U.S. intelligence agencies, according to a senior defense official familiar with reports of the test. No other details of the test were available. However, state-run Russian news reports say the Zircon can reach speeds of between Mach 6 and Mach 8, or between 4,600 and 6,100 miles per hour -- enough to outpace any current missile defense interceptors. Such high speeds pose dangers for Navy destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers currently outfitted with anti-missile defenses but that are not capable of countering the missile. The USS Lassen (DDG 82) patrolling the eastern Pacific Ocean. | US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Huey D. Younger Jr. Defense analysts said the test was probably carried out from a ground-based launcher near an area of the White Sea in northern Russia around May 30 -- the date that Russian authorities issued an air closure notification for the region. The Zircon has been billed by the Russians as an anti-ship cruise missile that media have said will be deployed on Moscow's nuclear-powered missile cruisers. Production is expected to begin this year. Vladimir Tuchkov, a military analyst, told the state-run Sputnik website that Zircon missiles will be deployed between 2018 and 2020. "The Russian development of hypersonic weapons is clearly a very serious threat," said Mark B. Schneider, a senior analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy and a former senior Pentagon official. The missile's estimated range of up to 620 miles "would give it very great capability against defenses," he added. Hypersonic Missile | Lockheed Martin Mr. Schneider said the Pentagon is "clearly well behind" in the race for developing hypersonic weapons, and that the problem is not technology but a lack of funding. China also is developing a hypersonic missile called the DF-ZF. The Pentagon is planning a test this year of a missile called the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon as part of its Conventional Prompt Strike program. That program until recently was dubbed the Conventional Prompt Global Strike and is seeking weapons capable of striking any location on Earth within minutes. Silicon Valley is abuzz about "Meltdown" and "Spectre" -- new ways for hackers to attack Intel, AMD, and ARM processors that were first discovered by Google last year and publicly disclosed Jan. 3. Meltdown and Spectre, which take advantage of the same basic security vulnerability in those chips, could hypothetically be used by malicious actors to "read sensitive information in the system's memory such as passwords, encryption keys, or sensitive information open in applications," as Google puts it in a blog post. The first thing you need to know: Pretty much every PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone is affected by the security flaw, regardless of which company made the device or which operating system it runs. The vulnerability isn't easy to exploit -- it requires a specific set of circumstances, including having malware already running on the device -- but it's not just theoretical. And the problem could affect much more than just personal devices. The flaw could be exploited on servers and in data centers and massive cloud-computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud. In fact, given the right conditions, Meltdown or Spectre could be used by customers of those cloud services to actually steal data from one another. Though fixes are already being rolled out for the vulnerability, they often will come with a price. Some devices, especially older PCs, could be slowed markedly by them. Here's what Meltdown and Spectre are. And, just as important, here's what they're not. Am I in immediate danger from this? There's some good news: Intel and Google say they've never seen any attacks like Meltdown or Spectre actually being used in the wild. And companies including Intel, Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are rushing to issue fixes, with the first wave already out. The most immediate consequence of all of this will come from those fixes. Some devices will see a performance dip of as much as 30% after the fixes are installed, according to some reports. Intel, however, disputed that figure, saying the amount by which computers will be slowed will depend on how they're being used. The Meltdown attack primarily affects Intel processors, though ARM has said that its chips are vulnerable as well. You can guard against it with software updates, according to Google. Those are already starting to become available for Linux and Windows 10. Brian Krzanich, Intel's Chief Executive Officer. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons) Spectre, by contrast, appears to be much more dangerous. Google says it has been able to successfully execute Spectre attacks on processors from Intel, ARM, and AMD. And, according to the search giant, there's no single, simple fix. It's harder to pull off a Spectre-based attack, which is why nobody is completely panicking. But the attack takes advantages of an integral part of how processors work, meaning it will take a new generation of hardware to stamp it out for good. In fact, that's how Spectre got its name. "As it is not easy to fix, it will haunt us for quite some time," the official Meltdown/Spectre FAQ says. What are Meltdown and Spectre, anyway? Despite how they've been discussed so far in the press, Meltdown and Spectre aren't really "bugs." Instead, they represent methods discovered by Google's Project Zero cybersecurity lab to take advantage of the normal ways that Intel, ARM, and AMD processors work. To use a Star Wars analogy, Google inspected the Death Star plans and found an exploitable weakness in a small thermal exhaust port. In the same way two precisely placed proton torpedoes could blow up the Death Star, so, too, can Meltdown and Spectre take advantage of a very specific design quirk and get around (or "melt down," hence the name) processors' normal security precautions. Let's just hope your processor doesn't end up looking like this. (Image from Star Wars) In this case, the design feature in question is something called speculative execution, a processing technique that most Intel chips have used since 1995 and that is also common in ARM and AMD processors. With speculative execution, processors essentially guess what you're going to do next. If they guess right, then they're already ahead of the curve, and you have a snappier computing experience. If they guess wrong, they dump the data and start over. What Project Zero found were two key ways to trick even secure, well-designed apps into leaking data from those returned processes. The exploits take advantage of a flaw in how the data is dumped that could allow them -- with the right malware installed -- to read data that should be secret. This vulnerability is potentially particularly dangerous in cloud-computing systems, where users essentially rent time from massive supercomputing clusters. The servers in those clusters may be shared among multiple users, meaning customers running unpatched and unprepared systems could fall prey to data thieves sharing their processors. What can I do about it? To guard against the security flaw and the exploits, the first and best thing you can do is make sure you're up-to-date with your security patches. The major operating systems have already started issuing patches that will guard against the Meltdown and Spectre attacks. In fact, fixes have already begun to hit Linux, Android, Apple's MacOS, and Microsoft's Windows 10. So whether you have an Android phone or you're a developer using Linux in the cloud, it's time to update your operating system. Microsoft told Business Insider it's working on rolling out mitigations for its Azure cloud platform. Google Cloud is urging customers to update their operating systems, too. It's a good idea to stay current with your Windows updates. (Screenshot from Matt Weinberger) It's just as important to make sure you stay up to date. While Spectre may not have an easy fix, Google says there are ways to guard against related exploits. Expect Microsoft, Apple, and Google to issue a series of updates to their operating systems as new Spectre-related attacks are discovered. Additionally, because Meltdown and Spectre require malicious code to already be running on your system, let this be a reminder to practice good online safety behaviors. Don't download any software from a source you don't trust. And don't click on any links or files claiming you won $10 million in a contest you never entered. Why could the fixes also slow down my device? The Meltdown and Spectre attacks take advantage of how the "kernels," or cores, of operating systems interact with processors. Theoretically, the two are supposed to be separated to some degree to prevent exactly this kind of attack. Google's report, however, proves the existing precautions aren't enough. Operating system developers are said to be adopting a new level of virtual isolation, basically making requests between the processor and the kernel take the long way around. The problem is that enforcing this kind of separation requires at least a little extra processing power, which would no longer be available to the rest of the system. Related: Why it's a big deal that Cyber Command is now a combatant command As The New York Times notes, researchers are concerned that the fixes could slow down computers by as much as 20% to 30%. Microsoft is reported to believe that PCs with Intel processors older than the 2-year-old Skylake models could see significant slowdowns. Intel disputes that the performance hits will be as dramatic as The Times suggests. Some of the slowdowns, should they come to pass, could be mitigated by future software updates. Because the vulnerability was just made public, it's possible that workarounds and new techniques for circumventing the performance hit will come to light as more developers work on solving the problem. What happens next? Publicly, Intel is confident the Meltdown and Spectre bugs won't have a material impact on its stock price or market share, given that they're relatively hard to execute and have never been used (that we know of). AMD shares are soaring on word that the easier-to-pull-off Meltdown attack isn't known to work on its processors. But as Google is so eager to remind us, Spectre looms large. Speculative execution has been a cornerstone of processor design for more than two decades. It will require a huge rethinking from the processor industry to guard against this kind of attack in the future. The threat of Spectre means the next generation of processors -- from all the major chip designers -- will be a lot different than they are today. Google is urging customers of its Google Cloud supercomputing service, hosted from data centers like this, to update their operating systems. (Image via Google) Even so, the threat of Spectre is likely to linger far into the future. Consumers are replacing their PCs less frequently, which means older PCs that are at risk of the Spectre attack could be used for years to come. As for mobile, there has been a persistent problem with updating Android devices to the latest version of the operating system, so there are likely to be lots of unpatched smartphones and tablets in use for as far as the eye can see. Would-be Spectre attackers are therefore likely to have their choice of targets. It's not the end of the world. But it just may be the end of an era for Intel, AMD, ARM, and the way processors are built. It doesn't have to be North Korea. Russia, Iran, or even China could attack Hawaii and not necessarily have to take on all of NATO. Article V of the Washington Treaty, the foundational document of the 29-member alliance, outlines the collective defense triggers of the member states, but doesn't just list the member states as a whole. The fine print, as it turns out, has one glaring omission. Basically, if Japan ever wanted to go for round two, NATO would not have to come help the United States. Aloha. But also, Aloha. Sorry.The text of the treaty specifically delineates parts of the world that bind members to collective defense doesn't cover those actual parts of the world. That portion of the treaty is covered in Article VI, which states "an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:"? on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France 2, on the territory of Turkey or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;?on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer."Which leaves out one thing: Hawaii. When NATO was first formed in 1949, Alaska and Hawaii were still ten years away from gaining statehood. When the two territories became states in 1959, Alaska was covered by the NATO agreements, Hawaii was not. When the error was first raised in the public eye in 1965, the U.S. State Department dismissed the notion as a technicality. "It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine any attack against the United States, whether directed at Hawaii or another state which would not be part of a major war," Assistant Secretary of State Douglas MacArthur II told reporters. "In that event, the consultation and/or collective defensive provisions of the North Atlantic Treat would apply." But that sort of thinking didn't materialize for Great Britain, which considers the Falkland Islands to be very much a part of its sovereign territory. When Argentina invaded the islands in 1982, NATO support didn't materialize, and the United Kingdom swooped in unilaterally to take the islands back. "Cheerio."This doesn't mean that NATO countries can't get involved in defending a NATO member from an attack by another country but it does mean that Chinese bombers can rain death on Honolulu and as long they don't hit military targets, NATO can stop at sending thoughts and prayers. Reserve + National Guard Magazine Posted On September 03, 2020 04:13:05 Each time Jacque Elama hands out a package of food, he connects with another family in need.The interactions touch Elama, a specialist in the Ohio National Guard, on a personal level. He spent most of the first 10 years of his life in a refugee camp in his native Democrat Republic of the Congo before his family came to America. He is now 25 years old and part of a National Guard mission helping out at a food bank in Toledo."It was a hard endeavor to overcome," Elama said of his childhood. "Basically, my parents tried to shape me into a person who can be encouraging to others, because they themselves didn't have what I have right now, the technology, the cars."Those things are not what prompted Core and Antoinette Elama, their five children (Jacque is the oldest) and one of Jacque's uncles to relocate to Newport News, Virginia. Jacque said they arrived in 2004; Core recalled it was in 2005. Regardless of the timeline, one fact remained clear.The Elamas were escaping their war-torn homeland in search of a better life, searching for a home in a country in which they were stepping foot for the first time."Once you come, you just come," Core Elama said. "You need the help to get yourself set and [adjusted] to the new situation. You really need help in any way, so you set yourself in the community."The Elamas' move from Congo, a country of nearly 90 million people in central Africa, was fraught with challenges, not the least of which was learning a different language. Jacque Elama's parents needed jobs; they found work in factories. They did not know how to drive and never had experienced the mundane tasks that Americans take for granted, such as going to the grocery store, paying bills and scheduling medical appointments.The family had never owned a television -- or operated an oven, for that matter. So much was new, but they were ever so grateful.Their circumstances were much improved from the world they left behind."The struggles were absolutely difficult, compared to how I'm living here in the U.S.," Jacque Elama said. "The basic necessities were hard to come by [in Congo], so we had to struggle to get food and water for the family. Mostly as a child, I personally did not experience any personal hardship, because what you're doing is just playing around, having as much fun as you can without worrying about the outside world."I was pretty much enjoying my life as much as I possibly could."A Catholic charity organization helped the Elamas relocate to America.Jacque Elama credited one couple in that group in particular, Keith and Jill Boadway, with being especially helpful in easing the family's transition."They came to our house for Thanksgiving," Jill Boadway said. "Jacque used to come to our house during the summer and spend a week at our home. We have a son who's about the same age. It was a real blessing." Spc. Jacque Elama. Courtesy photo.The Elamas became U.S. citizens in 2010 and moved to Ohio when Jacque was in high school. He joined the Ohio National Guard in 2017 and embraced the opportunity to participate in his unit's mission as a volunteer at a food bank.Elama packs boxes for emergency relief, veterans and senior citizens and distributes them to those same groups, said Lt. Michael Porter, the task-force leader.For 40 hours a week, Elama sees it as a way to give back. Each box reminds him of his parents' sacrifice."I think about it every day," said Elama, a senior at Bowling Green studying international relations. "It's a blessing and an honor to be out there and help people, because that's what I want to do in the future. I want to continue to help others."This article originally appeared on Reserve + National Guard Magazine. Follow @ReserveGuardMag on Twitter. Quick: Name all the things you miss about active duty. (If you still are active duty, then list all the things that make your life bearable as well as all the things you most hate.) Well, Mat Best and Jarred Taylor want to take you on a quick nostalgia trip through those memories of PT belts, buddies marrying strippers, and policing brass at the range.You might remember Mat Best from his T-shirt company. Or the coffee company. Or that epic rap battle. Now, he's dropped a new, soulful music video about how much veterans find themselves missing even the crappy parts of active duty, from the hot portajohn sessions to the mortar attacks to the PT belts. Turn it up loud in whatever cubicle you're in. Military Ballad ? Can't Believe We Miss This Military Ballad ? Can't Believe We Miss ThisTheir new single Can't Believe We Miss This is all about, well, the things you can't believe you miss after getting that coveted DD-214. A quick note before you hit play: It's not safe for younger viewers and only safe for work if your boss is super cool. There's not nudity or anything, but they both use some words picked up in the barracks.Oh, and there are a few direct references to how crappy civilian jobs with suit and ties can be, so your boss might not like that either.But, yeah, the song is like sitting in an '80s bar sipping drinks with buddies from your old unit, swapping stories about funny stuff like getting stuck on base after someone lost their NVGs and the serious, painful stuff like dudes who got blown up by mortars and IEDs.And if you think Mat Best and Jarred Taylor skimped on production, then you've never seen their epic rap battle. So, yes, there are plenty of drone shots, weapons, and big military hardware like the HMMWV, aka humveee. It's got more lens flare than a J.J. Abrams marathon and more explosions than Michael Bay's house on Fourth of July.And speaking of Independence Day, they dropped the video just in time for you to annoy the crap out of your family and friends with it wherever you're partying. If you really want to do that but might not have good YouTube access, you can also watch the video on Facebook or buy it on iTunes. Russia has positioned a considerable naval armada in the Mediterranean near Syria after accusing the US of plotting a false-flag chemical-weapons attack in rebel-held areas -- and it looks as if it's preparing for war with the US.A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, recently said the US had built up its naval forces in the Mediterranean and accused it of "once again preparing major provocations in Syria using poisonous substances to severely destabilize the situation and disrupt the steady dynamics of the ongoing peace process."But the Pentagon on Aug. 28, 2018, denied any such buildup, calling Russia's claims "nothing more than propaganda" and warning that the US military was not "unprepared to respond should the president direct such an action," CNN's Ryan Browne reported. Business Insider reviewed monitors of Mediterranean maritime traffic and found only one US Navy destroyer reported in the area.The same naval monitors suggest Russia may have up to 13 ships in the region, with submarines on the way.International investigators have linked Syria's government to more than 100 chemical attacks since the beginning of Syria's civil war, and Russia has frequently made debunked claims about the existence or perpetrators of chemical attacks in Syria.Anna Borshchevskaya, an expert on Russian foreign policy at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Business Insider that Moscow was alleging a US false flag possibly to help support a weak Syrian government in cracking down on one of the last rebel strongholds, crackdowns for which chemical attacks have become a weapon of choice."Using chemical weapons terrorizes civilians, so raising fear serves one purpose: It is especially demoralizing those who oppose" Syrian President Bashar Assad, Borshchevskaya told Business Insider, adding that Assad may look to chemical weapons because his conventional military has weakened over seven years of conflict.Since President Donald Trump took office, the US has twice struck Syria in response to what it called incontrovertible evidence of chemical attacks on civilians. Trump's White House has warned that any further chemical attacks attributed to the Syrian government would be met with more strikes. Russian Akula-class submarine Vepr (K-157).Looks like warThis time, Russia looks as if it's up to more than simply conducting a public-relations battle with the US. Russia's navy buildup around Syria represents the biggest since Moscow kicked off its intervention in Syria with its sole aircraft carrier in 2015.But even with its massive naval presence, Moscow doesn't stand a chance of stopping any US attack in Syria, Omar Lamrani, a military analyst at the geopolitical-consulting firm Stratfor, told Business Insider."Physically, the Russians really can't do anything to stop that strike," Lamrani said. "If the US comes in and launches cruise missiles" -- as it has in past strikes -- "the Russians have to be ideally positioned to defend against them, still won't shoot down all of them, and will risk being seen as engaging the US," which might cause US ships to attack them.Lamrani said that in all previous US strikes in Syria, the US has taken pains to avoid killing Russian forces and escalating a conflict with Syria to a conflict between the world's two greatest nuclear powers -- "not because the US cannot wipe out the flotilla of vessels if they want to," he said, but because the US wouldn't risk sparking World War III with Russia over the Syrian government's gassing of its civilians."To be frank," Lamrani said, "the US has absolute dominance" in the Mediterranean, and Russia's ships wouldn't matter.If Russian ships were to engage the US, "the US would use its overwhelming airpower in the region, and every single Russian vessel on the surface will turn into a hulk in a very short time," Lamrani said.So instead of an epic naval and aerial clash, expect Russia to stick to its real weapon for modern war: propaganda.The US would most likely avoid striking Syria's most important targets, as Russian forces integrated there raise the risk of escalation, and Russia would most likely then describe the limited US strike as a failure, as it has before.Russia has made dubious and false claims about its air defenses in Syria, and it could continue down that path as a way of saving face should the US once again strike in Syria as if Russia's forces inspired no fear.This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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