The view from the front: military matters and motivation for 6/14/22.
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Hi friend,
Happy Tuesday! Hope you had a great weekend and are off to a great start this week.
Not much has changed in Ukraine. If you missed the last newsletter, I explained why I didn’t think there’d be much breaking news there anytime soon.
But some of the new artillery is beginning to make an impact. (Literally.)
#Ukraine: A Ukrainian drone filming a Russian Kamaz truck being destroyed. Given the lack of artillery craters and extremely accurate strike, it may have been hit by something that isn't the usual artillery 😏. ","username":"UAWeapons","name":"🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker","date":"Fri Jun 10 22:30:37 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/...
🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker @UAWeapons#Ukraine: A Ukrainian drone filming a Russian Kamaz truck being destroyed. Given the lack of artillery craters and extremely accurate strike, it may have been hit by something that isn't the usual artillery 😏. June 10th 2022
1,016 Retweets9,537 LikesFormer SEAL Chuck Pfarrer speculated that Ukraine likely used the deadly new M982 Excalibur GPS guided shells-- fired from M777 155mm artillery systems.
Moving along, the Marines announced who passed in the tragic helo crash last week. And one of them was the son of a pretty famous person. (See below.)
The Associated Press @AP"He was my hero and the best man I know." Former LA Dodgers player Steve Sax has issued a statement saying that his son, Capt. John J. Sax, was among five U.S. Marines killed in an Osprey training flight crash earlier this week in the California desert. 
Son of former LA Dodger Steve Sax among 5 Marines killedLOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Los Angeles Dodgers player Steve Sax has issued a statement saying that his 33-year-old son who had always dreamed of being a pilot was among five U.S. Marines killed during a training flight crash earlier this week in the California desert.apne.wsJune 11th 2022
143 Retweets486 LikesSpeaking of tragedies, you may remember me discussing a horrible amphibious assault drowning last year. Following a long investigation, several officers have been punished for the accident that killed nine. (See below.)
Dan Lamothe @DanLamotheThe Navy Department has issued letters of censure to five military officers, including a retired three-star general, in response to a disaster at sea that killed eight Marines and a U.S. sailor, officials said Monday.
Marine general, four other officers censured in deadly disaster at seaNavy Secretary Carlos Del Toro took punitive action against Lt. Gen. Joseph Osterman in response to the sinking of an armored vehicle that killed nine service members.washingtonpost.comJune 13th 2022
43 Retweets81 LikesIn much lighter news, we talked about Top Gun a couple of weeks ago. But the really scary fighter we use these days is the F-22, not the F-18. (See below.)
Task & Purpose @TaskandPurposeThe Air Force F-22 Raptor remains one of the most respected, and feared air-to-air fighters 17 years after it first became operational. 
Air Force pilots explain why the F-22 Raptor is a ‘beast’ in aerial combatThe Air Force F-22 Raptor remains one of the most respected, and feared air-to-air fighters 17 years after it first became operational.bit.lyMay 13th 2022
3 Retweets12 LikesMoving along, I wrote a couple of months ago about Congresswoman Elaine Luria stating that the most-recent Navy budget sucks.
I’m going to reshare that before providing an update below.
Congresswoman Elaine Luria, a Navy Veteran and former small business owner, wrote the following Twitter thread below.
I have delayed putting out a statement about the Defense Budget because frankly it would have been mostly full of words you might expect from a Sailor, but here goes: It sucks. 1/7
Once again, this Administration has chosen the divest-to-invest strategy as if whatever future conflict will not occur for at least two decades. Admirals Davidson and Aquilino disagree. 2/7
The Navy owes a public apology to American taxpayers for wasting tens of billions of dollars on ships they now say serve no purpose. 3/7
They propose decommissioning 24 ships; 11 of which are less than 10 years old. 1 has been in service less than 2 years and 2 are currently in modernization. 4/7
All to save…0.5% of their budget. This, along with an anemic building program, will shrink the Navy to 280 ships, at the same time they are calling to build a 500-ship Navy. HINT: If you want to grow the Navy, stop decommissioning more ships than you build. 5/7
China is not a “pacing challenge” when they will soon have double the size of our Navy. We are losing 1000+ VLS cells, with NO PLAN to replace them. (Editor’s note: A vertical launching system (VLS) is an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines.)
Instead, we are investing in the next “Gucci” missile and technology that will not be mature for 20+ years. 6/7
Lastly, the Navy has no strategy. Stop saying you do, because if you did you would be able to explain how this Fleet size will allow us to defend Taiwan. 7/7
Following her comments and plenty of discussion, Congress plans to save five of the 24 ships that the Navy wanted to decommission. (They could even save more of the remaining 19 in a hearing later this month.) (See below.)
@jacqklimas ","username":"DefenseOne","name":"Defense One","date":"Tue Jun 14 02:07:00 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":1,"like_count":9,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://buff.ly/39hYBCx","i... Plan to Save Some of the 24 Ships the US Navy Wants to Cut","description":"House seapower panel has consensus on five ships; full Armed Services Committee will debate others June 22.","domain":"buff.ly"},"video_url":null}">
Defense One @DefenseOneICYMI: Lawmakers Plan to Save Some of the 24 Ships the US Navy Wants to Cut | via @jacqklimas 
Lawmakers Plan to Save Some of the 24 Ships the US Navy Wants to CutHouse seapower panel has consensus on five ships; full Armed Services Committee will debate others June 22.buff.lyJune 14th 2022
1 Retweet9 LikesLet’s end this newsletter — news wise — with this tech news from a couple of months ago. (See below.)
Tyler Rogoway @Aviation_IntelThe Air Force’s new ship-killing smart bomb has sunk its first vessel: 
The Air Force’s New Ship-Killing Smart Bomb Has Sunk Its First VesselThe Air Force has moved a step closer to fielding a version of the ubiquitous Joint Direct Attack Munition that can hit moving warships.thedrive.comApril 30th 2022
52 Retweets340 LikesThe Air Force is really raving about this, but to me, I guess I just assumed they already had weapons that could do this.
Let’s wrap up today’s newsletter, as always, with with some motivation and wisdom.
Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"When you focus on the good, the good gets better."June 14th 2022
37 Retweets154 Likes
Motivational Quotes @motivation_qotStay patient and trust your journey.June 14th 2022
4 Retweets9 Likes#Wisdom","username":"IMQuotes_Videos","name":"Inspired Motivation Quotes","date":"Sun Jun 05 16:00:07 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":76,"like_count":153,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null}">
Inspired Motivation Quotes @IMQuotes_Videos"All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time." -- Mitch Albom#WisdomJune 5th 2022
76 Retweets153 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Don't talk, just act. Don't promise, just prove."June 14th 2022
152 Retweets650 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"Trust your intuition. It never lies."June 14th 2022
35 Retweets193 Likes#InspirationalQuotes","username":"IMQuotes_Videos","name":"Inspired Motivation Quotes","date":"Sat Jun 04 16:00:06 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":69,"like_count":164,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null}">Inspired Motivation Quotes @IMQuotes_Videos“Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes heading in a new direction can be scary until you realize you’re headed toward a new and exciting destination.” -- Susan Gale#InspirationalQuotesJune 4th 2022
69 Retweets164 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Mindset: I am smart and capable, anything I don't know I can learn.June 12th 2022
343 Retweets1,609 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"Hard work puts you where good luck can find you."June 11th 2022
26 Retweets92 Likes#WordsOfWisdom","username":"IMQuotes_Videos","name":"Inspired Motivation Quotes","date":"Sat Jun 04 14:00:01 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":96,"like_count":220,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null}">Inspired Motivation Quotes @IMQuotes_VideosBefore you speak THINK:T —is it true? H —is it helpful? I —is it inspiring? N —is it necessary? K —is it kind?#WordsOfWisdomJune 4th 2022
96 Retweets220 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Better to be tired than to be broke.June 12th 2022
319 Retweets1,689 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Always Remember: Fall asleep with a dream and wake up with a purpose.June 12th 2022
1,016 Retweets4,864 LikesThat’s it for this edition.
As a reminder, please be kind and endeavor to love your fellow Americans. We need to pull this country together, and that starts with all of us.
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Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a leadership/biography book, and two realistic war novels: one about World War IIand one about Afghanistan.
P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.
