Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

\n
\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

In his book, Blood, Sweat and Honor: Memoirs of a \"Walking Dead Marine\" in Vietnam<\/em>, author and Walking Dead Marine Corporal Derl Horn tells of battlefield atrocities endured by 1\/9 Marines during Operation Buffalo, also dubbed the Battle of July Two. Moving north along Route 561 near Con Thien, Horn and his fellow Bravo Company Marines received orders to conduct a search-and-destroy mission in an area near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Operation Buffalo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book, Blood, Sweat and Honor: Memoirs of a \"Walking Dead Marine\" in Vietnam<\/em>, author and Walking Dead Marine Corporal Derl Horn tells of battlefield atrocities endured by 1\/9 Marines during Operation Buffalo, also dubbed the Battle of July Two. Moving north along Route 561 near Con Thien, Horn and his fellow Bravo Company Marines received orders to conduct a search-and-destroy mission in an area near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

In fact, the horrors of the fictional The Walking Dead<\/em> television series pale in comparison to the real horrors of Vietnam suffered by the Marines of the 1\/9. Operation Buffalo, Operation Big Horn II, Khe Sanh, Dewey Canyon and a long list of other hard-fought battles by the 1\/9 resulted in two Walking Dead Marines earning the Medal of Honor, 18 more receiving the Navy Cross and 60 earning Silver Stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operation Buffalo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book, Blood, Sweat and Honor: Memoirs of a \"Walking Dead Marine\" in Vietnam<\/em>, author and Walking Dead Marine Corporal Derl Horn tells of battlefield atrocities endured by 1\/9 Marines during Operation Buffalo, also dubbed the Battle of July Two. Moving north along Route 561 near Con Thien, Horn and his fellow Bravo Company Marines received orders to conduct a search-and-destroy mission in an area near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Forget what you think you know about The Walking Dead<\/em>\u2014the real Walking Dead, the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1\/9), endured more hell on Earth in the jungles of Vietnam in the late 1960s than any fiction writer could ever recount. \u201cThe Walking Dead\u201d Marines of One-Nine earned their nickname after suffering the highest casualty rate of any unit during the war.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the horrors of the fictional The Walking Dead<\/em> television series pale in comparison to the real horrors of Vietnam suffered by the Marines of the 1\/9. Operation Buffalo, Operation Big Horn II, Khe Sanh, Dewey Canyon and a long list of other hard-fought battles by the 1\/9 resulted in two Walking Dead Marines earning the Medal of Honor, 18 more receiving the Navy Cross and 60 earning Silver Stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operation Buffalo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book, Blood, Sweat and Honor: Memoirs of a \"Walking Dead Marine\" in Vietnam<\/em>, author and Walking Dead Marine Corporal Derl Horn tells of battlefield atrocities endured by 1\/9 Marines during Operation Buffalo, also dubbed the Battle of July Two. Moving north along Route 561 near Con Thien, Horn and his fellow Bravo Company Marines received orders to conduct a search-and-destroy mission in an area near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

When you think of The Walking Dead<\/em>, what comes to mind\u2014zombies, Rick Grimes, Negan and his beloved, barbwire-laced bat, \u201cLucille\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forget what you think you know about The Walking Dead<\/em>\u2014the real Walking Dead, the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1\/9), endured more hell on Earth in the jungles of Vietnam in the late 1960s than any fiction writer could ever recount. \u201cThe Walking Dead\u201d Marines of One-Nine earned their nickname after suffering the highest casualty rate of any unit during the war.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the horrors of the fictional The Walking Dead<\/em> television series pale in comparison to the real horrors of Vietnam suffered by the Marines of the 1\/9. Operation Buffalo, Operation Big Horn II, Khe Sanh, Dewey Canyon and a long list of other hard-fought battles by the 1\/9 resulted in two Walking Dead Marines earning the Medal of Honor, 18 more receiving the Navy Cross and 60 earning Silver Stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operation Buffalo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book, Blood, Sweat and Honor: Memoirs of a \"Walking Dead Marine\" in Vietnam<\/em>, author and Walking Dead Marine Corporal Derl Horn tells of battlefield atrocities endured by 1\/9 Marines during Operation Buffalo, also dubbed the Battle of July Two. Moving north along Route 561 near Con Thien, Horn and his fellow Bravo Company Marines received orders to conduct a search-and-destroy mission in an area near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to stepping off, Bravo was warned by company commander Captain Sterling Coates that five North Vietnamese Army (NVA) battalions, totaling more than 5,000 men, were camped out somewhere along the DMZ. In an attempt to provide his Marines a sense of security and reassurance, Coates told Bravo Company, with a total strength of only 150 men, that it would be unlikely they would make contact with any of them. Unknown to Coates and the rest of the Marines of Bravo, they would soon make contact with the NVA\u2014in fact, Captain Coates was killed in action that very day.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Alpha Company, 1\/9 Marines, Operation Prairie (DOD Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marines of the 1\/9 quickly earned their nickname as they walked into the middle of the five NVA battalions. They were caught in a U-shaped ambush, receiving fire from the front and both flanks. The fire was accurate and effective, with artillery in support. The Marines found themselves outnumbered, with their platoons essentially cut off from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If I\u2019m Wrong?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fighting to make their way back to the landing zone, the 1\/9 Marines encountered a strange sight: an NVA soldier wearing Marine Corps fatigues removed from the body of a dead Leatherneck. As a mortarman, Horn was armed with only his .45-caliber pistol. The NVA soldier had spotted them, and put two rounds into one of Horn\u2019s fellow Marines. Horn took aim and fired, putting the NVA soldier down. Horn clearly needed more than his .45, and he did not have to search long to find an M16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Walking Dead Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Linebaugh, recalled trying to establish contact with Bravo Company. It was there the NVA turned their attack on Alpha Company. Linebaugh, taking cover in the relative safety of a ditch, was taking incoming mortar fire when he spotted an NVA ahead wearing a flak jacket and carrying an M16.  Linebaugh hesitated as he thought, \u201cWhat if I\u2019m wrong?\u201d However, he opened fire after seeing the man greet a soldier dressed in a full NVA uniform. Linebaugh cut both men down.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figures amassed by the 1\/9 during Operation Buffalo in terms of casualties, gallantry and number of enemies faced and destroyed are astounding. According to the official Marine Corps\u2019 after-action report from Operation Buffalo, dated August 1967, the battalion suffered 113 Marines killed in action (KIA), a staggering 390 wounded in action (WIA) and one Marine missing in action (MIA).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallantry In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In his book Marine Rifleman<\/em>, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox recalls receiving orders to the 1\/9. Arriving at Third Marine Division headquarters, then-1st Lt. Fox asked for an assignment to a rifle company\u2014a bold move for a command normally reserved for a captain. The personnel officer told Fox there was no shortage of assignments available in the unit. This was mostly due in part to the high casualty rate the unit had suffered in multiple battles. \u201cNo one wants to go to that battalion,\u201d the personnel officer told him. \u201cSecondly, if you do\u2014regardless of rank\u2014stick around long enough, you\u2019ll end up the commander.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines
Marines of Alpha Company, 1\/9 rest after Operation Chinook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950. He saw action in Korea and rose through the enlisted ranks to reach first sergeant. At a time when most men would have been content with retirement, Fox decided to start over again and became a second lieutenant.  Finding himself in Vietnam as a Walking Dead Marine, Fox would soon go on to earn the Medal of Honor for heroics during Operation Dewey Canyon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox was not the only Walking Dead Marine, however, to earn the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. While assigned to Alpha Company 1\/9, Sgt. Walter Singleton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Prairie III in March 1967. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Singleton came under intense enemy small-arms fire. He left his position of relative safety and made multiple trips to evacuate numerous wounded Marines out of the kill zone. Singleton managed to identify and neutralize the enemy position that had inflicted heavy damage on his fellow Marines. In the process, he killed eight of the enemy before he was mortally wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all Walking Dead heroics have been recognized in a timely manner, however. Jim Stogner was a young Marine assigned to Charlie Company 1\/9. Vietnam veteran and author Pete Mecca chronicled Stogner\u2019s heroics in a 2014 article that appeared in The Covington News. During Operation Big Horn II, Stogner\u2019s platoon was ambushed by the NVA. Machine gunner Eli Fobbs was wounded by enemy fire and dragged off by several NVA soldiers. Stogner, who used an illumination round to his advantage, cut down three NVA before his M16 jammed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of heading for safety, Stogner drew the only reliable weapon he had left, his Ka-Bar combat knife. As Stogner contemplated his next move, he could hear a Marine crying out in pain. It was Eli Fobbs. The NVA soldiers were driving sticks into Fobbs\u2019 gunshot wounds. It was then that Stogner, according to Fobbs, \u201ccame out of the darkness screaming like a wild man\u201d. He stabbed one NVA in the chest before wrestling another to the ground and killing him too. Stogner then threw Fobbs over his shoulder, picked up the M60 and scrambled for safety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stogner\u2019s bravery would go formally unrecognized for more than 50 years, although that soon will change. During my phone interview with Stogner, he casually mentioned. \u201cI found out on Monday I am being awarded a Navy Cross.\u201d Better late than never, I suppose.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dead Will Rise Again<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As Jim Stogner told the story of how the 1\/9 came to be known as The Walking Dead. He also recalled how his unit killed Ho Chi Minh\u2019s nephew in battle. According to Stogner, Uncle Ho named the Marines \u201cDi Bo Chet,\u201d which translates to \u201cGhost Walkers,\u201d and vowed revenge. Ho Chi Minh reportedly enlisted an entire NVA division to annihilate the 1\/9. Defiantly and in true Walking Dead style, Stogner said, \u201cThey never got the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Carl Ted VanMeeteren, Elijah Fobbs and James H. Stogner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the smoke cleared, action during the Vietnam War had added 747 Walking Dead Marines\u2019 names to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1969 brought the end of combat operations in Vietnam for the 1\/9, although it did not mark the last time this storied battalion would fight. The Walking Dead kept marching, seeing action during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit\u2019s colors were rolled for the final time so far in 2014. Nevertheless, this is likely not the last we will hear from this fabled Marine Corps unit. The nation will call again, and The Walking Dead will rise once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a special interview on The Walking Dead, listen to our podcast <\/em><\/strong>Skillset Live<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!  Get in on the conversation on our <\/em><\/strong>social media<\/em><\/strong><\/a> pages or pick up a back issue at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"The REAL Walking Dead: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-real-walking-dead-1st-battalion-9th-marines-in-vietnam\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130780,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-02 09:00:55","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-02 13:00:55","post_content":"

\n\nEarlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it would replace its aging, Vietnam-era\u00a0M40 7.62\u00d751mm NATO sniper<\/a> rifle with a new setup called the Mk13 Mod 7. Now it's come to light that the Marines have selected the Nightforce ATACR 5-25x56 F1 riflescope to ride atop that rifle.\n\n[in_content post=\"193837\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Mk13 Mod 7 Details<\/h3>\nThe\u00a0Mk13 Mod 7 is a bolt-action rifle that features a long-action receiver; stainless steel barrel; and extended rail for a mounted scope and night vision optic. The rifle boosts\u00a0scout snipers' range by around 300 meters and is chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, a\u00a0heavier grain projectile with faster muzzle velocity.\n\nTod Litt,\u00a0Nightforce's business development manager, said in a statement<\/a> that the\u00a0ATACR 5-25x56 F1 is a perfect match for the new system.\n\n\"The increased capability of the newly issued Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle requires a scope that is as rugged, reliable, repeatable, and dependable as the United States Marines tasked with using it,\" Litt said. \"The Nightforce MIL-SPEC ATACR 5-25x56 F1 was chosen as the day scope to take full advantage of the rifle systems' competencies.\"\n

Marines and the Nightforce ATACR<\/h3>\nLitt says the scope features a\u00a0Horus TReMoR3 reticle with an integrated\u00a0milliradian based grid. The grid incorporates time-of-flight wind dots which are calibrated to the rifle and ammunition. These help the user make fast wind calls by judging direction and wind speed in miles per hour. The reticle also uses Accuracy 1st's speed shooting formula, making it easier to engage moving targets and reducing engagement times.\n\n\"The new day optic allows for positive identification of enemies at greater distances, and it has a grid-style reticle that allows for rapid reengagement without having to dial adjustments or 'hold' without a reference point,\" said<\/a> Sgt. Randy Robles, Quantico Scout Sniper School instructor and MCSC liaison.\u00a0\"With this type of weapon in the fleet, we will increase our lethality and be able to conceal our location because we are creating a buffer between us and the enemy.\"\n

Rifle Fielding<\/h3>\nThe Mk13 rifle with the Nightforce optic is scheduled to be fielded in late 2018 and throughout 2019. Units receiving the rifle include various infantry and reconnaissance battalions, as well as scout sniper schools.\u00a0The rifle is the standard sniper rifle of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC).\n\nFor more information on Nightforce Optics, please visit\u00a0nightforceoptics.com<\/a>","post_title":"Marines Pick Nightforce ATACR Scope for the Mk13 Mod 7 Rifle","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:21:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/02\/marines-mk-13-rifle-nightforce-atacr\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130788,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:04","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:04","post_content":" \n\nIn early 2017,\u00a0Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller said he wanted to equip every\u00a00311\u00a0rifleman with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). Later that year, the service issued a notice of intent to sole source up to\u00a050,814 M27 IARs from Heckler & Koch<\/a>. Then, in late April of this year, Marine Corps Systems Command revealed it had entered into a\u00a0$29.4 million contract with HK for the procurement of up to 15,000 M27 IARs to replace the M249 SAW. Now, however, it appears that Congress is withholding some of the $29.4 million needed to pay for those new rifles.\n\n[in_content post=\"194821\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n

Congress Withholds M27 Funding<\/h3>\nAccording to the Marine Corps Times<\/em><\/a>, language included in the\u00a02019 National Defense Authorization Act withholds 20 percent of the funding for new M27 IAR buys. The reason? The\u00a0House of Representatives subcommittee on Tactical Air Land in the House Armed Services Committee wants to know more about the Corps' small arms programs and modernization strategies.\n\nSpecifically, Congress wants Neller to lay out exactly how the USMC's small arms program aligns with the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration Study (SAAC), a multi-year U.S. Army study that reportedly calls for\u2014it hasn't been released publicly\u2014an intermediate caliber in the 6mm range for carbines and machine guns.\n\nThe scuttlebutt is that the Army's new Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle will use such an intermediate caliber, possibly a 6.8mm round. Meanwhile, the Times says certain special operations programs have started replacing some 7.62mm sniper rifles with a 6.5mm model.\n\nThus, some members of Congress if it's sensible for the Corps to field the 5.56mm M27, especially given that some Army officials have raised concerns<\/a> that the\u00a05.56mm is incapable of defeating the body armor used by certain adversaries.\n

USMC Comments<\/h3>\nMarine Corps spokesman Richard Long told Task & Purpose<\/em> that is working \"to satisfy the Congressional requirement and enable full execution of the M27 procurement plan.\"\n\n\"The Army and Marine Corps work closely together to achieve common solutions for the majority of small arms capabilities, to include ammunition and fire control,\" Long said. \"Marine Corps participation in the Army-led Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study that examined optional ammunition configurations for the infantry squad is another example of this close collaboration and will lead to common requirements and materiel solutions for the next generation of squad weapons.\"\n\nRetired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christian Wade, however, says it makes sense for the Corps and Army to have different needs in terms of their small arms programs.\n\n\"The Marine Corps and Army are divergent on their small arms programs because they are divergent on their doctrinal employment of the squad,\" Wade said. \"That's not a judgment on the U.S. Army. The Marine Corps has a different squad size with a different composition and different weapons.\u201d\n\n\"It's frustrating to me that they would go: 'OK, we\u2019re going to let you buy 80 percent. That\u2019s fine. But we're going to withhold 20 percent and let 20 percent of your riflemen not have that fine rifle,'\" Wade added. \"What the hell? That does not suggest to me that the motive behind withholding that money has anything to do with warfighting.\"\n

Costs<\/h3>\nAs\u00a0Marine Corps Times<\/em> notes in a separate article<\/a>, members of Congress grilled Marine officials over the M27 in March of this year, asking why the production of a new rifle\u2014at nearly $3,000 per unit\u2014is going to a German company.\n\nRep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., said there are a \"number of U.S. manufacturers that make just as good of a rifle as H&K,\" and that American companies \"could use the business.\"\n\nThe USMC later announced<\/a> that the per-unit price of the M27 had been reduced from $3,000 to around $1,300.","post_title":"Report: Congress Withholds Some Funding for USMC's M27 IAR","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/congress-limits-funding-for-m27-automatic-rifles-for-infantry-marines\/","post_modified":"2023-09-28 12:51:32","post_modified_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:51:32","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marines-congress-m27-iar-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":130796,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2018-08-01 09:00:03","post_date_gmt":"2018-08-01 13:00:03","post_content":"\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=km_vm72ExAs\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In terms of creative ways of raising awareness for your company, it doesn't get much better than streaking across a baseball field. That's exactly what Chris Blanco\u2014a Marine veteran<\/a> who owns a coffee, gear and accessories company called Freedom Hard\u2014did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Veteran Chris Blanco Streaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

American Military News<\/em><\/a> reports that on July 27, Blanco and a few friends attended a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers when Blanco decided to show off his true patriotic colors, stripping down to his American flag underwear and running across Minute Maid Park while getting chased by security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire incident was caught on video, which you can see above. In addition, a photo posted to Freedom Hard's Facebook page gives a close-up view of the stunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanco also put the following message on Facebook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Friday was one heck of a cool day. Went to a baseball game with some friends and ended up showing a couple people how much of a patriotic psycho I am.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I like to show that patriotism on the biggest stages possible because, well.... patriotism is very important. In the process of me trying to build up the courage to \"pull the trigger\" I made a joke about raising money for bail money. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

A GoFundMe account was made for people to help 'bail me out of jail' and I can assure you one thing... I will definitely not be accepting these funds to be used to pay for my patriotic shenanigans... <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I've elected to have 100% of these funds raised to benefit a great organization, Camp4Heroes, Inc.<\/a>. Not a penny will come to me...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check this great organization out because they are doing wonderful things in the community... We will probably close out the page in the coming days. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lets make an impact!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"marine<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Blanco certainly isn't shy about showing his love for the red, white and blue. <\/p>\n","post_title":"VIDEO: Marine Vet Chris Blanco Streaks in US Flag Underwear","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marine-veteran-chris-blanco-streaking","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-02-21 23:12:31","post_modified_gmt":"2024-02-22 04:12:31","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2018\/08\/01\/marine-veteran-streaking\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n
\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Jack Lummus<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

Every sport has its fair share of tough, gritty athletes. From the warriors competing in the ancient Olympic Games dating back to the 8th Century BC to the honed, skilled athletes of today, competitors must be mentally and physically strong. The same exists for the warriors fighting in the United States military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Lummus<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"MARSOC Glock","post_excerpt":"MARSOC Glock","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"marsoc-glock","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/tisas-1911-raider\/","post_modified":"2024-10-25 14:37:48","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-25 18:37:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/?p=390418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":164474,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2022-11-25 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-25 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

Every sport has its fair share of tough, gritty athletes. From the warriors competing in the ancient Olympic Games dating back to the 8th Century BC to the honed, skilled athletes of today, competitors must be mentally and physically strong. The same exists for the warriors fighting in the United States military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Lummus<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

For more information, visit: https:\/\/us.glock.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"MARSOC Glock","post_excerpt":"MARSOC Glock","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"marsoc-glock","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/tisas-1911-raider\/","post_modified":"2024-10-25 14:37:48","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-25 18:37:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/?p=390418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":164474,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2022-11-25 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-25 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

Every sport has its fair share of tough, gritty athletes. From the warriors competing in the ancient Olympic Games dating back to the 8th Century BC to the honed, skilled athletes of today, competitors must be mentally and physically strong. The same exists for the warriors fighting in the United States military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Lummus<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike
Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n

The decision is unsurprising since the U.S. Army Special Operations Command also chose the Glock 19 for its elite units, such as the 75th Ranger Regiment. While not as sexy as a custom 1911, the Glock 19 is a reliable tool to have on you in a fight. The Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command understands that and chooses Glock for those at the tip of the spear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, visit: https:\/\/us.glock.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"MARSOC Glock","post_excerpt":"MARSOC Glock","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"marsoc-glock","to_ping":"","pinged":"\nhttps:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/tisas-1911-raider\/","post_modified":"2024-10-25 14:37:48","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-25 18:37:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/?p=390418","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":164474,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2022-11-25 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-11-25 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

Every sport has its fair share of tough, gritty athletes. From the warriors competing in the ancient Olympic Games dating back to the 8th Century BC to the honed, skilled athletes of today, competitors must be mentally and physically strong. The same exists for the warriors fighting in the United States military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Lummus<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, Jack Lummus embodied the meaning of a badass football player. Around halftime during his professional career with the New York Giants, the news media relayed the staggering news: Pearl Harbor had been attacked. The players were not notified of the news, and play continued. Lummus enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve a short time later.
After being promoted to Second Lieutenant, Lummus was assigned as Executive Officer to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. The Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps, which landed as the first wave of troops to strike
Iwo Jima <\/a>on February 19, 1945. For two weeks, Lummus and his troops fought the Japanese. Lummus\u2019 troops took out three major enemy strongholds before he stepped on a landmine, mortally wounding him. On his death bed, he told his doctor, \u201cWell, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good End today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waddy Young<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first All-American football player to ever graduate from the University of Oklahoma, Waddy Young undoubtedly had a future as a badass professional football player. Instead, Young joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941 as an observation pilot for the First Ground Air Support Command at Pope Field. Though he aspired to become a fighter pilot, Young\u2019s physical stature(6\u20192\u201d, 202 lbs) limited him to flying bombers. As the Captain of a Bombardment Squadron, his crew was nicknamed \u201cWaddy\u2019s Wagon\u201d as it entered battle over Japan.
While returning from a bombing mission in 1945, Waddy\u2019s Wagon spotted a severely damaged B-29 that had suffered a kamikaze attack. Young and his crew attempted to protect the damaged B-29 from further attacks, but the two aircraft collided. All crew involved were killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Holleder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all badass football players signed contracts with the NFL. One such player is Donald Holleder. Several top college football recruiters took an interest in Holleder, including West Point\u2019s offensive coach, Vince Lombardi. Though West Point finished their season with a 6-3-0 record, Holleder\u2019s leadership found him on the cover of Sports Illustrated after West Point beat Navy. Holleder would graduate in 1956 alongside his classmate, Norman Schwarzkopf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As time passed, Holleder would eventually rise to the rank of Major. He also declined a contract to play for the New York Giants, electing to continue his career with the US Army. During the Vietnam War<\/a>, Holleder requested to deploy to Vietnam. Tragically, Holleder died during the Battle of Ong Thanh. After securing three volunteers, Holleder was shot and killed by a sniper. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie LeBaron<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As a badass football player who excelled in playing all sides of the ball (quarterback, safety, and punter.) Eddie LeBaron became inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the US Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. At 18, LeBaron joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. The All-American athlete was called to service after the Korean War broke out in 1950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying his collegiate football experience to his military service, he once wrote in a column, \u201cwhen you\u2019re giving an order, you have to make sure it\u2019s a good order before you give it \u2013 one that is based on a well-made decision, not a slapdash judgment.\u201d
As rifle company platoon commander, LeBaron led his platoon into the Battle of the Punchbowl. Although he deployed without ever practice firing his rifle. LeBaron was wounded twice and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat \u201cV\u201d for heroism.
Following an honorable discharge, LeBaron returned to professional sports and played in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocky Bleier<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This badass football player started his career in professional football, served his country, then returned to football. As a University of Notre Dame graduate, Rocky Bleier<\/a> was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968. Shortly after playing his rookie season, Bleier then drafted by the US Army to fight in the Vietnam War. He patrolled Hiep Duc until his platoon was ambushed while in a rice paddy. An enemy grenade landed nearby his position, and he attempted to jump over it. The grenade exploded, sending shrapnel through his leg and foot.
Though doctors told Bleier he would never play football again, Bleier persisted. After spending a few years rehabilitating himself, Bleier returned to the gridiron in 1974 as a halfback for the Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Boyer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Few football players can claim the title of \u201cbadass\u201d as a long snapper. Nate Boyer is the exception. Boyer joined the US Army in 2005 and later awarded the distinction of being a Green Beret in 2006. Before his military service, Boyer worked building camps for refugees in Sudan. As a member of multiple special forces groups, Boyer deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his military service, Boyer joined the University of Texas Longhorns football team as a walk-on, despite never having played football in high school. He played 38 consecutive games for the Longhorns as their top long snapper, winning an Armed Forces Merit Award and multiple athletic-academic awards. Though drafted as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, Boyer never played on the team during the regular season. Instead, Boyer has been part of numerous veteran assistance charities and portrayed himself in the video game Madden NFL 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Britt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Like many badass football players of his generation, Maurice Britt ended his professional football career early to serve in the military. Following his collegiate career as a football and basketball player for the University of Arkansas, Britt was drafted by the Detroit Lions. After just one season, Britt entered active duty with the US Army in 1941 during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an infantryman, Britt\u2019s first deployment was to North Africa, specifically Casablanca. His Battalion tasked with personally guarding Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference. Later, Britt would participate in amphibious landings as part of the invasion of Italy. Britt\u2019s acts of heroism would earn him a series of medals, including the Silver Star, his first of four Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, the British Military Cross, the Italian Medal for Valor, and a Distinguished Service Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the most badass football players end their military service and return to play football. After losing part of his right arm performing calisthenics to get a hidden German machine gun position to expose themselves, this was not an option for Britt. Instead, he continued his badassery by becoming the 11th Lieutenant General of Arkansas, one of the first Republicans to serve as Lieutenant Governor since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chuck Bednarik<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as one of the hardest-hitting tacklers in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik received the nickname \u201cConcrete Charlie.\u201d His football career came after serving in the US Army Air Forces during World War II. As a waist-gunner, Bednarik flew aboard at least 30 missions over Germany. His unit, also known as the \u201cRackheath Aggies,\u201d joined between 1,500 and 2,000 bombers that destroyed several Axis tank manufacturers, oil fields, and gasoline production plants. The Rackheath Aggies would also deliver fuel to 500 of General George Patton\u2019s tanks 10 miles behind enemy lines in Saint Lo, France.
Upon his return from the war, Bednarik earned All-American distinction three times at the University of Pennsylvania before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would play his entire career with the Eagles before retiring in 1960. Later becoming being named the 35th greatest player in the NFL by the NFL Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Steinbrunner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

All-state athlete Don Steinbrunner had a passion for football and the military. After graduating from Washington State College as captain of the football team, Steinbrunner was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953. He only played eight regular season games before starting military service in the US Air Force. Combining both passions, he served as Assistant Coach for the Air Force Academy\u2019s football team from 1959-1964.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steinbrunner deployed to Vietnam with the US Air Force in 1966. While flying an aerial mission, he was shot in the leg by small arms fire. Steinbrunner was operating as a navigator for a C-123 Provider aircraft conducting a defoliation mission over Gia Vuc when hostile ground forces downed it. All five men aboard were killed. Steinbrunner later received the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Blozis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Badass football players are often known for their skill to throw a football. Al Blozis made a name for himself by setting the Fort Benning record for the US Army\u2019s longest hand-grenade throw of 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches. This was no surprise to some, as Blozis spent most of his college career throwing a discus and shot put. The New York Giants later drafted him in 1941.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As World War II led on, Blozis convinced the US Army to waive their size limit and permit him to enter the service. He was assigned to the Walter Reed General Hospital as a physical instructor before his officer training at Fort Benning. Tragically, his first deployment would be his only deployment. While scouting enemy lines in France, two members of Blozis\u2019 platoon went missing. Blozis attempted to search for his missing men but never returned. Honoring Blozis, the New York Giants retired his jersey number after his death.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Top Ten Badass Football Players Of All Time: Military Men","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:11:26","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:11:26","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/top-ten-badass-football-players-of-all-time\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":165544,"post_author":"942","post_date":"2021-12-16 02:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-16 07:00:00","post_content":"\n

The American Expeditionary Forces of World War I can claim countless heroes among their ranks, from the Lost Battalion to the Harlem Hellfighters and from Alvin York to Eddie Rickenbacker. Yet few can claim to have played a more critical role in the war or to have paid a higher price than the so-called \u201cDevil Dogs of Belleau Wood.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooorah! The Devil Dogs Of WWI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By March of 1918, with Russia out of the war, Germany was quick to rush 50 divisions of soldiers from the Eastern Front into an advance on the Western Front. In what became known as the Spring Offensive, Germany made some of the largest gains since the start of the war, capturing hundreds of miles of ground in a war where months-long battles previously had been waged with little to no gain on either side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though their advance had slowed down by May, German troops were within 39 miles of Paris. The city began to evacuate, and a German victory was within sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that stood in their way were 10,000 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, including the 5th and 6th Marine regiments. Within three weeks of fighting, more Marines would die at Belleau Wood<\/a> than had been killed in the previous 143-year history of the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Retreat, hell! We just got here!\"\u2014Maj. Lloyd W. Williams, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Battle Begins<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battlefield was a square mile of heavily wooded hillsides ringing a wheat field, and the Germans were entrenched along the high ground, with the Marines dug in behind the wheat field. The opening American actions were costly. Early on June 6, Marines would take Hill 142, giving them a foothold in the hills. Charges across the wheat field meanwhile were met with German machine gun fire, resulting in gruesome casualties to gain a purchase in the woods along the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The butcher's bill that first day was steep\u2014the Marines suffered 1,056 casualties, and June 6, 1918, would become the deadliest day in Corps history, a dubious honor it would hold until the Battle of Tarawa in 1943. Despite this, the Marines secured the northern third of Belleau Wood and repelled nine separate German counterattacks over the following week. Next, they would launch their own attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?\"\u2014Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards The Front<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On June 11, following heavy bombardment by Allied artillery, the Marines would advance once more toward German positions. The Germans responded with mustard gas and countercharges. What followed were weeks of bloody close-quarters, or hand-to-hand, fighting. In that savage fighting, the Marines<\/a> would earn a fearsome reputation among German ranks for their deadly use of trench shotguns and bayonets as well as for their adaptability and aggressiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines were fluid in the weeks that followed, and although the Germans threw everything they could, the Americans held firm. The Marines would attack German positions in the woods six separate times before finally driving the Germans out. On June 26, Maj. Maurice E. Shearer, commander of the 5th Marine Regiment, submitted a final report that would become famous for its brevity: \"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.\"\u2014General of the Armies John \u201cBlackjack\u201d Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The war Rages On<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The battle ran from June 6-26, 1918, and by its end, American forces had suffered 9,777 casualties, including 1,811 killed. Yet for their sacrifice, they had held the line; Paris would not fall, and the Germans would not advance another mile for the rest of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newspapers from Paris to the Pacific hailed Belleau Wood as the battle that saved Paris, and they were quick to hail the Marines for the victory. Belleau Wood was also where, from German reports about the battle, the Marines earned their new nickname for their deeds: \u201cDevil Dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many other heroes of The Great War, efforts to honor these Marines\u2014ranging from awarding Sgt. Maj. Daly a third Medal of Honor to adding Maj. Williams to Richmond\u2019s Monument Avenue\u2014stalled within a decade of the Armistice. In the collective mind of the American public, Belleau Wood and World War I would soon be all but eclipsed by World War II.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Day Marine Corps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yet for the Marine Corps, Belleau Wood was the birthing cry of the modern Marines. Where previously they had seen action as shock troops and security from China to Cuba, there the Marines faced combat against the full might of a modern military and won the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countless future officers, including five future Marine Corps commandants, saw combat at Belleau Wood, with veterans of the battle still in the ranks as late as the Korean War. Alongside future battles like Iwo Jima, Chosin and Fallujah, Belleau Wood would earn a hallowed place in the lore and history of the Marine Corps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Devil Dogs Of Belleau Wood: US Marines Of World War One","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 23:12:16","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 03:12:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/article\/the-devil-dogs-of-belleau-wood\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":123886,"post_author":"927","post_date":"2021-09-30 10:35:52","post_date_gmt":"2021-09-30 14:35:52","post_content":"\n

Earlier this year we reported on the Army<\/a> awarding a five-year, $49.9 million contract to Barrett<\/a> for their MRAD MK22. Now, as they take on the final hurdle in its evaluation, the U.S. Marines<\/a> also consider adopting the MK22 sniper rifle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Currently under evaluation at Fort Bragg<\/a>, North Carolina, the MK22 reaches its final hurdle. Following the Army\u2019s replacement of the M107 sniper rifle and M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, the MK22 may replace all bolt-action<\/a> sniper rifles for the Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before testing began, Snipers<\/a> from across the airborne<\/a> and special operations<\/a> community took part in new equipment training. The training included familiarization with the system, maintenance, target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures. As a result, the MK22 received high remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe PSR is a very versatile weapon system that can be tailored to meet multiple mission requirements,\u201d said Spec. Nathanael Keffer, a Sniper with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment to a Army.mil report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marines<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jump Tested<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A point of focus during testing was the MK22\u2019s ability to maintain zero retention during airborne insertion. In order to evaluate this, the test team applied their mobile weapons<\/a> boresight collimator to the rifle following a jump. This furthermore ensures that the Sniper\u2019s pre-mission zero experienced no degradation by shock during the jump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Larry Harris, ABNSOTD Deputy Chief of Test told the Army.mil report, \u201cThe critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion. This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper\u2019s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to fire three different rounds, without higher level maintenance to reconfigure, also reduces the need for additional weapons. In particular, the MK22 can switch between 7.62mm<\/a> or .300 Norma Magnum<\/a> and .338 Norma Magnum<\/a> in the field. Additionally, the folding stock and removable suppression system<\/a> provide a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barrett<\/a> MRAD (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) is the answer to a SOCOM request in 2016 for a new sniper rifle. And now it seems it may be the answer for the Marines as well.<\/p>\n","post_title":"US Marines Consider MK22 Sniper Rifle During Strict Testing at Fort Bragg","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:11:09","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/09\/30\/marines-consider-mk22-sniper-rifle\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":124978,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2021-02-24 09:04:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 14:04:00","post_content":"\n

Long known for prowess with a rifle, U.S. Marines just got even deadlier. The Corps began fielding the Squad Common Optic (SCO) recently. The magnified day optic better enables to engage targets from farther distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Marines Field Squad Common Optic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Trijicon won a $64 million contract<\/a> to produce the 1-8 variable power optic. The Corps began fielding the new SCO in January. The optic includes an illuminated and non-illuminated aim-point. The design improves target acquisition and probability of hit with standard infantry rifles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SCO works with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine, along with the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It will supplement the attrition and replacement of the Rifle Combat Optic and Squad Day Optic, according to a Marine Corps release. Those optics previously met the needs for close-combat Marines<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Squad Common Optic provides an improved day optic to infantry and infantry-like communities, including reconnaissance units\u201d said Tom Dever, project officer for Combat Optics at Marine Corps Systems Command. \u201cIt\u2019s a system that improves situational awareness and decreases engagement times, greatly benefiting Marines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO Improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SCO enables Marines to identify targets from greater distances. The SCO also delivers variable-power capabilities, where the previous RCO remained fixed-power. The upgrade brings tremendous versatility to combat Marines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving an optic that can reach out to longer distances will ultimately make the Marine a more lethal first-shot shooter,\u201d said Roger Boughton, Lead Engineer, SCO Program, MCSC. \u201cThis means they can use less rounds to overwhelm an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"It's all about making an accurate decision,\" said Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC Optics Team Lead and infantry officer. \"The SCO gives squad leaders or individual riflemen more time to make a decision to eliminate that threat if necessary.\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Kyle Padilla, MCSC\u2019s optics team lead and an infantry officer, said the SCO is agnostic to the round and weapon system, which provides additional flexibility for Marines. This allows for movement to a different host weapon and accommodates the employment of the M855, M855A1 or future ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system proves easy to assemble, including a mount requiring no tools. Marines can also move the optic to different host weapons, utilizing any M855, M855A1 or future ammunition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to mount it onto the rail of the weapon, you don\u2019t need a wrench to tighten anything,\u201d said Boughton. \u201cYou just need your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The optic moved from program designation to fielding in a mere 16 months, according to a Marine Corps release. It passed a simulated 10,000-round fire exercise along the way. Marines sang praises to the new system upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to shoot farther, identify targets at greater ranges and be more accurate will make them more lethal,\u201d said CWO4 David Tomlinson, MCSC\u2019s infantry weapons officer. \u201cMarines have expressed excitement over this capability.\u201d<\/p>\n","post_title":"Marines Officially Begin Use of New Squad Common Optic From Trijicon","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"marines-squad-common-optic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:12:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2021\/02\/24\/marines-squad-common-optic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};

TRENDING

No Content Available
Page 1 of 15 1 2 15

POPULAR

No Content Available

BROWSE BY BRAND

\n