Marines Allowed To Smoke In Afghanistan

Pentagon will not impose smoking ban.

V-22 Osprey Shows Serious Problems

More problems for V-22 Osprey.

Osprey Gets Gun Turret

From Aviation Week,
The U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 squadron preparing to deploy to Afghanistan in the third or fourth quarter of this year is now flight testing a turreted gun to beef-up the aircraft’s fire-power.
The Bell/Boeing MV-22 unit is likely to be deployed to Camp Bastion in the Helmand region as part of the U.S.’s [...]

Haditha Update: Marines Seek To Revive Charges Against LtCol Jeffrey Chessani

Marine Corps looks to reinstate criminal charges against LtCol Jeffrey Chessani for his role in the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq.

Haditha Update: Wuterich’s Lawsuit Against Murtha Dismissed By Appellate Court

Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich’s lawsuit against Congressman John Murtha, regarding statements the congressman made about the deaths of civilians in Haditha, Iraq, has been dismissed.

Haditha Update: Military Judge Reviews 60 Minutes Tape in Wuterich Case

Military judge rules that CBS does not have to turnover tapes of an interview with SSgt Frank Wuterich. The interview was about his involvement in the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha Iraq.

President Obama Will Not Get New Helicopter

President Obama cancels plans to upgrade his helicopters.

Marine Corps Version Of The Joint Strike Fighter To Begin Tests

The Marine Corps version of the Joint Strike Fighter,  F-35B, could begin testing at,
Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, plant as early as this week.
This will begin perhaps the most critical phase of testing for the F-35 program. About a month of hover-pit testing is planned before the first F-35B, aircraft BF-1, returns to the air [...]

Marine Corps Looks to Purchase New Drones

Marine Corps looks to purchase new unmanned aircraft.

Haditha Update: Military Judge Must Review 60 Minutes Tapes In Wuterich Court Martial

Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich is facing a court-martial for his involvement in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha, Iraq.
The prosecution in the court-martial of SSgt Wuterich had sought to subpoena portions of an interview he did with 60 Minutes.  The military judge rejected the subpoena.  The prosecution appealed the military [...]

Marine Corps May Lose Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle And Get Fewer MV-22 Opsreys

The Marine Corps may lose its new amphibious vehicle the EFV, and get fewer of its tilt-rotor aircraft the MV-22 Osprey.

Haditha Update: Justin Sharratt Sues Congressman John Murtha

Former Marine involved in the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq is suing Congressman John Murtha for slander and invasion of privacy.

Pentagon Plans To Send 14 Brigades To Iraq In 2009

The Pentagon plans to maintain troop levels in Iraq for 2009.

Marine Corps May Lose New Amphibious Vehicle

The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), previously known as the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV), was designed to replace the Assault Amphibian Vehicle (AAV) and serve as the new personnel carrier for the Marine Corps.  The EFV was intended to be a major improvement, both in speed and armament.
Now, the EFV may face the same fate [...]

Haditha Update: Wuterich To Appeal Ruling On CBS Tape

Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich is one of the Marines charged with a crime relating to the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq.  Previously, the government attempted to subpoena unaired portions of an interview he did with CBS, for the program 60 Minutes.  The military judge denied the request for the tapes.  The government appealed [...]

Marine Corps Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Makes First Flight

Marine Corps Joint Strike Fighter makes first flight.

Haditha Update: LtCol Jeffrey Chessani Charges Dismissed

In a hearing on 17JUN08, a military judge, Col Stephen Folsom, USMC, dismissed all charges against LtCol Jeffrey Chessani. Col Folsom ruled that the decision to charge LtCol Chessani was a product of unlawful command influence (UCI). Col Folsom ruled,
the participation of Col. John Ewers as an investigator and report writer in the [...]

Haditha Update: LtCol Chessani Charges May Be Dropped

Defense lawyers for LtCol Jeffrey Chessani believe all charges may be dropped. They base this on a signal from the military judge, Col Folsom, who previously scheduled a hearing for two days and has now changed the session to last one hour. At this session the military judge will rule on the motion [...]

Haditha Update: Lt Grayson Not Guilty

Lt Andrew Grayson was acquitted on 4JUN08.
According to reports:
Cheers erupted as the seven-officer panel cleared 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson, who was the first of three Marines to be tried in the biggest U.S. criminal case involving Iraqi deaths linked to the war. The verdict came just five hours after deliberations began.
Two Marines still face courts-martial [...]

Haitha Update: Court-Martial Of Lt Grayson, Days 2 & 3

During the first day of trial, Lt Grayson’s defense counsel, Maj William Santmyer, told the jury

“Lieutenant Grayson is nothing more than a fall guy in a botched investigation under intense media pressure,”

The prosecution maintains that Lt Grayson lied to investigators to help cover up the killing of civilians in [...]

Haditha Update: Court-Martial Of Lt Andrew Grayson, Day 1

The court-martial of Marine intelligence officer 1stLt Andrew Grayson began on 28MAY08. Lt Grayson is
accused of ordering a subordinate to delete photographs of the scene at Haditha, and making false official statements relating to the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq. Lt Grayson is also charged with attempting to fraudulently leave the [...]