Russia is About to Get A Close Look at the F-35 Stealth Fighter

USS New York Conducts Missile Exercise in the Atlantic

US and Poland Bulking Up NATO's Eastern Flank

In light of NATO's need for more parity with Russia's forces along its Eastern Flank, the Presidents Donald Trump and Andzrej Duda signed a bilateral Joint Declaration Advancing Defense Cooperation on 23 September 2019 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.The Declaration is meant to:

Strengthen our strategic and defense relationship, which enhances our mutual security and that of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.*
The current US troop strength of about 4500 rotational personnel:
Is expected to grow by approximately 1,000 additional U.S. military personnel in the near term.*
Locations for the enhanced US military presence include:
Poznan to host the Divisional HQ and the US Army area support group;
Drawsko Pomorskie to host the primary Combat Training Center for both Polish and US forces;
Wroclaw-Strachowice to host the US Air Force debarkation airfield;
Lask to host the USAF remotely-piloted aircraft squadron;
Powidz to host a combat aviation brigade, combat sustainment support battalion, and a Special Operations Forces facility;and
Lubliniec to host another SOF facility.*
What is more, discussions on where to locate an Armored Brigade Combat Team (4743 troops) are ongoing.The two countries are optimistic about finding a location for the ABCT.*

HMS Prince Of Wales: The British Aircraft Carrier Ready For Its First Se...

With Korea Exercises Canceled, Troops Could Spend More Time Training in Alaska

With Korea Exercises Canceled, Troops Could Spend More Time Training in Alaska: Officials are in search of a new location to replace training on the Korean Peninsula.

U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers train with British F-35 jets for the first time

Belgian Navy | Knowledge Bank - 2 new frigates and 6 new mine hunters are in the works,as well as 4 conversions to naval combat helicopters

Departure for Leopold I frigate of Belgian Navy SNMG1 - 2 August 2019 - Leopold I departed from Belgium to join SNMG1 and participate in Exercise Cutlass Fury 2019

Improving NATO's Atlantic Defence:Cutlass Fury

Exercise Cutlass Fury 2019 is currently underway off the coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada.The biennial naval drills, according to the commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1,US Navy RADM Edward Cashman:
Are a testimonial to NATO's commitment to strengthening relationships between members of the Alliance and increase the flexibility and agility of our maritime forces.Participating nations are talking advantage of the multinational event to learn more strategies and procedures which they can utilize to ensure the security of North America and Europe through the Atlantic Ocean,a bridge which connects our nations and our shared interests.*
Cutlass Fury is designed to be a medium scale exercise with the purpose of unifying Canada's Atlantic Fleet, Allied navies and joint elements in tactical level warfare.Nations contributing surface warfare assets to CF 19 include Belgium,Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the US.Most of the warships are frigates.The US is represented by the Guided Missle Destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101), flagship of SNMG1.
The warfighting drills began on 6 September and conclude on 20 September 2019.

Special Forces Soldier Identified as Latest Combat Death in Afghanistan

Special Forces Soldier Identified as Latest Combat Death in Afghanistan: The soldier killed in Afghanistan on Monday has been identified as Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Griffin.

2x ���� B-2 Stealth Bombers Takeoff From RAF Fairford, Then Arrive Back at Nig...

US to Ramp Up Fight Against Taliban as Afghanistan War Enters 18th Year

US to Ramp Up Fight Against Taliban as Afghanistan War Enters 18th Year: The head of U.S. Central Command says that war against the Taliban will be stepped up following the collapse of peace talks.

Pentagon Briefing:Afghanistan,Syria,Europe

On 9 September 2019,US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan R. Hoffman gave an off-camera press briefing covering a broad range of concerns.
On Afghanistan:
With regard to potential troop drawdowns or potential numbers,those are some hypotheticals that we'll look at once an agreement is in place.What we've always said,though,is that the number of troops that we will have will always be the appropriate level that we need to provide security there.We're going to focus on the counter-terror mission,and we're going to focus on the reason we got into Afghanistan in the first place,and that is to prevent terrorist operations or individuals from using Afghanistan as a base from which to operate against the homeland.*
When we're looking at what is the enduring presence,the enduring mission of the US is that we're going to focus on having a CT mission,and we're going to be where we need to be anywhere in the world to focus on terrorist actors from having a safe haven from which they could strike the US,whether it's Afghanistan or elsewhere.*
So all of our combatant commanders around the world take the life and safety of the troops under their command seriously.So General (Austin S.) Miller has the authority to take steps and take measures that he believes are  necessary to protect the troops that he has.*
On Europe:
On this current trip to Europe (by Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper),he discussed the need for our allies to contribute more.We need to raise all of our capabilities,both in Europe and the Asia-Pacific,to confront China and Russia.
In certain areas,it may make sense for our allies,if they want to see the increase in funding for facilities in their country on our bases,they might want to consider looking into them (to pay for those facilities themselves).*
On Syria:
I don't have any information on troop numbers in Syria right now,that I can provide you with.What I can tell you is that in Syria,we're working very closely,particularly in the security mechanism that's taking place along the Turkish border,to try to limit the conflict (with the YPG Kurds),work on a way where we're in close coordination with the Turkish allies to help that,so that there's no additional conflict between any side,so that we can focus on the D-ISIS mission.*

Afghan War Bomb Blast:US and Romanian Soldiers Identified

US and Romanian Soldiers​ killed in a Taliban VBIED suicide attack on 5 September 2019 have been identified.SFC Elis A. Barreto Ortiz,34,of Puerto Rico, was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division,3rd Brigade Combat Team, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.His is the 16th US combat death in Afghanistan of 2019.According to COL Arthur Sellers, Commander,3rd BCT: With honor and courage,SFC Barreto answered our nation's call to deploy and serve in Afghanistan.*
SFC Barreto was a Maintenance Control Sergeant in the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion.He had previously served in Afghanistan for nine months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.His decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal,Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Action Badge,and Army Driver and Mechanic Badge.*
The Romanian Soldier was identified as CPL Ciprian Stefan Polschi,38,a married father of two.He was posthumously promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.He is the 26th Romanian service member killed in the Afghan War.*
Twelve people died in the attack.Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said:
Seeking peace with this group who is still killing the innocent is meaningless.*
"Gains achieved at great cost against  our enemy in Afghanistan are reversible."
-Jim Mattis*

NATO:US and Romanian Troops Killed in Action in Kabul,Afghanistan - many distrust Taliban negotiators

NATO's Resolute Support Mission announced that an American and a Romanian service member were killed in action in the Afghan capital Kabul on 5 September 2019:
In accordance with NATO policy,Resolute Support will not disclose additional details.Further information will come from Romania.
The second service member was from the U.S.In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy,the name of the service member killed in action is being withheld until 24 hours after family notification is complete.*
The service members were reportedly on a mixed patrol when a minibus VBIED struck a checkpoint near Camp Resolute Support and the US Embassy in the heavily guarded Green Zone,where Afghan govermnment buildings are also located.At least ten other people died in the blast,and a second Romanian service member was severely wounded,according to official sources.The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the suicide attack "killed 12 foreign invaders".*
The attack came as heavily-criticised negotiations with the distrusted Taliban militants have reached agreement in principle.The negotiations are seen by many as being hastily pushed along by President Donald Trump to impress his supporters in the run-up to the 2020 American presidential elections.*
Camp Resolute Support opened a permanent passenger terminal and control tower for its three helicopter landing zones in July 2018.The project was in response to increasing air traffic as deteriorating security in Kabul made road travel inadvisable.*

Green Berets Original Soundtrack Written By Miklós Rózsa

Afghan War:Pentagon Identifies Green Beret Killed in Combat Operation

The Pentagon has released the identity of a US Soldier killed in action on 29 August 2019 in Zabul Province,Southern Afghanistan,just Northeast of Kandahar.He was SFC Dustin B. Ard,31,of Idaho Falls,Idaho.SFC Ard,a Special Forces Communications Sergeant serving in support of NATO's Resolute Support Mission,was reportedly taking part in an air assault on a Taliban militant-held area.The battle is being investigated.He is the fifteenth US service member to die in combat this year in Afghanistan,the highest death toll since the end of large-scale combat operations in 2014.*
SFC Ard was a member of 2nd Battalion,1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington State.On his second tour in Afghanistan,he had completed the Special Operations Sensitive Site Exploitation Course and the Special Operations Joint Terminal Attack Controller Course,among many others.*
Among SFC Ard's decorations were the Bronze Star Medal;Purple Heart Medal;NATO Medal;Army Good Conduct Medal (2);Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star;Combat Infantry Badge;and Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge.He is survived by his wife,Mary;his daughter,Reagan;and an unborn child.*
President Donald Trump said he plans to reduce the current US troop level in Afghanistan of about 14,000 to 8,600,pending the successful conclusion of negotiations with the Taliban Islamist extremists.*
"But ye are a chosen generation,a royal priesthood,an holy nation,a peculiar people;that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;"
- I Peter 2:9

The US Approves Sale of 66 F-16 Fighters to Taiwan

New Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday's Message to the Fleet