Ukraine inches nearer to Svatove as Russia shells its personal metropolis of Belgorod … twice

Let’s verify in on how Russia’s draft is coming alongside. 

I ponder why the draft commissioners themselves don’t get on a bus to the entrance. They look like in much better situation than the poor saps getting dragged off as a substitute: 

The passivity of the Russian psyche blows me away. It’s a complete society constructed across the notion that life is shit, however that’s okay as a result of you’ll be able to drown the ache away with vodka.

Regardless of how unhealthy or incompetent Russian authorities are, nobody protests. Those that might afford it fled, and everybody else simply rolls with it. In the meantime, Russia is doing every part attainable to kill a few of these guys off earlier than they’re even in Ukraine, the place they’ll doubtless freeze to dying in trenches if a Ukrainian shell doesn’t get them first. I imply, take a look at the photograph on the high of this story. It’s apparent that none of those conscripts are correctly outfitted for freezing rain and the bitter chilly that’s quick approaching.

I’ve typically written that the problem with new weapon programs isn’t coaching the operators, it’s coaching the upkeep crew. For instance, a Patriot air protection system operator trains for 13 weeks earlier than heading off to their unit (the place seasoned NCOs proceed their schooling), whereas the troopers who keep it practice for 53 weeks—a full 12 months, or 4 instances as lengthy! 

In apply, that is what it appears to be like like in Ukraine: 

At any time when these programs want upkeep, they should be trucked overseas, again to Poland, Lithuania, or Romania, the place individuals who know what they’re doing can carry these programs again on-line. As you’ll be able to think about, it’s an extremely inefficient workaround. Presumably, there are Ukrainian mechanics and upkeep individuals studying from NATO personnel doing the repairs, however that takes time. 

It’s doubtless the largest purpose the U.S. and allies haven’t outfitted Ukraine with Western battle tanks, and it’s completely the explanation Ukraine hasn’t gotten Western warplanes. 

Woah …

In 1989, my unit supplied MLRS help for a cavalry unit patrolling the Czechoslovakian border. Two days after the Berlin Wall fell, a few Military buddies and I snuck into East Germany to take items of the border wall, after which went to Berlin to seize our piece of the wall. That’s me with the punk rock hair and leather-based jacket, on the then-East-West German border grabbing myself a historic memento: 

Loopy to suppose neither of these nations exist anymore in that configuration. 

As lots of , my son is making his means by means of a pre-Ranger program, and can begin Ranger college in two weeks. This can be a good mini documentary on one of many first ladies to graduate from the college, which additionally provides a reasonably good luck on the grueling college: 

You received’t be shocked to be taught that the incel “Manosphere” has attacked these ladies, making an attempt to belittle their accomplishment. They declare “particular therapy” that features the very same pre-Ranger program that my son is presently attending. So dastardly! Additionally, they complain that one of many ladies was about to give up, and a few normal talked her out of it. You see, male quitters don’t get a pep speak the way in which the women did. Not truthful! 

However let me provide a bit of additional context for that video: There may be an anecdote about Mountain Part that’s fairly telling. Sooner or later throughout that section, college students should hike up a mountain carrying 100-pound rucksacks (no exaggeration), water, and a full squad’s value of weapons (which incorporates heavy machine weapons). It is an all-night, all-day ordeal, all uphill, made worse by extreme sleep deprivation and hunger. Within the video, a man says he was carrying additional weaponry and couldn’t do it anymore. Take a look at him: sturdy man, appears to be like a superb 160-170 lbs. So he asks for assist carrying his load, and nobody steps ahead (“all of them regarded like deers in headlights”) apart from the 150-pound feminine protagonist, including much more weight to her load.