Gorton Clip

SO1 William Blake Marston a 31-year-old Navy SEAL from Concord New Hampshire who played baseball at Stonehill College died Saturday January 10, 2015 in a parachute accident during training in Deland, Florida.

Blake enjoyed many outdoor activities and was always involved in a variety of sports to include baseball, football, and skiing. He was recruited to play baseball at Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts and graduated with a B.A. in Criminology in 2007. After graduation, Blake enlisted in the United States Navy, reporting to Naval Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, IL for basic recruit training and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) preparatory training. He received orders to attend Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) in Coronado, CA and graduated with Class 273 in March 2009 and then SEAL Qualification Training in October 2009, earning his Navy SEAL Trident.

Blake’s first set of orders took him to SEAL Team FOUR where he deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In February 2014, Blake began his rigorous selection and training course for Naval Special Warfare Development Group and was assigned to Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron FIVE where he conducted multiple training evolutions and exercises on his first tour.

Blake was a decorated combat veteran with numerous awards to include: the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with Combat “V”, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with Bronze Star, NATO Medal, Navy Expert Rifle Ribbon and Navy Expert Pistol Ribbon.

Blake Marston is survived by his parents, two brothers and sister; as well as, numerous family, friends, and teammates.

Navy SEAL Foundation

Abu Azrael

Either nicknamed or translated as the “Angel of Death”, Abu Azrael has become a social media champion for many Iraqi’s as military action against ISIS continues to mount. Azrael has become a prominent Facebook and Twitter figure in Iraq due to reports of his mutilation of ISIS corpses using an axe. It’s not exactly clear who he is; some articles state he’s a university lecturer who took up arms against ISIS, other articles say he is a commander for an Iranian military unit. As the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” (GRH)

Crye Precision Booth Helmet #shotshow

Soldiers from 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) hone their door breaching skills on Fort Bragg N.C.

#SpecialForces #GreenBerets

Ottawa parliament shooting 

Prayers go out to our Canadian neighbors.

“With the Taliban launching its annual spring offensive, Brendan and his platoon started to see more action in May (2010), just as he had predicted in his email to Tom and Janet (Manion). Surrounded by jagged cliffs, extreme poverty, and acute desolation, which many of the younger SEALs had never experienced, it was Brendan’s responsibility to keep them optimistic, focused, and sharp. But considering that the SEALs were sleeping on a (base) ‘in the middle of nowhere,’ thousands of miles from home, setting a positive tone was never an easy task. “Rather than barking out orders to the SEALs under his command, Brendan was ‘Loon-Dog.’ The enlisted SEALs, or ‘E-Dogs,’ as they were nicknamed, loved working for the 29-year-old lieutenant, because even though Brendan was an officer, he still thought of himself as just one of the guys. “During his deployment, Brendan spent roughly the equivalent of two full weeks on ‘over watch’ missions above three districts in northern Zabul province, where the lieutenant and SEALs under his command would look down from the cliffs to make sure their brothers in arms operating below were safe from lurking Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. But after only a day or two on the high ground, Brendan was concerned that his primary responsibilities as an officer and squad commander weren’t enough of a contribution to his platoon. “When there was extra gear to carry, the officer threw it on his back instead of ordering enlisted SEALs to carry it. Regardless of the command structure or rank, Loon-Dog treated everyone with the same respect. “When things got dicey on the battlefield, however, there was no mistaking who was in charge, like one day when gunfire rang out beneath the over watch position Brendan’s SEAL team had established above a small, Taliban-controlled Afghan village. “’Incoming!’ Brendan yelled. “As bullets pounded the mountain rocks that were shielding his team, who took cover as soon as they heard their leader’s unmistakable voice, Brendan’s commanding officer (CO) asked for a status report over the radio. “‘We’ve got enemy fire coming from just outside the village,’ Brendan said. ‘Nobody’s been hit, and we’re prepping the counterattack.’  ‘Sir?’ Brendan repeated what he had said a few times before realizing the signal was dropping in and out, as it had been for most of the day. “‘Lieutenant,’ the CO repeated. ‘If you copy, call me on the SAT (satellite) phone.’ “As soon as Brendan heard the order, he broke his crouch and stood up. The SAT phone was a few yards in front of the boulder that was protecting him. “‘Whoa, Loon-Dog,’ exclaimed a surprised fellow SEAL. ‘Be careful, sir.’ “Brendan knew his CO wouldn’t ask him to call unless it was extremely important, and for all he knew, retrieving the satellite phone could be a matter of life and death. Without blinking, Brendan hustled toward the phone, picked it up, and returned to his position as bullets whizzed by. “‘Loon-Dog … you all right?’ (Brendan’s teammate) said. “‘I’m OK,’ said Brendan, acting more like he was taking an afternoon stroll than engaging in an intense firefight. “Brendan then told his CO that his men were ready to strike back at the enemy. Moments later he aimed his sniper rifle at the enemy position. When the day was over, the Navy SEALs had once again disrupted the Taliban’s plans.” - See more at: http://www.stwnewspress.com/opinion/x787225702/TOM-SILEO-Loon-Dog-led-Marine-troop-by-example-under-fire#sthash.Ncdn0ANx.dpuf

Favela

PM paramilitary police CORE elite unit personnel patrol the Favela da Mare shantytown complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 30, 2014 early morning. More than 1,000 police backed by the military and armored vehicles occupied the vast Mare favela near Rio’s international airport at dawn Sunday, just 74 days before the World Cup. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP Photo)

Jamie Smith, former CIA operative and founder of SCG International Risk. This photo was taken in 2002 along the Af-Pak border.

David Warsen

Via David Warsen Legacy

HK 416

The man, the myth, the legend; Travis Haley -Ed 

get all the operator panties wet