M2

20+1 rounds in a top-loading auto pistol is intriguing, and at that price point it well may be worth trying; but I have never been a fan of the 5.7x28mm round. Sure, it will penetrate soft body armor than most handgun rounds; but what really are the odds of that being a factor in a self-defense situation? Plus, my house pistols are only to get me to my Mossberg 500! It can get decent penetration and expansion if you use ammo such as the Federal Personal Defense 40g JHP; but there are much better self-defense calibers out there which are easier and cheaper to find. As LR stated, it does have velocity, recoil and capacity in its favor; but the potential drawbacks such as over-penetration and cost would never replace the .45 or 9mm in my opinion. But at four hundred bucks (MSRP), it certainly is interesting enough to try if I ever see one available. My safes are full of firearms I bought just for the opportunity to shoot them! I am glad a buddy had a S&W Model 500 that he let me shoot, it saved me a lot of money realizing that particular revolver just wasn't for me! There's not a huge moose threat here in southcentral Texas!

Not really, you can't trust chips made in China...

https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/handguns/shot-show-range-day-is-it-wrong-that-i-really-really-like-the-new-keltec-pr57/ Let us know what you think....

https://www.tuskegee.edu/Content/Uploads/Tuskegee/files/EscortedBombersLosttoEnemyAircraft12.2011.pdf https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/AFD-141118-047.pdf On March 10, 1945, the respected and widely read Liberty magazine published Dark Angels of Doom, an article by influential black journalist Roi Ottley about the 332d Fighter Group in combat. Ottley wrote “in more than 100 combat missions in which the Red Tails have given escort cover to their "Big Friends"--the long-range heavy bombers--they haven't lost a single ship to enemy fighters!” By then the 332d Fighter Group had flown more than 130 bomber escort missions, and had lost bombers on only six of those missions. But the group did not fly 100 missions before losing a bomber. In fact, the group had lost bombers within the first few missions. Despite that fact, readers might have falsely concluded that the 332d Fighter Group had flown more than 100 bomber escort missions and that it had never lost a bomber on any of them, when in fact it had lost bombers on at least six of more than 130 bomber escort missions by March 10, 1945. The “never lost a bomber” claim already circulated before a War Department press release dated June 21, 1945, announced that Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who had commanded the 332d Fighter Group, was taking command of the 477th Bombardment Group. Undoubtedly based on the preceding newspaper article, the press release claimed that “On February 28, 1945, Colonel Davis‟ group had completed 200 missions with the 15th Air Force and had served as escort to heavy bombers without losing a single bomber to enemy fighters.” This was probably the first time an official Air Force document repeated the “never lost a bomber” claim.

ADMIN NOTE: Not sure WTF happened with all the emojis, but it's been fixed!

In 2025, $200 in 1937 is equivalent to approximately $4,382 due to an average inflation rate of about 3.57% per year over the 88 years... And yes, in 1937 the Thompson submachine gun did cost around $200. Fully automatic versions today range from $15,000 (good luck finding one at that price!) to $120,000 for rare early Colt models! How Much is a Thompson Currently Worth?

"2022 Women, Peace and Security Gender Focal Point (Correspondence), Joint Staff" https://www.pacaf.af.mil/Portals/6/PDF Bios/AOC Col Sposito_Salceies_Bio_25 Jun 24.pdf

OK, it's only Wednesday; but this can't wait... U.S. pilot who vanished during Vietnam War spy mission accounted for A United States pilot who disappeared while conducting a spy mission during the Vietnam War has finally been accounted for, military officials said Tuesday. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Donald W. Downing was assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force in September 1967, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in a news release. Downing, 33, was piloting one of two aircraft in a nighttime armed reconnaissance mission over what was then known as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on Sept. 5, 1967. While the two planes were on a run to the target, the first saw a "large, bright fireball in the air," according to the agency. Downing did not respond to radio calls to his F-4C Phantom II. And though search and rescue efforts started at daylight, electronic and visual searches of the area found nothing. (Full story at title link) A nickel in the grass! 🫡🫡

Context is important... At the Presidential Parade at Capital One Arena, Musk gave a speech where he thanked supporters for reelecting Trump and expressed his enthusiasm for the administration's goals. During his speech, Musk said: "I just want to say thank you for making it happen, thank you." He then pumped his hand against his chest, extended his straightened arm upward toward the crowd, with his fingers outstretched and palm facing downward. Immediately after, he said, "my heart goes out to you. It's because of you that the future of civilization is assured."

Worded better... https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/us-air-force-winds-down-hh-60g-pave-hawk-operations/161315.article

The most accurate documentary on the DoD acquisition system ever made!!

59 years ago tomorrow (7 Jan 1966), the 4200 SRW at Beale AFB received the first operational SR-71... On 25 January 1966, the 4200 SRW was redesignated the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing

Bye bye Trudeau! He was gone anyway, but this way he can blame Trump! https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trudeau-to-resign-as-voters-sour-on-his-vision-for-canada/ar-AA1x2NfD

Agreed, and why force a productive elective official (there are some, I swear!) out of office if they are doing a good job and their constituents are happy?

Seriously, WTF LA Police Gear?!? Is this suppose to be a deal??

Prime was here in SA for the Alamo Bowl. I still can't figure out why the guy gets so much positive attention, he is and always has been a huge douche nozzle...

I'm going to see how the next USAA CEO does before deciding on whether to punch...

Not just in the USAF...

The final HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter in the entire U.S. Air Force was retired on December 18, 2024, by the 56th Rescue Squadron at Aviano Air Base in Italy. This marked the end of an era for the Pave Hawk, which had been a crucial part of combat search and rescue missions for decades. https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2024-12-20/air-force-pavehawk-aviano-helicopter-16227298.html Prior to that... The last HH-60G Pave Hawk at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico was also retired in early December 2024. This helicopter had been in service for 34 years and participated in various search and rescue missions. The 106th Rescue Wing at Gabreski Air National Guard Base in New York retired its first HH-60G in June and finished its conversion by October. And Kadena Air Base in Japan welcomed its first HH-60W in January and retired its last G model by August. The 41st Rescue Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia retired its final HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, tail number 356, on September 29, 2021. This helicopter had served for nearly 30 years and participated in numerous rescue missions around the world. Thirty-seven Golfs were heading (STS) to the Boneyard in fiscal 2024, and another twelve going in fiscal 2025.

Brotallion!! 🫡🫡

Give me some time, but I will take move it into that thread as well...

Some in the Army are starting to get it! More than Half of Senior Army Officers Are Turning Down Command Consideration U.S. Army Col. Christopher J. Kirkpatrick receives the Joint Multinational Readiness Center colors from Brig. Gen. Steven P. Carpenter during a Change of Command Ceremony near Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 16, 2024. (Staff Sgt. Dana Clarke/U.S. Army photo) More than half of the Army's senior officers are turning down opportunities to command, choosing instead the stability of staff roles over the high-stakes demands of leadership, or retiring, according to internal service data. The Battalion Command Assessment Program, or BCAP, a cornerstone of the Army's effort to evaluate leadership readiness, assesses 800 to 1,000 lieutenant colonels annually through interviews, psychological tests and physical fitness evaluations. Historically, 85% of those participants have been deemed fit for command. Yet this year, 54% of eligible officers voluntarily chose not to participate -- a significant uptick from the 40% average opt-out rate seen since 2019. "The predominant reasons were personal and family circumstances, such as retirement eligibility and family stabilization," Maj. Heba Bullock, an Army spokesperson, told Military.com in a statement. The rank of lieutenant colonel carries unique prestige, offering officers the chance to command units of roughly 1,000 troops and to play pivotal roles in Pentagon plans for preparing forces for war. The position sits at the intersection of the Defense Department's big picture and the daily life of rank-and-file troops. But while a command position is extremely high-profile, it also comes with endless work hours. Instead, some officers are drawn to staff positions -- less-visible, lower-pressure roles that promise stability for the same pay. Those jobs lack the excitement of leading troops but offer something many midcareer officers might crave: a break from the relentless grind of command. In other cases, lieutenant colonels are reaching the retirement mark of 20 years and have to decide whether they're going to seek the rank of general or retire. However, it was unclear what drove the recent spike in senior officers walking away from potential command opportunities. The command selection process itself has recently become mired in scandal. Gen. Charles Hamilton, the former head of Army Materiel Command, was fired this week after he inappropriately intervened in the BCAP evaluation process for a subordinate who had been deemed unfit for command and ranked among the lowest-performing candidates in her cohort. Against Army policy, Hamilton arranged an unheard-of second evaluation, which the officer also failed. Nevertheless, she was included on a list of candidates approved for command -- an action ultimately signed off on by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. Following investigative reporting by Military.com in March, the officer was immediately removed from the command list, and Hamilton was just relieved of his duties and fired. Reactions within the Army are divided over whether the credibility of the BCAP has been undermined by the recent controversy. Critics interviewed by Military.com, including some general officers, argue that the incident reveals systemic vulnerabilities in BCAP, with one senior official describing it as susceptible to favoritism. They contend that the subsequent accountability -- highlighted by Hamilton's firing after media reports brought the issue to light -- occurred only due to external pressure. Others, however, point to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth's swift and decisive response as evidence that BCAP's integrity remains intact. By addressing the scandal quickly and removing the officer from the command list, they argue, the service demonstrated its commitment to maintaining a fair and rigorous selection process. Beyond the controversy, deeper structural challenges may be at play. Separate internal Army reports cite work-life balance concerns and scheduling conflicts as significant factors influencing career decisions at the lieutenant colonel and sergeant first class ranks. At those midcareer stages, troops often face the dual pressures of heightened professional responsibilities and the demands of raising families. As soldiers rise in the ranks, so do concerns over their spouses' careers, an issue that peaks at lieutenant colonel. Families have long raised concerns that the constant pressures of military life, including unpredictable schedules, long-term missions and the generally rural locations of many installations, make it difficult for spouses to build their careers. Access to child care has also emerged as a pressing issue, with military-run facilities facing space shortages and civilian day care costs soaring. Those logistical hurdles further complicate the decision-making calculus for officers weighing the rigors of command against the relative stability of staff roles.