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Testing out blogging via text....

Beautiful Exchange

I love this CD (I have the DVD too).Hands down the best Hillsong CD yet. They are definitely becoming my favorite worship team. I would love to go to Hillsong church one day. God is using these musicians for His Kingdom.

Some recommended films

I love foreign movies, especially those about WW2 or the Cold War. Foreign films usually don't have the greatest special effects (special FX sometimes are a bit to much...like "2012" a horrible movie), famous actors, or Hollywood promotion. However, they usually tell the story much better than American- made films. Oh, and they usually aren't trashy and promiscuous, like most our films these days. A nice change. So here are a few I recommend:


The Boy in the Striped Pajamas-This movie is from Ireland and is in English. A warning...you will have a hard time sleeping after this one. I compare it to Schindler's List. This story is about the son of a Nazi concentration camp commandant. He, naturally, was totally oblivious to what his dad actually did. He befriended a boy who wore "stripped pajamas" near his house, who always say behind a fence (you can put the pieces together). The total innocence of that kid, well...I won't ruin it. You may need to watch an episode of I Love Lucy afterwards. I do recommend it though.


Pan's Labyrinth- This Spanish film is another movie about a kid, and another which some Nick at Nite is a must after watching. It is all sorts of weird. The main character in this movie is a young girl, who's mother married a Spanish officer during the Spanish civil war. The man, obviously abusive, and the war really effected the child. She escaped it all through a wild fantasy world. Yes, I know it seems weird, but you will be glad you watched it.

Au Revoir Les Enfants- Just watched this one the other day on Netflix streaming.

Okay, so I love foreign films...especially those revolving around either WW2 or the Cold War. So, here are some I recommend. Netflix has them, I am sure the library will too. I was unsure about it, previews looked boring. The story is about a Jewish boy who is sent to a Catholic boys school in France to escape Nazi capture. He pretends to be Catholic, but it become obvious to many of the boys that he is not. The school staff knows, something that they risk their lives to keep secret. The other star is one of the Catholic boys who eventually befriends the Jewish boy. There is not a whole lot of action, but the thing I liked about it was the honesty of the kids (not always pleasant) and the ability to see what it may have been like to be a French kid in Nazi occupied France anticipating the Allied Invasion. You have to remember that the world did not know about the Holocoust. I would hope that these kids would have been a bit more understanding had they known what he was escaping. This movie is in French, with English subtitles.

Burnt By The Sun- I cannot even remember where I watched this movie. It may have been while studying in Prague, or perhaps my History of the Soviet Union course in college. This movie, in Russian with subtitles, is about a Soviet colonel (Nikita Mikhalkov, famous Russian Actor) and his family under Stalin. He is a bit paranoid. It gives good insight into life under "comrade Stalin". There is a bit of humor in here too. I am about to watch this again, ordered it on Netflix. I remember it being good enough to watch again, so I recommend it for all.

Sophie Scholl- The Final Days- I really enjoyed this movie. It was in German with English subtitles. This true story is about a brother and sister (both college students) who are arrested for distributing anti-national socialist (anti-Nazi) leaflets as part of the White Rose movement.

Having just come back from another trip to Germany, where I saw Dachau concentration camp, Nazi Party Rally Grounds, and other Nazi sights...I was really intrigued to see this film. It is really all about the dialog, as most of the film is of interrogations between her and Gestapo investigators. One of the most eye opening scenes is when they are in their (show) trial. The room was filled with Nazi party members. The judge, a man dressed in a bright red robe sitting in front of a huge Nazi Swastika, yelled and berated her...of course not letting her defend herself. Her "lawyer" had nothing to say either. Their parents, not even allowed in. This scene (as well as a similar scene in the move "Valkyrie") really makes one appreciate our fair court system and general freedoms in America. Watch an episode of Judge Judy and compare it to how these judges were...

Update

So, I have started to blog again. Mostly motivated by my sister's blog Ellis-Party-of-5 and my brother-in-law's Tangents. I usually have something interesting to share, so I might as well try to keep it all in a blog.

Update on me...

Well, I am coming up on my 4th year in the Marine Corps. Time really flies. My rough timeline of Marine Corps service is as follows

July 2007-Officer Candidate School and Commissioning
July 2007-Assistant Officer Recruiter, Orlando
October 2007- The Basic School, Quantico, Va
June 2008- On-the-job training at 2d Assault Amphibian Bn, Camp Lejeune, NC
- Mojave Viper, 29 Palms, CA
October 2008- Assault Amphibian Officer's Course (MOS School) Camp Pendleton, CA
January 2009- Platoon Commander, Bravo Company, 2d Asslt Amph Bn, Camp Lejeune, NC
-Multiple training/ship exercises
-Mojave Viper, 29 Palms, CA
-Joint Fires Observer Course, Norfolk, VA
-Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan Nov 2009-May 2010
June 2010- Company Executive Officer, Headquarters and Service Co, 2d Asslt Amph Bn
August 2010- Platoon Commander, Delta Company, 2d Assault Amphibian Bn
-Attached to Battalion Landing Team 2/2 part of 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit
-Training in Fort Picket and Camp Lejeune

So... basically I am working up to be a part of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). MEUs are the smallest Marine Air-Ground Task Force. It is built around an infantry battalion (900 or so Marines). There are organic air assets, tanks, AAVs, engineers, logistics, recon, artillery, and other support elements not normally part of an infantry unit. Once deployed, the MEU usually floats around on ships, awaiting any emergency operation (embassy evacuation, humanitarian assistance, anti-piracy operations, peacekeeping,etc.) The MEUs have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan several times (in fact the 26th MEU is currently in A-stan), so that is not out of the question.

I am awaiting promotion to Captain and Career Designation. Promotion is about a given (98% selection or so). However, Career Designation is not (60-65%). When Lieutenants are commissioned, they are essentially put on "probation" for 4 years. They cannot continue in the active service past 4 years unless they are Career Designated (used to be called augmented). In fact until a few years ago, all officers were commissioned as USMCR (reserve that is) and put on active service for 4 years, automatically going back to the reserves for most officers. It would be un-realistic to keep all officers in the active service, just because we don't need that many. Before the Long War, it was very very competitive. Around a 15-25% selection. It was almost expected that you got out after 4 years. However, the war (and subsequent growth of the Marine Corps) has kept the selection at around 95%. Now with the war coming to an end (or is it?) selection is slowly decreasing. My board (meeting this month) is the lowest it has been for a while. If I don't get selected, I have to get out or go to the reserves. If I am, I can stay in indefinitely (or until they stop promoting me or retirement). It is in God's hands, I will rejoice either way. I would love to stay in, however there are plenty of other things I see myself doing. I would love to stay connected to the Corps through the reserves or inactive reserve (which I have to do for at least 4 years anyway). God closes doors and opens others. We shall see. Unfortunately, if I don't get selected, I cannot go on this deployment.

Should I stay in, for at least a few more years, I will move to a new duty station upon return from deployment (Jan/Feb 2012). I am trying to go to Virginia (DC or Quantico)...or if I can...Europe (part of Embassy Security Guard Program).

Training with the MEU has kept me very busy. I spend every few weeks in the field. The entire month of December was spent in the freezing cold of Fort Pickett, Virginia. I just got out of two weeks of raid training here at Lejeune. Looking forward to another trip to Pickett, and about 6 weeks (2 week periods) on ship...and then deployment in the summer. This training is the best in the Corps, much more training than units designated to go to Afghanistan are getting. I cannot wait to get on ship on deployment to get a break, haha.

Then and Now #1

So, I am a big history buff. One of my favorite things to do is to visit locations which are part of our history, especially those places most people don't know about or know the history behind. Of course, I always have a camera. Click on them to enlarge.

The Assault Amphibian

What is an Assault Amphibian? Well, in the Marine Corps...we are the operators and maintainers of amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs). The history of this community goes back to 1937 when a Florida man, Donald Roebling, designed an amphibious tractor for hurricane rescue operations. At the outbreak of WW2, the US Navy and Marine Corps looked to Roebling to develop vehicles that can bring troops from ship to shore and up onto the beach. The Landing Vehicle, Tracked (LVT-1), a.k.a "the Alligator", had a significant positive impact in the victories across the Pacific and the development of newer and more advanced models throughout the war (LVT-2, LVT-3, LVT-4, LVT(A) [an amphibious tank]).

Our current vehicle, the AAVP7A1 (also a communication and recovery variant) is almost 40 years old. In fact, I have had tractors with hulls stamped from the 1970s. It was known as the LVTP7 until the 90s. It has undergone some upgrades ("new" turret, comm systems, suspension) over the years. It has served in combat multiple times. Most recently, the AAV lifted a majority of the Marine Corps forces into Iraq in 2003. They were removed from Iraq in 2008 and replaced with MRAPs.

So, at Lejeune we train in AAVs...but in Afghanistan we fight in MRAPs or on foot. My platoon had about 2 months last year to turn in our AAVs and train for MRAPs before we went into Afghanistan. When we returned, we had to get back into AAVs.

The AAV was supposed to be replaced with the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV). If you have been watching the news recently, you probably heard that this project was canceled after 20 years or so. It was over bu get, way over due, and had many problems. Billions down the drain. I have seen this vehicle, it is pretty cool. But it totally relies on computers, which I don't like. It can go 30knots in the water, while ours go only 6 knots or so. It also has a stabilized weapons system, which ours does not. Now that the program is canceled, we hopefully we get some much needed upgrades on these 40 year old vehicles.

We Assault Amphibians are the keepers of waterborne ship-to-shore movement in the military. The Long War has kept Marines off ships for almost 10 years, with the exception of some of the expeditionary units which still deploy. It has even kept many of us off as well. However, across the Corps, we are the ones that have the most ship experience, knowledge of water operations, and actually practice amphibious assaults on a regular basis. So, this community is a key part in getting back to the "amphibious roots" of the Corps, which the Commandant is pushing very hard. We are the only vehicles capable of this in the entire US Military.

Behind the Name

So, my blog name has been changed to "Jagges". You may be asking how that is supposed to be pronounced and what does it mean? Well, I created that name as my online name about 10 years ago. It is supposed to be a slur of my last name, supposed to be pronounced "jay-gz" "jaygs" "jaegs".Ten years ago, the spelling "Jagges" looked the best, although I don't think gramatical rules make that sound how I want it. In high school, people called me by my last name, mostly because there was multiple people in my class named Wes...and I guess my last name is unique so it is fun to say. It eventually turned into that slur of my name "jay-gz" or "Jagges". When I went to college, without telling anyone, people started calling me the same, especially my fellow NROTC members. A few started to say "Jags" as well. So it just sort of stuck. Most of my online IDs are Jagges. Some think it is spanish "yagges" or other variations.

So, there you have it.

Camp Lejeune Snow!

Marine Aviation in Orange County

As I was leaving MCAS Tustin So on Veterans Day, I drove to Orange County, Ca to see the two sights of the form Navy and Marine air bases: MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin (former NAS Santa Ana). Both of the bases are now closed, leaving only 2 Marine Air Stations in California (Miramar and Pendleton). You may recognize the name El Toro from Independence Day (Will Smith's character was a fighter pilot based there). Here is brief history of MCAS Tustin: taken from http://www.militarymuseum.org/MCASTustin.html

This field was originally built as a blimp base in 1942 as Santa Ana Naval Air Station. The predominant characteristic of this field is the image of its two huge blimp hangars. It was commissioned in October of that year as one of two new blimp bases on the west coast. The other was at Tillamook, Oregon. Blimps were used to patrol America's coastline primarily to watch for enemy submarine. At first 6, then 12 blimps operated out of the station. The large, all-wood hangers were built to house the blimps and at the time of their construction were and still are the world's largest clear span wooden buildings. These hangers became a necessity when the strong Santa Ana winds blew in from the desert disrupting blimp operations. The station had 6 mooring circles and its own helium generating plant.After the war the station was reduced in status as blimp operations were phased out.

The hangars are each more than 1,000 feet long & 300 feet wide. Each hangar was designed to hold six blimps simultaneously (see below) . In between the two hangars is a huge concrete circular blimp mooring pad. Extending outward from the central pad are concrete taxiways leading to numerous smaller concrete circular blimp mooring pads.

Following the end of World War II, the Santa Ana NAS was decommissioned by the Navy in 1949. It was then transferred to the Marine Corps in 1951, and was renamed Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana by 1965. It was later renamed Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.

The Marines used Tustin as their primary West Coast helicopter base, operating Medium & Heavy Transport & Attack Helicopter squadrons. A small 3,000 foot runway was built in between the "V" formed by the two blimp hangars (which must have made for interesting turbulence during crosswinds), along with a control tower nestled in between. Two modern hangars were added on the edge of the blimp mooring pad for helicopter maintenance.

The unique facilities at Tustin were very well suited to large-scale helicopter operations, as the blimp hangars were capable of providing indoor storage for huge numbers of helicopters, & the blimp mooring pad provided acres of ramp space for parking. At its peak, Tustin housed over 100 helicopters.

Tustin's location also was very suitable for USMC helicopter operations, as the surrounding mountain ranges included a total of 13 Confined Area Landing Sites,at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level.

Due to Tustin's proximity to Hollywood & the unique imagery of the blimp hangars, it has been used for location shooting for numerous movies & TV programs, including JAG, The X-Files, etc.

Following Tustin's closure by the Marine Corps in 1999, one of the blimp hangars has been designated a national historic landmark, and is to be preserved (the second one presumably will be torn down). Overall, plans were approved by the local government to reuse the property for a mixture of purposes, including parkland & commercial development.

When I drove by Tustin, the two huge hangars could be seen from miles away. Inside one, they were building something (not sure what it was), the other I believe is slated to be destroyed. The runways is just mounds of dirt. Much of the base complex still seems to be around (but abandoned).

Photos I shot of Tustin


East hangar (one with something being built) Base Chapel Looks like old barracksFrom HMM166 (The Seaelks) area About MCAS El Toro http://www.militarymuseum.org/MCASElToro.html#1b

The Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro was officially closed in 1999. MCAS El Toro was a master jet air station supporting the operations and combat readiness of Pacific Fleet Maine Forces. MCAS El Toro provided materials and support for aviation activities of the United States marine Corps (USMC).

During World War II combat pilots received their training at MCAS El Toro. The construction of MCAS El Toro began in July 1942 on a parcel of land purchased from The Irvine Company. The facility was initially built as a wartime expedient air station for the purpose of aircraft squadron formation and unit training prior to overseas combat deployment. It was commissioned on 17 March 1943.

In 1945, Congress made it the permanent West Coast Marine Corps Air Station. In 1950 MCAS El Toro was selected for development as a Master Jet Air Station and the permanent center of Marine aviation on the west coast of the United States. Its mission was to support the operations and combat readiness of Fleet Marine Forces. In 1955 the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters relocated to El Toro from Miami Florida to become the primary tenant. After 1971 the Marine Air Reserve under the command of the 4th Marine Air Wing conducted reserve training operations at El Toro.

The closure of MCAS El Toro as a military facility is a result of the federal 1993 Base Realignment and Closure [BRAC] process. MCAS El Toro is one of 30 California military bases placed on the closure list during or after 1988. The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) slotted MCAS El Toro for closure. The base was revisited with the 1995 BRAC and slotted for closure in 1999. Operational closure of MCAS El Toro was implemented in July 1999.The former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro facility is under consideration for reuse as a commercial airport.

From Wikipedia:

The Legacy Project

In 2002, six photographers started The Legacy Project a non-profit group dedicated to documenting the transformation of the shuttered and abandoned MCAS El Toro into Orange County Great Park. According to published news reports, they have already taken over 80,000 photographs.

As an important part of the project, on June 14, 2006, the six photographers along with many volunteer workers, transformed a hangar (Building #115) into a gigantic pinhole camera in order to record a picture of the base on to a huge photographic print. It is expected that the Guinness World Record book will categorize and certify that the hangar is the world's largest camera.The hangar/camera will eventually be torn down, so the photographers jokingly state that they also made the world's largest disposable camera.

El Toro was completely gated off. The main gate area is now occupied by a college. The runway is full of RV's and trailers (for storage). There are still plenty of hangars left. I could make out the squadron logos on the doors (saw Evil Eyes specifically). Most of the other buildings are being torn down or have been already. Here are some photos I shot of El Toro . A hangar on the south side of the runway Gate on east side of the runway A q-hut near the main gate (next to the college building)