Feral Jundi

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Parachuting: Special Forces Get The New MC-6, Marines Get The New T-11

   I perked up when I saw a story mentioning smokejumpers in the Stars and Stripes, and this is what they were talking about. Strategy Page just posted about it as well.  The parachute that they were discussing is called the MC 6,  and it has a different name in the smokejumpers. It is called the FS 14 canopy.  It is a round (shape of the canopy) chute, and it is great for steep descents into tight jump spots surrounded by tall trees.  It is also steerable, and you can get different sizes of chutes, depending on the weight and size of the jumper.  I jumped a large when I was using the canopy in the Forest Service, and they are the ones who primarily use this canopy. I think the smallest spot surrounded by trees that I ever jumped with this parachute was the size of a small house. This parachute struggles in higher winds though, and I like a different parachute for that stuff.

   When it comes to a great all around parachute for rough terrain parachuting, I preferred the RAM Air DC 7 canopy or square canopy. The MC 5 is the military equivalent.  This parachute looks like the sport parachutes you see in the civilian world, and they are very nice.

  This parachute is primarily used by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service is slowly transitioning to this parachute. As we speak, they are doing cross training between the two organizations in order to gain proficiency. The BLM uses this parachute for the Great Basin in the western US, and up in Alaska.  Both areas have higher winds, and big open areas.  But both areas also have their mountains and trees to jump into.  Having jumped rounds and squares (parachute types), I would have to go with squares as being the best all around parachute to use for all types of terrain. What I imagine the SF is doing, is just having the option to use either the MC 5 or the MC 6, depending upon the mission. That is smart, but hopefully they are proficient on both, and muscle memory doesn’t screw them up while using one parachute or the other.  You definitely have to know each parachute and it’s deployment system very well in order to get a good parachuting strategy for getting on the ground safely and in rough terrain.

   As for the T 11, it looks interesting, but I really cannot comment on it.  Just as long as it is stable, easy to control, and gets the guys on the ground safely, then I am all for it.

   Now what is exciting about the T-11 and the MC-6 is that both of these parachutes will make parachute operations a tad more safer, and make the option of airborne operations in war a little more feasible for future missions.  Who knows, maybe the military might take another look at Fire Force  type operations as a viable way of attacking enemies?  Parachuting troops in places like Afghanistan, might be a safer option than flying in with helicopters or driving in via convoys.  Parachuting also distributes the forces more.  One missile or one IED can take out a multitude of troops in a helicopter or vehicle.  Parachuting soldiers who are only exposed in the air for around 40 plus seconds, can make them very spread out and very hard to shoot.

    And because the Taliban are such poor shots, I don’t think they could be very effective at shooting soldiers out of the sky as they parachute to the ground. Especially if there is a sniper team on the ground, or some airship circling around and lighting up any enemy forces that want to take a shot. With good night vision kit, and safer parachutes, night time operations might also be more feasible as well.  I am sure airborne troops have thought about all of this stuff for our current wars, and it would be interesting to hear some of their ideas. You just don’t hear a lot about parachuting operations in this war, and it might be worth some further exploration.  Especially if the military is going to invest millions of dollars into two new canopies for the troops, as well as cycle thousands of troops through airborne training. By the way, bravo to the guys at Paraflite for making some awesome parachutes. –Matt

—————————————————-

MC 6

MC 6 parachute.

T 11 parachute. 

Special Forces look to smoke jumpers for new parachutes

By Warren Peace

May 4, 2010

STUTTGART, Germany — Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group recently got a chance to try out the Army’s new MC-6 parachute, which they say will be put to good use when dropping into tight combat zones in Afghanistan.

The MC-6 is more maneuverable than the aging MC-1, which has been used by Special Forces soldiers for years, and the Stuttgart-based soldiers are the first unit in Europe to train with the new chute.

When searching for a new parachute that could drop them into a small landing area, Army Special Forces looked to the smoke jumpers, who are tasked with descending into the heart of Rocky Mountain forest fires, said David Roy, program leader for the MC-6.

“The U.S. forest services have been using this canopy for about 16 years now,” Roy said. “They use it to get into postage-size drop zones in the Rockies as they go to put out fires.”

Plus, the small drop zones and high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains are very similar to the conditions faced by airborne soldiers in Afghanistan, said Maj. Jason Morneault, assistant product manager for Program Manager Clothing and Individual Equipment for the Army.

(more…)

Friday, May 23, 2008

Jobs: SBX-1 Security Force Officer, Hawaii and Alaska

Alright, here are a couple of interesting things with this gig.  This is maritime security stuff, and you will be posted on a boat.  Plus you need to be familiar with an old school M-60, along with all the basic stuff.  This would be a choice gig guys.  Also, I have heard that Chenega has partnered with Blackwater.  As for the wage, that sounds good and all, but Hawaii and Alaska are super expensive anyway to live at.  It is still good though at $ 42.56 per hour for CONUS work! -Head Jundi

Edit: 2/23/2017 Chenega no longer has this contract and I believe AQuate Corporation holds it. Although it looks like they are not recruiting at this time. Definitely give them a call if you want to find out more about it.

———————————————————
Chenega

SBX-1 Security Force Officer – Gold Team (CSPS)

Company: Chenega Corporation
Location: HONOLULU, HI 96801
Status: Full Time,
Employee Job Category: Security/Protective Services
Industry: General/Other
Security/Protective Services Career Level: Experienced (Non-Manager)
Education Level: High School or equivalent

Job Description

Chenega Security & Protection Services, LLC
Job Description

Job Title: Security Force Officer
Contract: Missile Defense Agency Sea Based X-Band Radar (SBX-1)
Reports To: Shift Security Lead
FLSA Status SCA Full-time Non-Exempt (Rotational)
Work Location: Sea Based X-Band Radar (SBX-1) vessel and Adak, AK (including Kuluk Bay) and other locations as required
Summary:
The Security Force Officer provides security services for Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in support of government security requirements for the SBX-1 radar platform, and on-shore in Adak, AK, in support of PSB cargo handling and transfer operations and patrol boat operations when the vessel is moored in Kuluk Bay at Adak, AK. The Security Force Officer will be capable of, and are authorized to, respond to Force Protection Conditions (FPCON) and Maritime Security (MARSEC) measures in accordance with the Statement of Work up to and including deadly force.

Hourly Wage:
$42.56 per hour
$3.16 per hour for Health & Welfare (up to 40 hours per week)

Supervisory Responsibilities:
None

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
• Will arrive at work prior to guard mount, in proper uniform and carrying needed, issued equipment. • Will be armed with a pistol and an automatic weapon and will be required to exercise force up to and including deadly force. • Will draw assigned weapon. • Will participate in Guard Mount, receive assigned post, and copy any extra instructions. • Will carry out general and special orders for post assigned. • Will communicate via radio, telephone and orally according to general and special orders. • Required to interact with public, contractor, and military personnel. • Required to operate effectively in a foreign nation environment, sensitive to cultural differences. • Will provide access control, and conduct walking and motorized security guard functions. • Will be responsible for cleanliness of uniform and equipment assigned. • Will follow applicable standard operating procedures and applicable regulations pertaining to security of weapons, buildings, personnel, government property and equipment. • Will not remove firearms from vessel, required to turn in after shift. • Successfully complete all training and have obtained all required permits, licenses, certifications and security clearances for the site. Required to follow all company personnel and safety policies, and perform all assigned duties in a safe work manner. • May be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays. • Other duties may be assigned. • (more…)

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Jobs: Security Force Officer, Pacific Ocean/Alaska

Filed under: Alaska,Jobs — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 11:18 AM

This company has a lot of interesting opportunities for guys up in Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. Check out their employment section, to look at jobs that might be in your area. –Head Jundi

———————————————————-

Chenega 

 http://www.chenega.com/

Job Description:

Chenega Security & Protection Services, LLC
Job Description

Job Title: Security Force Officer
Contract: Missile Defense Agency Sea Based X-Band Radar (SBX-1)
Reports To: Shift Security Lead
FLSA Status SCA Full-time Non-Exempt (Rotational)
Work Location: Sea Based X-Band Radar (SBX-1) vessel and Adak, AK (including Kuluk Bay) and other locations as required
Summary:
The Security Force Officer provides security services for Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in support of government security requirements for the SBX-1 radar platform, and on-shore in Adak, AK, in support of PSB cargo handling and transfer operations and patrol boat operations when the vessel is moored in Kuluk Bay at Adak, AK. The Security Force Officer will be capable of, and are authorized to, respond to Force Protection Conditions (FPCON) and Maritime Security (MARSEC) measures in accordance with the Statement of Work up to and including deadly force. (more…)

Powered by WordPress