Feral Jundi

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

UAE: The UAE Military Is Recruiting 3,000 Colombians

Filed under: Colombia,Military News,UAE — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 11:11 AM

The UAE has 80,000 square kilometers and have some military forces of around 50,000 troops. Because oil is one of the world’s richest nations. Although only 900,000 native citizens, has a population of 6 million people from countless nations. “What we realized the UAE, and is the reason why they are rapidly strengthening its army incorporating soldiers of different nationalities, is that they have several threats that make them very vulnerable. Our mission further includes different aspects ranging from urban defense against terrorist attacks and control civil uprisings and even be prepared against possible border conflict with Iran. “explains exoficial.
One reason why the government decided to accelerate UAE recently hiring former military around the world has to do with what has happened in countries hit by the so-called Arab spring, consisting of civil uprisings that ended with the overthrow governments in several countries in the Middle East.

Check this news out. This came through a Google Alert I set up, and I had to translate it in order to see what was up. The above quote is what grabbed my attention. The UAE is planning for a future where refugees and problems are streaming from other ‘collapsing’ countries, or even having to deal with internal rebellion or their own Arab Spring. That, and protecting oil infrastructure and pipelines requires a lot of muscle.

Not to mention that if Iran lashes back if they are attacked by Israel, then the UAE might be a potential target. Either way, they are wanting to recruit a bunch of foreign soldiers with combat experience.

Now this is a separate deal from the Reflex Responses gig, at least from what I can gather. The UAE military is directly recruiting these guys and paying them pretty good.

An active soldier in Colombia earn on average 950,000 pesos a month. Figure down to 690,000 when they are pensioners. Being part of the UAE Army soldier to that pay almost 5 million pesos. The figures are based on range. A lieutenant, who earns approximately 1,400,000 pesos in Colombia, is tempted to go for a salary of 6 and a half million pesos a month. The offer for a colonel in Colombia perceived 5,500,000, can reach $ 18,000.

Colombia is probably a little worried that the UAE will draw all of their top tier retired guys, or even motivate some folks to leave the military just to join this crew. I also imagine Colombians will be popular contract soldiers in Mexico, now that Nieto has won and his ‘security adviser’ is a retired Colombian general. lol –Matt

 

Former members of the homeland to the United Arab
June 30, 2012
More than 800 former military nation Colombians, many of them elite, have enlisted in the Army in the UAE. We pay up to $ 18,000 a month. One that does not stop bleeding.

For the past year, dozens of the best soldiers in the country are leaving the ranks of the Colombian Army. Most of them are seasoned experienced military who fought in elite units and special forces, among others. The reason why many have decided to hang up their uniforms after ten or 15 years of service is as exotic as controversial. Resigned from the army of his country to travel and sign up to join the Army and military in the UAE.

The matter has not been away from controversy and in some sectors of the disbanded army has caused discomfort. “They have recruited experienced soldiers in combat, men with years of valuable service and that the Army also has invested heavily in their training. It is certainly a loss for the Army. But there’s not much you can do because it is not nothing illegal, “said to Semana a general. What says the officer summarized the official position of the Armed Forces, who are powerless such recruitment. “The trouble is we can not do anything to retain and prevent the lower request because it is a matter of supply and demand. To go to UAE are paid wages that are five to ten times more than they earn here,” says the general.

(more…)

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Military News: Private Contractors Key To UK Army, Says Philip Hammond

The same thing that applies to the US, is being applied to the UK. Contractors are an essential element to raising an army quickly, or maintaining the one you have. It ensures that the soldiers you do have, are in fact fighting forces and not just cooks or range maintenance folks. You can also build up that support force, or quickly tear it down, and there is no legacy costs like pensions to worry about.

Now the thing that I am curious about is the ‘inherently governmental’ debate happening places like parliament, think tanks and committees. How much will the British allow contractors to actually do when it comes to the gun related contracts in the future?

One thing that is definitely giving a good show as to the effectiveness and capability of armed security contractors is the anti-piracy efforts of the companies right now. Armed guards on boats, along with the history of British contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, are all experiences that are adding to the debate of what contractors are capable of.  Interesting stuff and we will see how the British military and leaders navigate this aspect of force. –Matt

 

Private contractors key to Army, says Philip Hammond
7 June 2012
The British army will have to rely more on part-time reserves and private contractors, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is expected to say later.
In a speech to military experts, he is due to say the future will involve “thinking innovatively about how combat service support is provided”.
Under the Strategic Defence and Security Review the Army will shrink from 102,000 to 82,000 troops by 2020.
Mr Hammond says there will be “difficult” decisions ahead.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the speech at the annual Land Warfare Conference in London will give some clues as to how this rebalancing will be achieved, ahead of a full announcement later this month.
Mr Hammond is expected to tell an audience at the Royal United Services Institute there will be a need to use “more systematically the skills available in the reserve and from our contractors”.
Our correspondent says: “A total of £1.8bn is to be invested in the reserve forces, with a focus on certain niche areas such as cyber warfare, medical and intelligence.”

(more…)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Veteran News: Memorial Day– The Hero Dead Still Play Their Part…

The hero dead cannot expire:
The dead still play their part.
-Charles Sangster

For this year’s Memorial Day, I wanted to find a quote and theme that best described my feelings about the sacrifice and service of our dead military and contractor heroes of wars past and present.

The dead speak to us every day, and they speak loudest on days of remembrance. They tell us not to forget what they gave to this country. They tell us not to forget the cost of war, and to be damned sure that future wars we fight are worthy of the blood and sacrifice of heroes.

But they also want us to live our lives. A life that they would be proud of if they were to visit us today. They would want us to keep our heads up and go forth into the world to live a life fulfilled. To raise our families, lead our communities, prosper and be happy, and to live honorable lives.

So remember the hero dead today, and every day. But also remember that the hero dead still play their part in our lives and in this country, and we should by inspired and guided by what their deaths say and by what their deaths mean. –Matt

 

 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Military News: Lessons Learned–The Battle Of Ganjgal Valley Simulation

This is an excellent simulation of this battle, and a big thanks to Matt at Facebook for giving me the heads up. Long War Journal also posted this thing, and keep your eyes on the comments there if you want to review feedback.

Might I also add if you didn’t know already, that this was the battle that Marine Dakota Meyer participated in and received the Medal of Honor for. So it is cool to see exactly what went down that day in the form of a video simulation.

As to my comments on the battle? I think the lessons learned posted at the end say it all. Also, from a private military point of view, you can see how important it is for everyone involved in the machine to be on the same sheet of music and to have excellent intelligence to make good plans.

Also, you can see how vital support was to this task force of Marines, Afghan soldiers, and Army. To be able to support your operations versus depending on someone else to arrange that support or give that is the ultimate in self-sufficiency and mobility. Having their own mortars to provide their own organic fire support, or even having drones like the Switchblade would have been nice to have.

Just look at what happens when you have to depend upon a command post operations center that was incompetent or too bureaucratic/inefficient to support a task force like this?  Or look what happens when they are overwhelmed or understaffed?

Another point I wanted to make is Incident Command versus what the military tries to do in war. I think the military could learn from forest fire fighting dispatching centers. They are fast paced, chaotic, and people depend upon a dispatcher’s quick decision making to support fire fighting.

When I was a forest fire fighter back in the day, I got a chance to be a dispatcher. Decisions made in the dispatch center saved lives and property, and we supported operations during times of normal fire activity, all the way up to ‘the entire world was on fire and pure chaos was the result’. lol It is a tough job, and mentally you will be pushed. (it is a multi-tasker’s profession, and women do well at it)

As a dispatcher, you have to understand the needs of those in the field, and bend over backwards to ensure they are supported for their fight. You must be able to operate like this, at all times and in all conditions, and get it right every time. Incident Command is a key command system that makes this work. So when I view how this command post operations center operated in this battle, I have to shake my head in disbelief.

Another thing with dispatching is that highly experienced forest fire fighters were very nice to have in these centers, just because they could interpret the events happening out in the field, and help devise better plans of support. That they could share the reality of the folks out in the field, far better than a dispatcher that has never been out in the field. That’s not to say that dispatchers without fire fighting experience are not good–it’s just they do not have the same ‘orientation’ as experienced fire fighters. (OODA totally applies to this battle, and fire fighting/dispatching)

Although, both types of dispatchers helped tremendously. Two different types of orientation, all contributing to a fast paced decision making environment… I think military folks could learn a few things from these centers.

Also, the company that produced this video put together some fantastic training videos on squad movements and other infantry related skills. Either way, check it out and let me know what you think? –Matt

 

In this undated photo released by the U.S. Marines, Sgt. Dakota Meyer poses for a photo while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Ganjgal Village, Kunar province, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/U.S. Marines)

 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Cool Stuff: SOFREP, A Website ‘Organized For Victory’ And Authored By Spec Ops Veterans

This is a great resource and I highly recommend checking out this site. SOFREP is a website authored by some fantastic writers who are all veterans of the special operations community. If you follow Feral Jundi on facebook, or are a reader of such sites as Kit Up, you will recognize a few of them. Definitely check them out if you are interested in this aspect of military operations and like them on FB if you are active there. Also, if you have an RSS reader, here is their feed. –Matt

 

Brandon Webb, Executive Media Director
Jack Murphy, USASOC Editor
Bill Janson, MARSOC Editor
Glen Doherty, NSWC Editor
Laura Simonian, Media Coordinator
Contributing Editors – Fire Support
Clinton Emerson
Sean Nack
Steve Speirs
Mike Ritland
ORGANIZED FOR VICTORY!!!
SOFREP.COM (Special Operations Forces Report) is the number one site for authentic, accurate, and timely information related to the US and Allied Special Operations Community. In addition to daily reports and edgy media content, we offer an in-depth Special Operations “Wiki”.  We have taken content from all of the US SOCOM component commands and customized it in a way that is easy to understand and navigate.
What Makes us Unique?
Typical news and media sites provide perspective about the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community and have no Special Operations background or understanding of our community.  This lack of understanding leads to fundamental errors in reporting on SOF current events .  Until now…..
A Unified Team of Operators
For the first time a group of former US SOCOM Operators have united as one team.  We represent all branches of Special Operations; Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC), Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC), and US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).  Our Editors are ALL former Special Operations personnel with combat experience; they are responsible for managing their respective branch content and keeping the cultural integrity and authenticity intact.  What does this mean to you? It means that you are getting SOF news and information straight from the experts.
This is where interested individuals go to learn about all branches of the Special Operations community.  Want to learn about Air Force Special Operations? Go to AFSOC.  Want to compare Army SOF to Navy SOF? Go into USASOC or NSWC to get personal perspective and decide what community best suits your interests. What is Marine Corps Special Operations about? Click Marsoc. Concerned parent? Send us a Comms Check and ask a real operator that’s been there done that.
SOFREP TV
Look for exciting short series shows like our very own Inside The Team Room and Behind the Brand. These shows are directed and produced in house. Inside The Team Room will launch in April so stay tuned.
War Room
The War Room is the place to go for unique and legitimate content about Special Operations history and current events.
If you are a Special Operations enthusiast, future Special Operations candidate, or just a veteran just looking to re-connect, you finally have one simple resource to turn to for legitimate perspective.  The Team and I welcome you to the site and appreciate your participation and contribution as a SOFREP Team member.
Editor-in-Chief
Brandon Webb (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Class 215)

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