Friday Films: "Lighter Than Air" Collection

Silent films

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 22 October - 21 November 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 15 - 21 November 2018

Reports from before the Russian- Ukrainian activity the impact of which on shipping remains to be seen.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 22 October - 21 November 2... by lawofsea on Scribd

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and W... by lawofsea on Scribd

Preparing for Disasters

Ammo.com provides a handy guide to Preparing for Disasters, just in time for folks who've been through fire, flood, hurricanes and  those who are looking forward to snow and ice storms. As the guide notes,

Every year, nearly 200 million people are impacted by natural disasters, another 99,000 are killed, and over $162 billion a year is spent on the emergency situations they create – a staggering impact that is just the beginning of the far reach of natural disasters. Serious injury, displacement, loss of family, and even the effects PTSD are just a few of the traumatizing results that can be felt long after the disaster itself.

Sam Jacobs emails that the CERT teams have a new website here and there's a larger concept called Citizens Corps:

The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds through:

Preparing the public for local risks with targeted outreach

Engaging voluntary organizations to help augment resources for public safety, preparedness and response capabilities

Integrating the whole community and integrates nontraditional resources to ensure disaster preparedness

The Citizen Corps program includes a national network of over 1,200 state, local, and tribal Citizen Corps Councils bring together local government, business, and community leaders who work to prepare their communities for disaster and to make them more resilient. Councils harnesses the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the hazards and threats facing their community.

Yes, Ammo.com is in the business of selling ammunition, but their guide does provide a public service and I urge you- even those of you who are anti-gun - to take a look at their guide. A few tips in it may save your well-being.

Further, I encourage you to get involved in organizations that prepare for and respond to disasters, including the Rad Cross, Team Rubicon, and the many great church run groups like the Baptist Men, Salvation Army,  etc.

And I was not compensated in any way for linking to their site, if you were wondering.

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: Dangerous Assignment "Investigate Flying Saucers" (1950)

Friday Film: Black Saturday: "The Bombing of the London Docks" World War 2

Germany attacks the industrial and ocean transportation centers of England 1940-1941 in the Blitz.

Attacking the ports, coupled with the U-boat campaign, was a part of the effort to starve the English of food and fuel and force them to submit.



More here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is good to take pause in our lives and count our blessings and give thanks for them.

The Doxology does just that. Enjoy your day.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 15 October - 14 November 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 8 - 14 November 2018

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 15 October - 14 November 2... by lawofsea on Scribd

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and W... by lawofsea on Scribd

On Midrats 18 November 2018 - Episode 463: Audience, Approach, and Obstacles in Military Communications

Please join us at 5pm EST on 18 November 2018 for Midrats Episode 463: Audience, Approach, and Obstacles in Military Communications

How can our navy and its leadership better communicate internally and externally? What are the ways an organization can effectively inform influencers and the public in a way that is accurate, transparent, and effective?

Our guest for the full hour to discuss this and more will be Commander Chris Servello, USN.

Chris has more more than 20 years of global experience in strategic communication, messaging, branding, digital strategy, government affairs, and senior leader coaching.

In preparing for his upcoming terminal leave and transition to the civilian sector, Chris is founding member of Provision Advisors that focuses on building relationships with media, key influencer agents and dynamic communication.

If you can't listen at the regular time, you can pick the show up later by clicking here. Or you can also pick the show up later by visiting either our iTunes page or our Stitcher page.

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: Elgin Annual Thanksgiving Show

A Thanksgiving variety special from 1947.

Friday Film: "The True Glory" (1945)

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 8 October - 7 November 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 1 – 7 November 2018

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 8 October - 7 November 201... by lawofsea on Scribd

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and W... by lawofsea on Scribd

Veteran's Day 2018

Postcard from Millennium Cohort Study

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: "Twelve O'Clock High" (1950)

In honor of veterans, a radio version of the classic film Twelve O'Clock High.

Back in the day we used the film to teach principles of leadership - the contrast between the "Theory X" and "Theory Y" styles of motivation, leadership, and management

While the film and this radio adaptation take place in the Air Corps during WWII, the lessons it has to teach apply to much of our lives, in and out of the service.



This film also taught me about my father's WWII experiences flying B-17s over Germany in those infamous daylight raids, which he discussed only on the rarest of occasions.

Thanks, Vets! Proud and humbled to be among your number.

Friday Film: "Espionage Target -You!" (1964)

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 1 - 31 October 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 25 - 31 October 2018

Highlights:

B. (U) ReCAAP WARNIING 01-10-2018 Date: 30 Oct 2018: The ReCAAP ISC has received information from the
Philippine Focal Point (Philippine Coast Guard) that a group of approximately 10 ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) members armed
with pistol, rifles and grenade launcher is planning to conduct kidnapping activities at any opportune time in undisclosed
areas in Sabah primarily targeting businessmen or ship's crew of foreign vessels passing through the area. They are using
unmarked colored blue and white motorbanca locally known as jungkong. Ship masters and crew are strongly urged to
exercise extra vigilance when transiting the waters off eastern Sabah and Sulu-Celebes Seas.

Issues continue to arise in the Gulf of Guinea, especially off Nigeria, including kidnappings and ship hijackings.

An attempted Somali pirate attack on a merchant ship ended with EU forces seizing and destroying one of the skiffs identified as participating in the attack. See here.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 1 - 31 October 2018 by lawofsea on Scribd

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and W... by lawofsea on Scribd

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: Pacific Story "Malaka Straight Gateway to the Southwest Pacific" (1945)

Chokepoints. So vital to the maritime system.

Friday Film: "Air Raid Warning" (WWII)

Except for a few balloon bombs, during WWII the mainland U.S. was not threatened by air attack. However, the failure to black out lights in cities along the East and Gulf coasts helped the U-boats target ship silhouetted by the lights. So blackouts along the coasts mattered greatly and the folks who helped make sure they were effective were the "Air Raid Wardens" - recruited by films like this one.

Somali Pirates: EU Task Force Acts, Destroys Pirate Craft

Pirate whaler seized and destroyed by EU NAVFOR
:

EU NAVFOR photo

In the morning of Sunday 28th October 2018, EU NAVFOR military personnel seized an active Pirate Action Group (PAG) whaler and destroyed it. This followed a sustained period of surveillance after a piracy attack was conducted against the Hong Kong-flagged Bulk Carrier KSL Sydney. EU NAVFOR is committed to disrupting PAG’s wherever and whenever the opportunity arises and Sunday 28th October was one such occasion.
. . . EU NAVFOR Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) flew over the area to gain as much detailed information on suspected pirate activity as they could. The ability to deploy aircraft and ships immediately to this area proved vital in identifying this latest PAG. The information the MPRA provided made it apparent that PAG whalers were active in the area, which would be used to launch further attacks on maritime shipping transiting the area.

The suspicious whaler identified by the MPRA was later tracked down by the crew of ESPS Castilla to a small bay just off the Somali coast. The Force Commander then ordered it to be seized and towed out to sea where it was safely destroyed.

***

More at EU NAVFOR destruction of pirate vessel: timeline of events
:

16 Oct 18
During the afternoon; a single skiff approached MV KSL SYDNEY in a fast and aggressive manner from the stern and opened fire at the ship’s bridge.
The skiff approached to within five metres of the vessel’s port rear (beam). The suspected pirates had ropes and hooks ready for boarding.
MV KSL Sydney’s armed security team were activated and engaged the suspected pirates in an exchange of small arms fire; this lasted for approximately two minutes.
After the exchange of fire, the skiff disengaged and fled from the scene.
EU NAVFOR resources were deployed to search for the pirate vessel. Continuous surveillance by naval and air assets was maintained in the area.

17 Oct 18
The following morning, a suspicious whaler and a single skiff were sighted by EU NAVFOR surveillance aircraft around 167Nm off the coastline of Somalia, approximately 130Nm from the scene of the attack on MV KSL Sydney.
In a bid to deter surveillance, the suspected pirates used mirrors to flash EU NAVFOR aircraft. Subsequently, they separated and made off at speed in different directions to avoid being tracked.

17-27 Oct 18
During this period, EU NAVFOR maintained ongoing and continuous surveillance in the area using air and naval assets.

27 Oct 18
The search identified the suspect whaler in an area known to have been associated with pirate activity.
The vessel was seized and, after a thorough search, the whaler was confirmed as being the one EU NAVFOR had tracked on 17 Oct 18.
A decision was made by EU NAVFOR to destroy the vessel to prevent it being used for pirate acts.

Not Going Away: "US airstrikes in the Long War"

The Long War Journal reports on the little known airstrikes in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Libya in US airstrikes in the Long War, which is interesting for many reasons.

So far in 2018, those strikes are reported as:

Somalia    28
Yemen      33
Pakistan    4
Libya        5

Keeping the pressure on the bad actors is a good thing.