Posted on

How Marines Celebrate the Fourth of July (or any day)

If the United States Marine Corps knows how to celebrate any holiday well, it would be July 4th – both the original holiday celebrating our independence from British rule, as well as the more recent victory against the alien invasion which Capt Hiller (Will Smith) and David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) so thankfully repelled.  So to honor this stellar beer-drinking, sunburning three day holiday weekend, why don’t we start it off with what we Marines do best: blow stuff up.

Continue reading “How Marines Celebrate the Fourth of July (or any day)”

Posted on

Marines Unleash 2 SMAW Rockets at the Taliban

What’s better than a live SMAW rocket exploding on a known Taliban position in Afghanistan?  Two SMAW rockets – because in the Marine Corps we don’t like to fight fair.  Ever.  Maybe that’s why we win all the time?  Anywho, above is a stellar moto video out of one of my former vacation spots – Helmand Province – which features a patrol that unleashes not one, but TWO Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon rockets at what started off as a Taliban position, and then likely ended up being more of that lovely Afghan moon dust.  More after the video and the link below!

Continue reading “Marines Unleash 2 SMAW Rockets at the Taliban”

Posted on

Part 2: Helmet Cam Firefight Video from Afghanistan

If you thought part one was intense yesterday, wait until you experience the next ten minutes of this Afghanistan firefight through the lens of a US Army SAW gunner’s high definition helmet cam – part two above raises the intensity level even higher.  Whereas the first video just showcased the soldiers fighting back from the same location, part two we get to see the platoon commander request air support, and watch as the entire platoon fights its way back to a stronger defensive position.  Awesome video – stop reading, and watch above – then hit the link below for more award winning commentary!

Continue reading “Part 2: Helmet Cam Firefight Video from Afghanistan”

Posted on

Helmet Cam Firefight Video in Afghanistan

There’s nothing quite like 11 minutes of intense firefight video footage from a soldier’s helmet cam in Afghanistan to get you rolling before work on a Wednesday morning – am I right?  Watch through this M240 SAW gunner’s helmet cam as his squad or platoon gets caught up in a crazy firefight which has them pinned down in a nearby mud hut compound, and this time the Taliban aren’t leaving anytime soon.  More tactical video commentary after the link below!

Continue reading “Helmet Cam Firefight Video in Afghanistan”

Posted on

Books We Like: Inside the Jihad, My Life With Al Qaeda

“Gentlemen, at this very moment, there are Al Qaeda forces that are training to kill you and your Marines.  They train high up in the oxygen-depleted mountains of Afghanistan, and if you think our training is hard, then try hauling a PKM (Soviet-style, medium machine gun) up to 12,000 feet, in bare feet over rocky terrain – oh, and at night without NVG’s.”

I can’t tell you how many times I heard that comment during my four years in the Marine Corps – which included a seven month hunting trip to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province – but it was a lot.  And it was motivating.  Little did I know however, was that this quote was actually legitimate; it’s not that I thought it wasn’t true, but you know how things can be exaggerated. I uncovered the truth just a few short weeks ago as I finished up maybe the most thrilling spy story I have ever read: Inside the Jihad – My Life with Al Qaeda, by Omar Nasiri. It is the jaw-dropping story of a former spy that infiltrated the most dangerous terrorist organization on the planet, and lived to tell about it.  And this is a post telling you to go get this book – as in right now.

Continue reading “Books We Like: Inside the Jihad, My Life With Al Qaeda”

Posted on

Actual Combat Footage of Medal of Honor Winner During Battle of Ganjgal in Afghanistan

With Memorial Day less than 72 hours away – I can smell those burgers and brats now – I couldn’t think of a better time to post arguably one of the best Afghanistan combat footage videos I have encountered to this date.  You have most likely heard the name Sgt Dakota Meyer before: he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his absolutely incredibly heroic actions during the Battle of Ganjgal, when his entire Marine Corps/US Army/Afghan National Army Embedded Training Team (ETT) came under heavy ambush.  But have you heard the name Captain William Swenson before?  Capt Swenson was a critical member and leader of that ETT, and is the second living Medal of Honor recipient from that same intense Battle in Eastern Afghanistan.  Believe it or not folks, this video is actual combat footage from that harrowing night – a firefight in which 5 US servicemembers and 8 Afghan soldiers lost their lives – and will help remind all of us that every Memorial Day – first and foremost – is a time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. More commentary after the link below – as well as a map diagram of the firefight, and links to both Medal of Honor citations.

Continue reading “Actual Combat Footage of Medal of Honor Winner During Battle of Ganjgal in Afghanistan”

Posted on

Week In Review

You’re quickly learning that Slightly Qualified likes all things pop culture. Throw in military videos and gaming panache, and we’re probably one of the more eclectic websites you’ve had the pleasure of viewing. We’re a diversified portfolio of interweb goodness.

Raffman posted about a crossfit chap who did 106 – scratch that – zero pull ups at once. He also talks about a 500 lb bomb that almost hit the wrong soldiers. Raffman also discusses a few iOS games like Knifehand and Wayward Souls. And to keep us in touch with our memes, he collected all kinds of fun ginger and Canada pics for your perusing enjoyment. Make sure you don’t miss out on Bill Murray impersonating Harry Caray either.

I had fun writing about some Pandora stations you probably should be listening to. We’re still quoting from these five movies and cannot, for the life of us, stop it. Technically, these were from last week, but make sure you pick up the new Black Keys album Turn Blue and three minutes of your life is a small price for watching Eric Bana in the Deliver Us From Evil trailer.

Our friends at Linkiest are covering everything from athletes to unicorns. LFGdating remains the only dating site for the gamer/geek/nerd in you. And Clumsy Crooks catalogues all things insanely stupid about criminals and their inability to do their job well.

Posted on

Controlled Detonation in Afghanistan Nearly Kills Two Soldiers

Just like that danger close 500 lb bomb video I posted yesterday, this controlled det video from Afghanistan will make you check your pacemaker.  Although some folks over in the magical land of YouTube are calling this footage out as fake, I’ve replayed it a few times over and it looks/sounds real enough to me.  I’ve had Afghan rocks rain down on my kevlar after a 50 lb IED went off in Helmand, so it’s not like I don’t know what I’m talking about (no, I wasn’t EOD either, so I guess that kinda validates the reason why we called this kick ass website “slightly qualified”, eh?).  But enough talk – you need to watch the video and decide for yourself.  More after the jump!

Continue reading “Controlled Detonation in Afghanistan Nearly Kills Two Soldiers”

Posted on

KnifeHand: the iOS Game for Marines Standing By to Stand By

Listen up Marines: sit, kneel, bend, or do whatever you have to do to keep yourselves awake for this brief, because it pertains to that rampant boredom naturally overcomes every single one of you after hours upon hours of standing by to stand by.  Just recently I came across a new iOS game developer – a former Marine – who makes iPhone games specifically for us.  The game development company’s name is SgtBit, and the game I present to SQ Company, 1st Civ Div is KnifeHand: an addicting, but simple side scrolling platform runner in which you run across mud rooftops in Afghanistanimationland in nothing but skivvies, police calling as much as you can along the way while avoiding NJP’s and some guy named Jody (creator’s name, perhaps?).  Can you beat my high score? Probably not; more details and the official SQ KnifeHand High Score challenge below!

Continue reading “KnifeHand: the iOS Game for Marines Standing By to Stand By”

Posted on

Danger Close Video: 500 Pound Bomb Drops on US Soldiers by Mistake

Alright, everyone check your pants.  Okay, now check them again.  In a combat zone, direct air support – whether it comes from a Huey or an AC-130 Gunship – is almost always a motivational, morale-boosting, and Taliban-smoking experience.  I say almost always because sometimes mistakes are made in either the chain of communication when placing the order for a Super Sized, 500 pound bomb, or in the actual delivery by the pilot in the sky.  In this instance that was one of those moments in which a mistake was made, but thankfully no friendlies were hurt.  Don’t pass on this video – as always more salty commentary after the link!

Continue reading “Danger Close Video: 500 Pound Bomb Drops on US Soldiers by Mistake”

Posted on

Marine Gets Hilarious Deployment Letter from Kid

If you’ve deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq over the last decade, then you’ve likely received or seen one of your buddies crack open a care package filled with dozens of cards from kids.  I have a mother, sister and multiple cousins that are school teachers, so you could say I got my fair share of cards from kids back home, and I would say one out of every ten or so was an absolutely hilarious one.  Kids – especially when they’re young – don’t know anything but honesty, so that can result in some award-winning deployment cards.  I thought I had seen some awesome ones until the one below (hit that link – you know you want to) pretty much trumped it.

Continue reading “Marine Gets Hilarious Deployment Letter from Kid”

Posted on

Jarhead 2 Movie Trailer Failure

Wait, what?  Jarhead 2?  Yeah, that’s the exact same reaction I had when I saw this earlier today.  Apparently some movie investor out there believed the “Jarhead” name still had some financial value associated with it, so now Jarhead 2 is coming (thankfully) straight to Blu-Ray & DVD on August 19th.  You would think this is Gulf War, or at least Anthony Swofford related, but it’s not; Jarhead 2 actually takes place in Afghanistan, and to be completely honest the movie looks like a train wreck.

Continue reading “Jarhead 2 Movie Trailer Failure”