This Weekend's Pix - Sat & Sun, Jun 9th & 10th, 2012

[He219]

Let's get the party started, in Free China!

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou, second from left, observes the mock battle field during the "Lien Yung" annual joint forces exercises in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan Thursday, June 7, 2012. Taiwan displayed its military might at the first live-fire drill simulating Communist Chinese invasion at the very beginning of the second term in office of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou.

An F-16 drops chaff cartridges during the "Lien Yung" annual joint forces exercises in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan Thursday, June 7, 2012.

US-made White phosphorous hits the target during the Lien Yung military drill in southern Pingtung county on June 7, 2012. Taiwan displayed its military might at the first live-fire drill simulating Communist Chinese invasion at the very beginning of the second term in office of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou.

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An AH-1W attack helicopter fires missiles at ground targets during the "Lien Yung" annual joint forces exercises in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, Thursday, June 7, 2012.

Two Cobra attack helicopters fire their machine guns during the Lien Yung military drill in southern Pingtung county on June 7, 2012. Taiwan displayed its military might at the first live-fire drill simulating Communist Chinese invasion at the very beginning of the second term in office of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou.

A Javelin missile is seen fired from behind a covered position during the Lien Yung annual joint forces exercises in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, June 7, 2012.

US-made CM11 tanks take part during the Lien Yung military drill in southern Pingtung county on June 7, 2012. Taiwan displayed its military might at the first live-fire drill simulating Communist invasion at the very beginning of the second term in office of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou.

Lien Yung military drill in southern Pingtung county on June 7, 2012

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored special forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. This event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the U.S. execution agent for the exercise.

critical tasks

A special operations forces team member from Peru aligns his rifle scope with a target during the critical task No. 2 shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces team member from Peru takes aim at a target with his pistol during the critical task No. 1 shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces team member from El Salvador readies his rifle during the critical task No. 2 shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper team from Honduras pack up their rifles after a successful shoot at the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper team from Trinidad and Tobago make final adjustments during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper from Honduras inspects his ammunition before loading his rifle during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper from El Salvador fires at a target during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A Costa Rican special operations forces sniper team works together to spot their next target during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A U.S. special forces sniper team searches the target area for movement during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper team from Paraguay scans for their next target while a judge looks on during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Photos by Sgt. Christopher Vann
107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
US Army

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored special forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. This event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the U.S. execution agent for the exercise. this year the event is taking place at the Colombian Army National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, Colombia

critical tasks

A special operations forces sniper from Ecuador loads his rifle during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Snipers from Paraguay’s special operations forces team work in unison to eliminate their next target during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper team from Paraguay searches for their next target during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A U.S. special forces sniper patiently waits for a target to appear during the snaps and movers shooting event, June 8, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A U.S. special forces soldier loads his sniper rifle during the FBI “T” shoot event, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A U.S. special forces soldier helps troubleshoot a malfunctioning sniper rifle from the Dominican Republic at the FBI “T” shoot event, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A sniper from the Dominican Republic fires his rifle at the FBI “T” shoot event, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida

A Guatemalan special operations forces sniper team drags a 154lb sked over rough terrain before firing, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper from Mexico takes aim at his target at the FBI "T" shoot event, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A sniper from Guyana ejects a spent round at the FBI “T” shoot event, June 7, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

Positions June 9, 2012 9:00 AM

[He219]

Nice pix, Santana!

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle waits in the encapsulation cell of the Evolved Expendable Launch vehicle at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida in this April 5, 2010 handout photo provided by the U.S. Air Force. The unmanned miniature space shuttle owned and operated by the U.S. military is due back to Earth as early as today after 15 months in orbit. What the X-37B has been doing is classified, as is the exact day and time of touchdown. Landing will be at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with Edwards Air Force Base serving as backup.

US President Barack Obama outpaces his winded security detail to greet a group of people upon disembarking from Air Force One at the San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on June 6, 2012. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was set to win the Republicans' California primary on Tuesday, a week after passing the delegate tally needed to take on Barack Obama. Romney has slammed the Obama administration's stewardship of the economy, arguing that his background as a successful venture capitalist has given him the business acumen needed to speed up the sluggish recovery.

Plain clothds special forces of the Swiss army exercise during a practice session in Epeisses, Switzerland , Friday, June 8, 2012.

Plain clothed special forces of the Swiss army exercise during a practice session in Epeisses, Switzerland, Friday, June 8, 2012.

US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (C) speaks with Commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General John Allen (L) and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker (R) upon his arrival at Kabul International Airport on June 7, 2012 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Panetta's arrival in the Afghan capital, on an unannounced trip to review the status of the war and to discuss troop draw-down plans, is taking place in the wake of a suicide attack in the capital and reports of an errant NATO airstrike killing civilians in the south of the country the previous day.

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz (L) passes the Air Force Materiel Command guidon, or unit flag, to Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger during a promotion ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, in this handout photograph taken on June 5, 2012 and released on June 6. The promotion makes Gen. Wolfenbarger the first female four-star general in the Air Force.

U.S. Gen. James D. Thurman, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, salutes during a monument dedication ceremony to honor the U.S. Forces Korea and Korean Augmentees who were killed in the line of duty while stationed in the Korea following the 1953 Armistice at U.S. military base in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, June 8, 2012.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, left, and U.S. Gen. James D. Thurman, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, right, attend a monument dedication ceremony to honor the U.S. Forces Korea and Korean augmentees who were killed in the line of duty while stationed in the Korea following the 1953 Armistice at U.S. military base in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, June 8, 2012.

Britain's Prince William poses in a Sea King helicopter at the Royal Air Force base Valley in Anglesey, Wales in a recent photo released June 7, 2012. Prince William, or Flight Lieutenant Wales as he is known in the military, has qualified as an operational captain within the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force, his office said. He will now command Search and Rescue operations in RAF Sea King helicopters as until now he has only co-piloted the aircraft.

Soldiers with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mission ECOMIB stand guard at the Bissau airport, as Angolan soldiers, who arrived in March 2011 as part of a bilateral military agreement with Guinea-Bissau, load a plane as they prepare to leave the country, on June 6, 2012, in Bissau.

Angolan military officers and soldiers, who arrived in March 2011 as part of a bilateral military agreement with Guinea-Bissau, overlook the loading of a tank onto a military cargo plane as they prepare to leave Bissau, on June 6, 2012, at the airport.

Armored vehicules are loaded onto a boat as Angolan military officers and soldiers, who arrived in March 2011 as part of a bilateral military agreement with Guinea-Bissau, prepare to leave the country, on June 6, 2012, at the port in Bissau. Angolan troops, whose presence angered local soldiers and prompted a coup in April, on June 6 began leaving Guinea-Bissau, an AFP journalist witnessed. An Angolan cargo plane left Bissau mid-morning carrying men, tanks and heavy weaponry while an Angolan ship which arrived on Tuesday night loaded armoured vehicles and containers as it prepared to leave for Luanda. An officer with an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mission ECOMIB which is replacing the Angolan mission, said the withdrawal will take place over 'five days, at the rythm of the Angolan government.'

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

sniper stalk event

Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored special forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. This event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the U.S. execution agent for the exercise.

Special operations forces snipers from Canada plan an entry strategy into the sniper stalk event field, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida

Special operations forces snipers competing in Fuerzas Comando 2012 move rapidly towards the field where they will try to remain invisible to the judges, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida

Special operations forces snipers listen to last minute instructions before starting the sniper stalk event for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida. Fuerzas Comando.

A special operations forces sniper from Canada prepares for the sniper stalk event, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper makes some last minute adjustments before the Fuerzas Comando sniper stalk event begins, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Special operations forces snipers move steadily into the sniper stalk event field, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

[He219]

A man shouts a slogan as hundreds of heavily armed Libyans from a 'Pro Sharia' group demonstrate on June 7, 2012, in front of the courthouse in Benghazi, for the implementation of the Sharia Law across Libya.

A man sits next to an anti-aircraft artillery weapon as hundreds of heavily armed Libyans from a 'Pro Sharia' group demonstrate on June 7, 2012, in front of the courthouse in Benghazi, for the implementation of the Sharia Law across Libya.

An anti-Gaddafi fighter takes part in a demonstration in Benghazi June 7, 2012 to demand the application of Islamic law, or Sharia law, in Libya.

[fbianchi]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

Please, can someone ID this camo?
Is the honduran army using AOR2?

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored special forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. This event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the U.S. execution agent for the exercise.

sniper field shoot

A special operations forces sniper from Trinidad and Tobago scans the horizon for potential targets during the sniper field shoot for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Special operations forces snipers from Chile scan the horizon for potential targets during the sniper field shoot event for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center.

Special operations forces snipers from Guyana scan the horizon for targets during the sniper field shoot event for Fuerzas Comando at the Colombian National Training Center at Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012.

A special operations forces sniper from Trinidad and Tobago scans the horizon for potential targets during the sniper field shoot for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Special operations forces snipers from El Salvador scan the horizon for potential targets during the sniper field shoot event for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Special operations forces snipers from Paraguay scan the horizon for targets during the sniper field shoot event for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

Special operations forces from Costa Rica determine the distance of a target during the sniper field shoot event, June 9, 2012 for the Fuerzas Comando competition at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

A special operations forces sniper from Costa Rica determines the distance of a target during the sniper field shoot event for Fuerzas Comando, June 9, 2012, at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida.

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

assault team critical tasks

A members of the special operations forces from Colombia participates in the assault team critical task event for Fuerzas Comando 2012 at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012. Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored special forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. This event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of special operations forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the U.S. execution agent for the exercise.

A member of the special operations forces from Guatamala participates in the assault team critical task event for Fuerzas Comando 2012 at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012.

A member of the special operations forces from Belize participates in the assault team critical task event for Fuerzas Comando 2012 at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012.

A member of the special operations forces from Belize participates in the assault team critical task event for Fuerzas Comando 2012 at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012.

A member of the special operations forces from Brazil participates in the assault team critical task event for Fuerzas Comando 2012 at the Colombian National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, June 9, 2012.

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

(Some Random Pictures of the event)

Fuerzas Comando, established in 2004, is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored Special Forces skills competition and senior leader seminar which is conducted annually. The event is aimed at enhancing training and strengthening regional and multinational cooperation, mutual trust, readiness and interoperability of Special Forces in the region. Special Operations Command South serves as the execution agent for the exercise. this year the event is taking place at the Colombian Army National Training Center on Fort Tolemaida, Colombia

Members of the US Special Forces Team during the shooting event

Member of the US Special Forces Team during the event

Members of the US Special Forces Team during the event

Member of the US Special Forces Team during the shooting event

A Members of the US Special Forces Team during the shooting event

Carabineros From Chile

A Member of the Colombian Special Forces Team during the shooting event

A Member of the Colombian Special Forces Team during the shooting range competition skills event

A Member of the Colombian Special Forces Team during the shooting range competition skills event

A Sniper from the Ecuadorian Army Team

Snipers from the Honduras Army Special Forces Team

The Colombian Special Forces Team of Fuerzas Comando 2012

A brief of the judges before an event at Fuerzas Comando 2012

[spleify]

Outstanding photography work, I am always so amazed byt it!

[droopy]

Outstanding photography work, I am always so amazed byt it!

+1 Thank you all.

[Dave76]

The USS Iowa makes her way through the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles to her permanent home, Berth 87, in San Pedro, Calif. on June 9, 2012. The battleship, which served the United States through victory and tragedy during six decades at sea, will dock at San Pedro to become a floating museum. Lori Shepler / *******

This picture shows the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft, Long March-2F rocket, and escape tower that will be transferred to the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province, June 9, 2012. China will launch its Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft sometime in mid-June to perform the country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Sgt. Judah Kelber, just off the bus at Camp Lejeune, N.C., holds his son Aaron, just shy of 10 weeks old, shortly after meeting him for the first time upon returning from a seven-month deployment to Afghanistan March 6, 2012. Photo by Sarah Kelber

A soldier from the U.S. Army's Alpha Company, 1-12 Infantry, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, runs across open ground to avoid sniper fire at Combat Outpost Pirtle-King in Afghanistan's Kunar Province. (Tim Wimborne/******* photo)

An Israeli security officer holds tear gas canisters during clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian protesters at a demonstration against the nearby Jewish settlement of Kdumim, in the West Bank village of Kfar Kadum, near Nablus June 8, 2012. *******/Mohamad Torokman

A Pakistani man, center, reacts after learning of the death of his brother at the site of a bus explosion on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, June 8, 2012. A bomb tore through a bus carrying government employees and other civilians in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing several people in an attack that served as a reminder of the continued militant threat despite a significant drop in violence over the past year, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

[santana]

Fuerzas Comando 2012

updated positions and score for June 10th