Greetings and Salutations!
Appreciate all the input on the C-Ration and recibees everyone came and added to the discussion. And yes, to answer y’all my personal favorite was the “Vomlet” as one of you oh so succinctly termed it… I had forgotten that one!
And as to how I prepared mine?
It was pretty easy to a point. As I was realistically “Mechanized Infantry” to a point as we ran the M998A1 Gun Trucks for our TOW Systems, MK-19s and M-2 .50cals, I had the ability to ‘spoil’ myself with a little ‘extra gear’ in the truck. BY NO MEANS did I hump this shit, and IF I did? Well… it just wasn’t possible really. ALL of us in the Platoon kept, scrounged or bought a 40mm ammo can.
Because we were a Delta Company (Heavy Weapons) our trucks had both the TOW Missile Racks for the spare TOW rounds (6 extras) as well as floor frames for the .50cal Ammo Cans, and even the frames for the 40mm. These were mounted all over what remaining floor space in the cargo area was left. An example:
That’s a .50 w/a tandem 40mm can frame.
Anyway
Because we had the space, I used to keep a teeny cook pot and my camp stove with my Spices as well as my paperback books. Plus Ramen. A whoooole lotta Ramen.
What made my Omelet w/Ham so good was the Ramen. I’d cook one up in the bowl, add the Mrs. Dash… usually the Garlic and Onion one. As the Ramen was almost done, I’d add the Omelet all squished up… you never left it in one BIG nasty piece… that was the trick… pulp that sucker. The add the other pieces/parts of the MRE which usually included the Cheese Spread, and the Escalloped Taters. Mix it ALL together in a goulash sort of thing, and lastly add the cracker pack all smashed to crumbs to thicken everything up.
THAT was the way to eat it.
Mind you I still could eat it if it was cold and slimy in the pouch, but if I had the time and could put in the effort? Why the Hell not?
So, as I had stated, I found an interesting article in multiple sources as saying that the Russians had proof positive that US Troops were killed in Kursk. This of course got my attention.
The story is HERE
Now, a couple of other pics were on the Telegram channel referenced:
That’s the Stryker in question supposedly.
They also provided, as see above a “Crew Roster Card” which I of course had to check out in depth.
Then there was another card that they provided showing what appears to be a standard Radio Callsign Card that most Team Leaders would have:
Now being the curious sort I am and with my resources, I found it highly unlikely that any US Troop in any capacity would be rolling into a Hot No-Go Zone with such a sensitive… Hell potentially explosive item(s) on-hand.
(I also highly doubt that any ‘regular ground troops are there as of now, especially in Kursk… maybe some ‘sheep dipped’ SPECOPS kids, but anyways… ) I also got really curious about the Roster, so I did a dive on the names. Two of them were all it took for me to call bullshit on the entire claim.
The first, the Battalion Radio Callsign Card. First off, this’s a normal Item for folks to have. I had one back in the day, Hell ALL of us had one I think depending on your unit… so this is a normal DotMil/Infantry item so to speak… and it could be considered a ‘sensitive item’ in that you do not want the bad guys to get ahold of it. Anyway… I noticed and enlarged the two corners. The first was the upper left, which has what the primary unit the card it for listed:
Reading closely it says (to me, and correct me if I’m wrong
“3-21 IN GIMLET” and the breakdown of the units under it. I then enlarged the lower right corner, where there is Unit Crest in the Corner:
A wee bit blurry
HOWEVER, when I pulled up the 3-21 Webpage I got this:
I’d call that a match.
I also found the Wiki that states that the ‘Mascot’ so to speak is a Gimlet:
A Gimlet being defined as gimlet is a cocktail made with gin or vodka, sweetened lime juice, and sometimes soda water.
Huh… no idea if that part is correct, but if it is? It’s the first time I’ve heard of an Infantry Battalion having a booze-drink identified as it’s official mascot…
So… Now that that’s been established.
I moved on to the Crew Roster.
The Vehicle Commander/Platoon Sgt (at least by rank, E-7) clearly shows the name as SFC Steven Adams. I looked him up via a goolag search. It came back immediately with a PIO (Public Information Officer) Picture of him:
Now, as you can see…
Taken in Alaska. Back in 2018. I’m pretty sure this’s him, but seeing that this SFC Adams is also a member of 3-21 Infantry, I’d call that a solid hit.
The next name I got a hit on was PFC Garret Robinson.
Again another PIO Picture:
It doesn’t list his specific Battalion, but does say he’s a member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry also in Alaska. This was in 2019. In fact he’s in this picture is doing the “Alaska Best Warrior Competion”.
I’m seeing a pattern.
Finally, the last one I got a positive hit on was the one I found the most curious. A female listed at the bottom. In this case SPC Erica Hemminger. When I ran her through the goolag, I got her Instagram (of course!):
Link HERE
Her pics that showed her service (dated back also in 2017/18):
And:
Now, I was curious if she was a grunt or what? The ‘lift’ on females serving as Eleven Series was done in 2013. I thought she might be a Grunt, until I saw this pic:
That was in 2016.
Considering the rest of the Crew Roster is done by rank, and she appears to be a Spc-4 ‘Add-On’ at the bottom, I think she was the Platoon Medic. I can only extrapolate her via those 3 poasts. One she’s in Alaska, Two she’s in the Motor Pool pulling maintenance and turning wrenches on HER Stryker and third, she’s getting more Medical Training. SO she’s either a medic or a Combat Lifesaver Grunt… either way
She’s actually a cutie IMO.
Too cute to be a Grunt.
After all of this, I think I found enough evidence convince me and others that the card(s) and info were old news. As in the vehicle probably used to belong to the 1st Stryker Brigade, 25th Infantry, assigned to the 3-21st Infantry Gimlet Battalion, but somewhere along the ways, it got passed down since 2018 (which to be fair was almost six years ago) until it eventually ended up in the hands of the Krainian Empire…
Whereupon the Russians ‘zapped’ it.
My hunch?
Someone lost these cards… More than likely in 2018 +/- judging from the pics and names/dates and that ALL of the folks line up with being in/stationed in Alaska in the timeframe. The cards themselves? They probably fell down a crack between -something- heavy and/or immovable, and at the time, someone, probably whomever lost them, said “Fuck It” as most Grunts are wont to do and left them.
They only got ‘discovered’ when the Russians wiped out the Stryker, and the 8 folks on board, and detail-stripped every. single. piece. of it out of the hull. They probably found the cards and had a “Ah HA!” Moment. Which brings me to the next and last pieces of evidence.
First is this picture that shows Corporal Brandon Sanchez in the red beret w/ a 10th Group SF Patch. Not sure who the other SP4 is, but I -think- the black beret guy isn’t Sanchez… tough to say. Supposedly this pic was found in the wreckage of the Stryker as well.
Problem is, the guy in the picture is a Hard Stripe Four, i.e. a Corporal, so that doesn’t match with the roster.
The only evidence I can find of a Brandon Sanchez is this:
…which lists him as a “Veteran” which means he’s out, and that he was an E-5 Sergeant when he got out… if he stayed in past 2018+/- a year or two? Normal promotions and such, ending his career as a Grunt as an E-5? Yeah, that matches.
So, my guess? Again old info that’s being presented as new.
Then, the weapons and US Flag, along with other gear:
A US Flag and 2x Sigs do not make an ‘official incursion’
The plate carriers are not to my intel, any ‘issue’ carriers…
Even if they were US Issue M-13s (the Army version of the Sig) so what? The US DotGov has been flooding the entirety of the Krain with so much equipment… OMFG I’m so jealous…
All my tax $$$ and -I- can’t get a fucking break nor the $750 DistasterBux from FEMA??? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
They say they got this off the eight stiffs.
OK… what else you got Ivan?
I’d say right now, outside of me producing the three folks still living and breathing that I found with a minimum amount of effort and using public sources I’d say I’m right, and you, Ivan Ivanovich just shot your credibility in Ye Olde Tallywacker.
Again
So, that’s my case.
The Russians?
Wow.
Propaganda is a bitch innit tho?
Unlike some folks who’ve accused me of “Rootin’ for Pootin'” or whatever, I’m not. I just am an absolute neutral realist. Putin is going about this entire SMO Militarily Speaking in a way that’s never been seen before, which is why sooooo many heads are imploding. Too many folks for faaaar too long take the “Blitzkrieg” Point of View, when in reality, this “Sitskrieg” is working quite well to a point… slow and steady in this case wins the war. I think personally it’s a leftover from the Cold War Mentality and the Desert Storm thing…
Especially in light of some of the slipups that the Krainian Empire has had as of late… Krainfeld’s Spouse accidentally let it slip that there may be as many as three quarters of a million dead since the beginning on the SMO.
Sweet Jesus have Mercy.
So back to here stateside? Either way we’ll know within I’d say (provided the wheels stay on that long here stateside…not expecting it but who knows?) by February of 2025 for the Krain. By then we’ll know the results of the bullshit here… The (s)election in November will ‘prime the pumps’ and how the two sides interact? I’d call it that by March will be when it kicks off, on either side as that’s when the warm weather will start… I’ll make my prognostications later on that upcoming shitshow…
So yeah, Russia is overplaying it’s hand that if a dude like me, (like I said) by doing three hours of work is pretty much able to establish that out of the 8 People Listed on the Card 3 of them were
1) All stationed in Alaska
2) All within the same timeframe
3) That Two of the Three were both in the same exact unit, the 1st Stryker Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, 3 Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment.
And lastly: No one in their right fucking mind would have info like this on them in a place where they absolutely should not be! Those cards?
AN ABSO-FUCKING-LUTE NO-NO!!!
When you get ‘sheep dipped’ you have NOTHING that can lead you back to the Good Ole US DotMil/Gov. They actually ‘shake you down’ to make utterly sure you have nothing that can come back and bite Uncle Sugar in the ass… Literally, like the opening of “Mission Impossible: The Secretary will disavow any knowledge of you”
SO there you have it
I’d say that this story is
Questions?
Comments?
Queries?
More Later
Big Country
Decommissioned my first boat , we found all sort of stuff behind lockers and outboards( space between hull, ribs and useful space ). Not cool stuff but lost paperbacks, stale poptarts (favorite underway snack) . Of note on 6 mo underway a torpedoman had a daily can of mountain dew, no one was able to find where he had his cache hidden. 5 year old paperwork lost in a vehicle ,yeah lost behind the seats is my guess also.
So, BCE, what do you think of the news that North Koreans have joined with Russia and are now fighting on the Kursk lines?
And rumors of 18 or more NORKS having pretty much immediately defected to the Ukes?
Good work on debunking the propaganda.
The Russians have said that the North Koreans have provided combat engineers but they will be used fixing busted up infrastructure and defensive works but will NOT be used in combat.
Now Comrade Kim would LOVE LOVE to have his troops fighting in the Kraine helping his main sponsor Russia but Putin is smarter than that and let him send support troops.
Once again your OSINT game is unstoppable. My son was in 25th Inf (Hawaii, not AK). He was in Logistics. When 25th went from Stryker to “light infantry”, they turned in all their Strykers (part of my son’s job). They went all over the place, a lot went to the National Guard. Also, from some research I did when he went there, a “gimlet” is also some sort of thrusting weapon or dagger, so sorry to disappoint.
A gimlet is also a corkscrew shaped tool for making pilot holes in wood for screws. High end cabinet makers use them.
I miss those durable rucksacks, tarps, ponchos, woodland camo gear, boots, compasses, cots, mess kits, canteens, that Pappy pilfered from uncle and the rations wall went fast as we picked our way through.
Found out they cut off the unfiltered cigarette four packs in 1975.
He brought home an actual m35 truck during 77-78 blizzard and got people out of ditches and drifts but that wasn’t a keeper.
Saw a video of American “instructors” calling UKE’s Jabronis while telling them what to do, who knows if they even understand what is being said and the war pigs don’t care if they can’t habla English.
There is also one of a limey poofter [UK] instructor.
RF page says actual manpower losses for NATO in Kursk II is 22,000.
The ‘people’ that posted that drivel were Redditors afaik. Seemed like the keyboard ANALysts were jumping to conclusions regarding US troops in that Kursk inanity. Guess since the Ukies have a US troon, well why not a troop. Only assholes I’ve seen over there on vidya are former REMFs that wanted twatter cred. Fighting for a Jewish peenano player is stupid. Fighting the Bear with Air (and Kinzals) is suicidal. Any fool that volunteers to get killed, maimed or at least financially violated for the privilege of further enriching the Tribe, Politicians and assorted oligarchs should be institutionalized not enlisted. To think any high speed low drag individual would fall for that line of tripe… Gets the blood boiling. Especially all the tax dollars being grifted for that designed to fail crap.
Also the Bear has long memories and they actually have websites listing all of the American “mercenaries”.
So even if you somehow survive that mess, when you get home you will have a terrible accident courtesy of the FSB.
A gimlet is also a woodworking Tool for making holen.
That would be holes if the autocorrect was behaving.
I like “holen” better.
Dittoing what Matt and Simon said about a “gimlet” being a boring, drilling, or thrusting device, not a drink.
And the troop in the black beret is wearing a 2ACR “Toujours Pret” shoulder patch. I used to be Commo Support (614th Maint, 2nd SUPCOM), Merrill Barracks (Sud Kaserne), Germany, BITD.
The regiment earned the nickname “Gimlets” in the 1920s after dominating other regiments in inter-service sports. The name comes from the hand tool used to bore holes through rocks, similar to how the soldiers were known to “bore holes through their opponents”.
The regiment’s motto is “Bore, Brother, Bore”, which symbolizes the will to win despite obstacles.
In a perfect world, your efforts would be mirrored by curious reporters and propaganda would be exposed. Of course, you would have to force feed the information to some like giving a bad dog a heart worm pill. Still, it’s good to know at least one person is not accepting bullshit.
A SIG with a grip safety? Looks like the HS2000/Springfield eXtreme Duty (because it’s motherfucking EXTREME)
You are correct! That is an HS2000/Springfield XD of some flavor. It is a Croatian service pistol and I am sure there are more than a few floating around Eastern Europe.
Also, the Sig may not be a real Sig. The Turks, Italians, and Israel have been manufacturing P-series clones for some time now.
Ain’t gonna lie. Was never a big fan of the omelette MRE. Wouldn’t turn my nose up but it wasn’t my first choice. That being said I was literally drooling as you described your recipe.
Good on you with the investigation. If more people like us were journalists maybe the world wouldn’t be in the shape it is in. Told my sister the same a week ago.
Don’t know if it has any relevance to your point but the unit patch on Mr. Black Beret is the 2nd ACR. They used to be based out of Fort Polk. They were the largest unit there when we were deploying for Afghanistan..
Fucking berets are for frenchmen and faggots. I would have terminated my enlistment if I had to wear such a accoutrement! I wore cunt caps and baseball caps when I was in. Only the faggot green bidets wore berets and they were far cooler than what fighting men wear those sloping eyed faggot wear. [Rant Over.]
None of those mentioned are as cool as the 8 point cover IMHO.
Primary motivation for Airborne was to avoid those crappy looking Army patrol caps. Primary motivation to be a Marine is the 8 point cover and high collar dress uniforms. If MARSOC was in existence when I was a junior enlisted I would have been a Jarhead. Ever smell a wet beret? You don’t want to
Hey BCE
Let me know how I can send you some change and a meme I created…
Is it the “stripe donate” link on the sidebar?