Topic: Airborne

Former Naval Intelligence Officer Captain Todd Sawhill commented on the deployment of 10,000 additional troops, including the 82nd Airborne and the 31st MEU, to the Middle East. Sawhill explained that these forces provide the President with options for internal security and potential raids to secure nuclear material. Reports from Bahrain indicate that Iranian forces are using aggressive swarming tactics with ballistic missiles and drones to overcome U.S. interception rates.

A 3x3 media analysis compares reporting from ABC, CBS, and NBC regarding the deployment of the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. While President Trump declares the war is nearly won, NBC's Richard Engel reports ongoing Iranian cluster bomb attacks on Tel Aviv and Israeli strikes on Iranian production sites. Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu express concerns about a premature U.S. exit from the conflict.

The US Army's 101st Airborne Division has returned to Europe for the first time since WWII, conducting drills in Romania just miles from the Ukrainian border. The deployment is intended as a warning to Moscow and a show of support for NATO allies in Southeast Europe. The Pentagon is currently deciding whether to maintain this troop level or reduce the footprint as the conflict in Ukraine continues.

The US Army's 101st Airborne Division has been deployed to Romania, marking the closest US forces to the conflict in Ukraine. Commanders state their mission is to assure allies and deter Russian aggression. A CBS News crew embedded with the unit reported from a Black Hawk helicopter flying along the Black Sea coast near Russian-held territory in Crimea.

Long-time listener Sergeant Fred Castaneda is knighted as "Sir Frederick the Terrible." Fred, a combat infantryman in Vietnam and an 82nd Airborne paratrooper, submitted an iconic UPI photo of himself crossing a muddy river in 1969. The hosts celebrate his transition to knighthood with a full "Drone Again Naturally" track and a tribute to his service.

Army veteran Laura Jadid, who served two tours in Afghanistan, published an essay titled "Afghanistan Meant Nothing," detailing the futility of the 20-year mission. Jadid describes how the 82nd Airborne was ill-equipped to train the Afghan National Army, often performing missions themselves while giving credit to local forces. She characterizes the effort as propping up a system destined to collapse.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reported a surprisingly low vaccine acceptance rate among U.S. troops, with fewer than half of the elite 82nd Airborne Division agreeing to the shot. While the military has historically mandated vaccines like anthrax, the COVID-19 vaccine remains voluntary under its current emergency use authorization. Observers also noted the sudden shift in American media toward using the British term "jab" instead of "shot."

Following the resignation of Bill Barr, the acting Attorney General's past comments on "malign foreign influence" are examined. The "Three Cs" framework—coercive, covert, and corrupt activities—is used to define how foreign governments might interfere in U.S. political processes.

Conspiracy circles are monitoring "Devil Storm," a series of military drills involving the 82nd Airborne and the deployment of multiple aircraft carrier strike groups off the U.S. coasts. Some theorists suggest these movements are preparations for potential civil unrest or the arrest of foreign operatives following the election. The U.S. Naval Institute confirmed the positioning of ships like the USS Carl Vinson and USS Gerald R. Ford.

A group of 239 scientists has urged the WHO and CDC to acknowledge that COVID-19 can be transmitted through lingering air droplets rather than just heavy coughs or sneezes. Proper ventilation and being outdoors are cited as more effective than cloth masks, which some argue are primarily political tools. Concerns are raised that masks may cause mild carbon dioxide poisoning while failing to stop aerosolized particles.

The death of James "Maggie" Megellas, a highly decorated 103-year-old World War II veteran of the 82nd Airborne, is noted. On the economic front, a "former New York banker" predicts a "checkmark recovery" for the stock market, suggesting a sharp dip followed by a steady climb past previous highs. This replaces earlier predictions of V-shaped or L-shaped economic recoveries.

A donor from Oregon encourages more deconstruction of non-U.S. media, a goal the hosts support through their "boots on the ground" listener network. Another producer, an airborne service member, announces his tenth upcoming military deployment while expressing his support for the show's mission.

Intelligence reports from producers indicate a significant buildup of U.S. troops in Kuwait, including elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, staged for deployment into Afghanistan. Despite the scale of the movement, the hosts note a lack of mainstream media coverage regarding a potential major escalation in the Afghan conflict.

An upcoming 100th birthday celebration for WWII veteran Lieutenant Colonel James Megellas is expected to be attended by high-level intelligence and military figures, including Michael Flynn and David Petraeus. The event is described as "spook heaven" for the concentration of intelligence community members.

A producer from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, mentions the 101st Airborne's involvement in Ebola relief efforts. The hosts briefly discuss the missed opportunity to register the domain "bitchit.com" as a parody of Bitcoin, noting that most "chit" related domains are already taken.

Adam Curry displays a U.S. flag and certificate sent to him by a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division, flown over a base in Afghanistan. The discussion shifts to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, who claims that protests in Turkey and Brazil are being orchestrated by the same "foreign centers" (specifically the U.S.) to achieve regime change.

Sergeant Fred, a Vietnam combat veteran, and other former military members contribute to the show, expressing appreciation for the hosts' deconstruction of political rhetoric. The donations are often earmarked for "gas money" for the current tour. The hosts note the high level of support they receive from IT professionals and military personnel.

The U.S. Air Force successfully used a high-powered laser mounted on a modified Boeing 747 to shoot down a ballistic missile in flight. The hosts remind the audience that they predicted the deployment of directed energy weapons over a year ago. They discuss the potential for these "ray guns" to be used for both lethal and non-lethal crowd control.

The massive earthquake in Haiti is discussed alongside the rapid mobilization of the US Southern Command (Southcom). The hosts find it suspicious that General P.K. Keane was in Haiti when the quake struck and that the US military response was faster than during Hurricane Katrina. They also mention Pat Robertson's controversial claim that Haiti is cursed due to a "pact with the devil."

The militarization of American culture is discussed through two examples: a 101st Airborne training mission conducted on private farmland in Kentucky and a live swearing-in ceremony for new recruits during a University of California football game. The hosts criticize these events as propagandistic displays designed to "wow the locals" and normalize military presence in civilian life.