Dam Toys 1/6th scale ”The Green Berets” U.S. Army Special Forces In Afghanistan 12" figure

The United States Army Special Forces, colloquially known as the Green Berets due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with five primary missions: unconventional warfare (the original and most important mission of Special Forces), foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, and counter-terrorism. The first two emphasize language, cultural, and training skills in working with foreign troops. Other duties include combat search and rescue (CSAR), counter-narcotics, counter-proliferation, hostage rescue, humanitarian assistance, humanitarian demining, information operations, peacekeeping, psychological operations, security assistance, and manhunts; other components of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) or other U.S. government activities may also specialize in these secondary areas.

This appears to be a remake of the classic Hot Toys 1/6th scale NSW DEVGRU (Naval Special Warfare Development Group) operator, released in 2003 - check out my post from 2012 "October 7 – The Day the War in Afghanistan Began with U.S. Special Forces leading the way" (link HERE). I think Dam Toys should have gone with seamless arms. Although in Hot Toys case, the rubber arms did crack over time - see my toy blog post "What to do about Cracking Rubber and Disintegrating Suits" posted HERE.

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Check out DAM TOYS 1/6th scale DEVGRU K-9 handler in Afghanistan 12" military action figure

A police dog, known in some English-speaking countries as a "K-9" or "K9" (a homophone of "canine"), is a dog that is specifically trained to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work. Their duties include searching for drugs and explosives, searching for lost people, looking for crime scene evidence, and protecting their handlers. Police dogs must remember several hand and verbal commands. The most commonly used breed is the German Shepherd.

Dogs in warfare have a long history starting in ancient times. From war dogs trained in combat to their use as scouts, sentries and trackers, their uses have been varied and some continue to exist in modern military usage. Dogs have been used for many different purposes. Different breeds were used for different things, but always met the demands of the handlers. Many roles for dogs in war are obsolete and no longer practiced, but the concept of the war dog still remains alive and well in modern warfare.

Contemporary dogs in military roles are also often referred to as police dogs, or in the United States and United Kingdom as a Military Working Dog (MWD), or K-9. Their roles are nearly as varied as their ancient cousins, though they tend to be more rarely used in front-line formations. As of 2011, 600 U.S. Military dogs were actively participating in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. All MWDs in use today are paired with a single individual after their training. This person is called a handler. While a handler usually won't stay with one dog for the length of either's career, usually a handler will stay partnered with a dog for at least a year, and sometimes much longer.

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Dam Toys 78033 1/6th scale British Army (The Black Rats) in Afghanistan 12-inch military figure

For 13 years, between 2001 and 2014, the UK was involved in the conflict in Afghanistan against the Taliban and fighters from al-Qaeda. UK forces are deployed to Afghanistan in support of the UN-authorised, NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission and as part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Since 2003 UK operations in Afghanistan have been conducted under the name Operation HERRICK.

In 2014 UK troops ended combat operations and began to leave Afghanistan, closing down or handing over bases to Afghan forces. By the end of the year a small number of soldiers remained to continue the training and development of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.

Dam Toys 78033 1/6th scale British Army in Afghanistan 12-inch military figure will come with head sculpt, Dam 2.0 action body, glove hands for holding weapon x3, Mk7 helmet with MTP cover, AN/PVS-14 NVG, helmet mount assembly, NVG retention lanyard, combat googles, Osprey body armour Mk4, MTP osprey admin pouch, MTP osprey single mag pouch x2, MTP osprey 2 mag pouch, MTP osprey smoke grenade pouch, MTP osprey frag grenade pouch x2, MTP osprey first aid pouch, molle GP pouch, molle roll up dump pouch, triple 40mm grenade pouch x2, MTP mod AN/PRC-152 radio pouch, MTP radio pouch, MTP pelvic protection, MTP PCS UBACS, MTP PCS trousers, MTP molle belt ensemble, MTP hydration system 3l, knee pads, zephyr high GTX boots, G-shock watch, Foretrex 401 GPS, carabiner, survival and navigation notebook, pen x2, multi tool with pouch, bottle drinking water x2, satellite pictures x3, handcuffs x2, safety scissors, combat application tourniquet, ISAF patch, black rat patch, flag patch, H4855 personal role radio with headset, EZPRR radio GPS, AN/PRC-152 radio, L85A2 with SA-80 underslung grenade launcher (UGL), UGL sight, LLM01 laser light module, SA-80 long sight rail, Specter OS4X sight, CQS red dot sight, L85 sling, 30rd emag x3, 5.56mm 30rd mag x3, 40mm grenade x6, frag grenade x2, P226 pistol, pistol mag, CQC holster, CQC holster molle platform

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An army girl's life in Afghanistan - The Real Deal

MC Toys did not portray Army girls in the right light (see the preview pictures HERE) so I think the following story will put things in the proper perspective and give Army girls the proper respect they deserve for putting their lives on the frontline and serving their country for the betterment of peace.

The accompanying pictures and text are taken from the UK's DailyMail (full article HERE) where Photojournalist Alison Baskerville spent six weeks in Helmand Afghanistan following Captain Anna Crossley, 31, a nurse at UCL hospital and Lieutenant Jessica French who had spent six months going into villages and small settlements to talk to women and earn their trust. The photos capture the everyday lives of the Army's women 'engagement officers' who fight in the vital battle for hearts and minds across Helmand.

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On patrol: Lieutenant Jessica French visits an Afghan community in Helmand. As a Female Engagement officer, her jobs is to gain the support and trust of Afghan women

Incoming: Caltek 1/6 scale Medal of Honor Warfighter Tom "Preacher" 12-inch figure

Medal of Honor (MoH) is a series of first-person shooter video games. The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (now known as Danger Close) and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation game console in 1999. Medal of Honor spawned a series of follow-up games including multiple expansions spanning various console platforms and the PC and Mac. The first twelve installments take place during World War II, while the more recent games focus on modern warfare.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter, the upcoming fourteenth installment in the series and the direct sequel to the 2010 game, is scheduled to be released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on October 23, 2012. In the video game, Tom "Preacher" is an American sailor and Navy SEAL and the Rifleman of AFO team Neptune. Preacher is a hardened DEVGRU Operator in AFO Neptune.

Caltek has managed to secure the license from Electronic Arts and will be releasing the Caltek 1/6 scale Medal of Honor Warfighter "Preacher" Set very soon. The Caltek 1/6 scale Medal of Honor Warfighter Tom "Preacher" 12-inch figure will come with Crye Precision Combat Shirt & Pants (AOR1 Camo), LBT-0612F Medium Riggers Belt (AOR1 Camo), Merrell Refuge Core Mid, Black Watch Cap, Mechanix Original Gloves, American Flag patch, Task Force MAKO patch, Kaenon Hard Kore Sun Glasses, Tan Shemagh...

October 7 – The Day the War in Afghanistan Began with U.S. Special Forces leading the way

continued from earlier post "Remembering 9/11"...

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, many U.S. citizens held the view that the attacks had "changed the world forever." The Bush administration announced a war on terrorism, with the goal of bringing Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda to justice and preventing the emergence of other terrorist networks. These goals would be accomplished by means including economic and military sanctions against states perceived as harboring terrorists and increasing global surveillance and intelligence sharing.

On October 7, 2001, the War in Afghanistan began when U.S and British forces initiated aerial bombing campaigns in Afghanistan targeting Taliban and Al-Qaeda camps, then later invaded Afghanistan with ground troops of the Special Forces. This was the second-largest operation of the U.S. Global War on Terrorism outside of the United States, and the largest directly connected to terrorism, resulting in the overthrow of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, by a U.S.-led coalition.

The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front (Northern Alliance) launched Operation Enduring Freedom. The primary driver of the invasion was the September 11 attacks on the United States, with the stated goal of dismantling the al-Qaeda terrorist organization and ending its use of Afghanistan as a base. The United States also said that it would remove the Taliban regime from power and create a viable democratic state. More than a decade into the war, NATO forces continue to battle a widespread Taliban insurgency, and the war has expanded into the tribal area of neighboring Pakistan. The War in Afghanistan is also the United States' longest running war.

Incoming: Soldier Story 1/6th scale U.S. Army in Afghanistan 12-inch ISAF Military Figure

The heat is ON! We already know that Crazy Dummy will be coming out with two modern US Army Soldiers from the current Afghanistan campaign - one an infantryman (see previous post), the other a light machine gunner (previewed HERE). Guess what? Soldier Story will also be releasing a 1/6th scale US Army soldier in Afghanistan, but they have combined the infantryman AND the machine gunner into ONE set. That means you get the complete US Army Uniform Set (and figure) with new camo pattern (the Army's interpretation of MultiCam) PLUS you can choose between an M4 Carbine or Mk48 Light Machine Gun, with appropriate pouches to accommodate both weapons.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), often called the Coalition Forces, is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan that was established by the United Nations Security Council in December 2001 by Resolution 1386, as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement. Its main purpose is to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan rebuild key government institutions but is also engaged in the 2001-present war with insurgent groups.

Preview Crazy Dummy 1/6 scale U.S. Army ISAF Soldier in Afghanistan 12-inch Military Figure

Remember the Crazy Dummy 1/6th scale U.S. Army SAW Gunner in Afghanistan 12-inch Figure I had posted on earlier (see my post HERE)? Well, Crazy Dummy isn't releasing just this SAW gunner military figure. They will also be releasing the U.S. Army ISAF Soldier in Afghanistan as well. The difference being that this one is a regular grunt and does not carry the SAW but the M4 carbine with M203 grenade launcher attached.

The Crazy Dummy 1/6 scale U.S. Army ISAF Soldier in Afghanistan 12-inch Military Figure will come with: Real-like 1/6th scale head sculpt and 12-inch male figure body, MICH 2000 helmet with OCP cover, Universal goggle retention straps, Army t-shirt, OCP ACS suit, OCP ACU pants, BDU belt, OCP SPCS plate carrier, OCP TAP chest rig, TAP harness

Preview Crazy Dummy 1/6th scale U.S. Army SAW Gunner in Afghanistan 12-inch Figure

A squad automatic weapon (SAW, also known as section automatic weapon or light support weapon) is a weapon used to give infantry squads or sections a portable source of automatic firepower. Weapons used in this role are selective-fire rifles, usually fitted with a bipod and heavier barrel to perform as Light machine guns. SAWs usually fire the same cartridge as the assault rifles or battle rifles carried by other members of the unit. This reduces logistical requirements by making it necessary to supply only one type of ammunition to a unit. SAWs are light enough to be operated by one man, as opposed to heavy machine guns such as the Browning M2, which fire more powerful cartridges but require a crew to operate at full effectiveness.

This is a upcoming release by Crazy Dummy of a 1/6th scale U.S. Army SAW gunner in Afghanistan (CD78004). This 12-inch military figure is supposed to depict what the U.S. Army SAW gunner is wearing and equipped with in Afghanistan.

Scale Store 1/6th scale Afghanistan Wall - GREAT for diorama or creating a scene

Scale Store ITEM NO:S0024 is a 1/6th scale Afghanistan Wall made of Resin Material. It looks nice for creating a scene or diorama but the problem with these items are the prices. After adding shipping, it becomes rather costly (almost doubled) and you have to think whether it's more worth it to spend the money on a 12-inch figure or splash it on an environment.

There will always be two sides to a coin i.e. some prefer figures while some prefer figures in an environment. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion but some companies have been adding some extra little touches to their products without jacking up the price. Instead of just including the standard 12-inch figure display stand, some companies are throwing in a little extra in the form of a scenic base i.e. a non-standard black base, a base with some relevance to the character being featured. Some recent examples - Brother Production Hard-boiled "Harry" (pictures HERE), Art-Figures: SAVES "Punisher: War Zone" Figure (reviewed HERE) and Hot Toys Classic Predator (check out my post HERE). In the case of "Toms Forrest", the all important iconic bench was added to make Forrest Gump look complete :) - see pictures HERE

MC Toys 1/6th scale SOCF - Cultural Support Teams (CST) Female Soldier 12-inch Figure

I learn something new everyday, even from collecting 1/6th scale 12-inch action figures :) didn't know about this special group of personnel until now.

Cultural Support Teams (CST) are all-female Soldier teams who serve as enablers supporting Army Special Operations combat forces in, and around secured objective areas. Their primary task is to engage female populations in objective areas when such contact may be deemed culturally inappropriate if performed by a male service member. CSTs directly support activities ranging from medical civic action programs, searches and seizures, humanitarian assistance, and civil-military operations. Primarily, CST training will focus on basic human behavior, Islamic and Afghan cultures, women and their role in Afghanistan, and tribalism. Training is conducted on Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C.

MC Toys 1/6th scale SOCF - Cultural Support Teams（CST) Female Soldier 12-inch Figure (MCM-004) come with: 1/6th scale female head sculpt, 12-inch female body, SI Assault Gloves, Sunglasses, Arabia scarf, Tactical pants, MultiCam ACU jacket and pants, RBAV Multicam Body Armor Vest, grenade pouch, grenades x 2, M4 Rifle magazine pouch, pistol magazine pouch, smoke grenades x 2, D-rings x 2, Radio and radio pouch, hydration carrier, belt, X-TAK kneepads, Combat hiker military boots.

Just some 1/6th scale 12-inch fighting Marines from the United States Marine Corps (USMC)

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict and attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practices of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II. By the mid-20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare. Its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

As of 2010 the United States Marine Corps included just under 203,000 active duty Marines and just under 40,000 reserve Marines. The Marine Corps is larger than the armed forces of many significant military powers, being larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces and the active duty British Army. [source: wiki]

The Marine Corps has the most stable and most recognizable uniforms in the American military; the Blue Dress dates back to the early 19th century and the service uniform to the early 20th century. Marines have three main uniforms: Dress, Service, and Utility. The Utility Uniform, currently the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, is a camouflage uniform intended for wear in the field or for dirty work in garrison, though it has now been standardized for regular duty. It is rendered in a distinctive MARPAT pixelated camouflage (sometimes referred to as digitals or digies) that breaks up the wearer's shape, and serves to distinguish Marine uniforms from those of other services.

Review: Very Hot 1/6th scale USMC Rifleman Uniform Set - Semper Fi (Always Faithful)

This is the Very Hot 1/6th scale USMC (United States Marine Corps) Rifleman Uniform Set (Note: NO 12-inch figure is included!). It is supposedly based on a US Marine Infantryman stationed in Afghanistan. Infantry is the central component of Marine ground forces. Infantrymen are trained to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat. Riflemen serve as the primary scouts, assault troops and close combat forces within each infantry unit. The USMC Rifleman is trained in close combat, operating either the M16A4 rifle, M203 grenade launcher or the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

When I first saw preview pictures of this VeryHot 1/6th scale USMC Rifleman Outfit set for 12-inch Figures, I was wondering why the Marine was wearing the Digital Woodland camouflage uniform instead of the Digital Desert Camo but have found out since that this is what the US Marines are currently wearing in Afghanistan.

The description on the box packaging cover reads:
"U.S. Marine Corps is the oldest elite force with about 194,000 men and women. It is even bigger than most countries' armed forces. U.S. Marine Corps is the major U.S. combat force of Rapid reaction force which has a long and remarkable history."

OP Restrepo: 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team 1/6 scale 12-inch Figure Kitbash

Some posts are worth repeating and this is just one of them :)

This entry was originally posted on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 and has since garnered 2727 views and quite a number of comments, especially from the soldiers who have been there. Let's NOT let the recent insane actions of one man undo what these Americans have been fighting for over there. Thanks to them and the other allied soldiers doing their part in Afghanistan, the world can live in peace and enjoy the freedom to go about more freely without fear of terrorism striking at any moment.

Originally posted on Wednesday, April 6, 2011:
This is my attempt at kitbashing a 1/6 scale OP Restrepo: 173rd Airborne 12-inch figure after watching the documentary on National Geographic (see my previous post). I noticed that these guys weren't loaded to the hilt i.e. they didn't put on that much stuff unlike some of us 1/6 scale military figure collectors who like to dump everything onto our figures. Let's face it: in the real world, the more stuff you put on, the heavier your load gets and that slows you down making it harder and more difficult to move fast when you have to, especially if you are in a firefight.

They didn't bother with elbow pads and kneepads, sidearms or drop-down leg panels. Just the basic combat load that gets the job done. At times when they were receiving fire, they just put on their vest and get on with returning fire and defending their position. Forget dress codes, it's more important to stay alive! And these guys were in the thick of the action. The Korengal Valley was at the time regarded as "the deadliest place on Earth".

How the Marines video made the Afghan war even tougher by USMC Captain Timothy Kudo

The post below by Timothy Kudo, a Marine captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2009 to 2011 and a senior membership associate with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America appeared in THE WASHINGTON POST, 13/01/12:

In March I returned from Afghanistan’s Helmand province after handing about 12 square miles of villages and farmlands to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, the unit that is allegedly responsible for recording a video of Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban insurgents. The actions of these few Marines have rightfully garnered widespread disdain, but for me the affront is personal. In a 42-second video, these Marines undid everything that my unit spent seven months working to accomplish.

Many civilians I’ve talked to about the incident act like it’s no surprise. Hollywood and media depictions have convinced them that war is filled with atrocities such as this one and that, but for lack of coverage, they’d hear more about them. But those of us who have worn the uniform don’t excuse these acts by saying, “War is hell.” There’s right and wrong in war, and we probably know that better than anyone else, because we’ve seen the life-or-death consequences of our decisions.

VeryHot: 1/6 scale USMC Rifleman Outfit set for 12-inch Figure - Preview

Besides the Black Action Sniper (see earlier post), VeryHot will also be releasing a 1/6 scale USMC Rifleman outfit set for 12-inch figures. As with all of VeryHot releases since day one when they came on the scene, this United States Marine Corps uniform set will NOT include a 12-inch figure body nor a 1/6 scale head sculpt. And since the U.S. has exited Iraq, it's safe to say that this modern USMC figure looks to be based on the marines operating in Afghanistan right now.

EXCEPT I think the US Marines in Afghanistan would be wearing the Desert variant of MARPAT (MARine PATtern - a digital camouflage pattern in use with the United States Marine Corps, introduced with the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform or MCCUU, which replaced the Camouflage Utility Uniform) instead of this Digital Woodland Camo. And why is he wearing desert MARPAT helmet cover when everything else is in green? I also think that the rifle magazine should have been black instead of silver. That just looks wrong :(

The problem with this set is that it can be easily bashed by combining parts from the PlayHouse and Soldier Story Marine figures and even then, PlayHouse and Soldier Story have better quality parts. That's why I never really go for VeryHot military outfit sets because they are lacking the good stuff which Soldier Story and Playhouse are already producing. This is not bad for a budget set, but unfortunately it is generally inferior to existing offerings already available.

Very Hot 2nd Infantry Division Gunner Uniform Set PREVIEW

As of late, a lot of the 1:6 scale manufacturers have been releasing sets based on the Special Forces branch of the US Armed Forces. Being that these groups generally get the newest and neatest gear and such first, it would only make sense that the toy companies would follow suit. Thus we 1:6 scale military figure collectors actually get to see what's being used out there on the battlefield. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't demand for the basic Infantryman / Grunt or Marine out there in the field.

Fortunately, Very Hot is aware of this and will be releasing a US Army 2nd Infantry Gunner's Uniform Set come November. Since the Army has made the transition to MultiCam, this soldier's uniform and equipment is made in that pattern, from top to bottom, from the ACU cut fatigue shirt and pants to the IOTV body armor.  The Squad Automatic Weapon is nice too - with removable short and long barrels.

REVIEW II: STGCC 2011 Soldier Story Exclusive USMC 2nd MEB Marine aka USMC SSgt. Nantz

Having reviewed the box packaging and its contents earlier HERE, now we see the fully decked out STGCC 2011 Soldier Story Exclusive: USMC 2nd MEB Marine 12-inch military figure (with Hot Toys 1/6 scale Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent head sculpt from "The Dark Knight (2008)") also known as 1/6 scale USMC Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz 12-inch figure from "World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles".

Officially, this Soldier Story USMC 2nd MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade) Marine is based in Afghanistan Helmand province but unofficially, he was seen in Los Angeles when the aliens attacked Earth. This is a much better looking SSgt. Michael Nantz than the one I tried to kitbash earlier (see my post HERE) because of the more accurate USMC kit (gear and accessories).

STGCC 2011 Soldier Story Exclusive: USMC 2nd MEB Marine REVIEW

This was the Soldier Story Exclusive at STGCC 2011 (Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention): USMC 2nd MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade) Marine in Afghanistan Helmand province. I was keen to get the figure partly because it was based on the 2011 American military science fiction war film Battle: Los Angeles (also known as Battle: LA and World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles) which was about a United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (played by Aaron Eckhart) who has just had his retirement approved but has to go back into the line of duty in order to assist a young 2nd Lieutenant and his platoon as they fight to reclaim the city of Los Angeles from alien invaders.

As far as I can tell, the Marines in the movie were wearing the correct attire and gear, as in current and not outdated, and it's always nice to have a properly kitted out Marine / jarhead. Soldier Story has been producing some of the best 1/6 scale military figures of late and so made this EXCLUSIVE release a no-brainer for me, especially since they've added in some extras because this is a convention / toy fair exclusive :) The regular yet-to-be released version 1.0 was previewed earlier HERE

Veryhot: 1/6 scale Sniper version 3.0 PREVIEW

VeryHot is really working up quite a bit of sweat in the shops. They have just released pictures of their third Sniper uniform / outfit set they intend to release. This will be the Veryhot: Sniper version 3.0. It's going to be a sniper in MultiCam. From the pictures they released (see pictures below), it looks really good. The photography makes the figure looks 1:1 scale - because of the camouflage covering the face, the figure look so realistic! Just goes to show what good photography can do :)

MultiCam is a single camouflage pattern designed to help the wearer hide in varied environments, seasons, elevations, and light conditions. It is a 7-color, multi-environment camouflage pattern developed by Crye Associates in conjunction with U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center.