The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) announced today that five more industry leaders have joined its effort to better protect and equip American service members. As of March 1, 2011, Eye Safety Systems, Leading Technology Composites Inc., Smith Optics, Tactical Holdings (Wellco, Altama, and Massif Mountain Gear) as well as Wild Things Tactical have all joined the unified industry voice for operational readiness and warfighter safety.

The WPRC was founded in 2009 as an advocate for the development and fielding of top quality organizational clothing and individual equipment for American warfighters. The WPRC membership consists of small business and multi-national corporations with a shared commitment to US service members and a shared sense of purpose. Each WPRC member company is creating domestic manufacturing jobs, maintaining a critical supply chain and providing American warfighters with the equipment they need to execute missions safely and effectively. The WPRC has achieved success in its early stages by briefing key decision makers on critical issues of operational readiness. The WPRC and its expanding membership look forward to continuing their mission in the 112th Congress and beyond.

The WPRC membership roster is impressive to say the least and includes ADS Inc., Bates Footwear, Benchmade Knife Company, Bluewater Defense, Brookwood Companies Inc., Darn Tough, DuPont, Duro Textiles, Honeywell, Insight Technology, International Textile Group, Leading Technology Composites Inc., London Bridge Trading Company, Milliken, New Balance, Otis Technology Inc., Outdoor Research, Pelican, Polartec, Surefire, TenCate, Wiley X and W. L. Gore. For more information on the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition please visit www.warriorprotection.net.

The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (the WPRC) continues to build momentum and is pleased to announce seven leaders of the Operational Clothing and Individual Equipment industry have joined its unified voice for operational readiness and warfighter safety.

As of August 1, 2010, Bates Footwear, Benchmade Knife Company, Bluewater Defense, Brookwood Companies Incorporated, Duro Textiles, LLC, Outdoor Research and Polartec, LLC are all members of the expanding WPRC. These companies will join with WPRC counterparts in the effort to educate leaders on issues of warfighter protection and guarantee adequate funding for the development and procurement of first class Operational Clothing and Individual Equipment for American warfighters.

Bates Footwear, Benchmade Knife Company, Bluewater Defense, Brookwood Companies Incorporated, Duro Textiles, Outdoor Research and Polartec, LLC collectively provide thousands of American manufacturing jobs and equip American warfighters with the clothing and gear required to complete their missions safely and successfully. These companies understand both the need to provide American warfighters with the best technology available, and the major role that the OCIE industry plays in the U.S. economy. The WPRC leadership is pleased to count these leading firms as allies in the ongoing effort to better equip and protect American warfighters.

Additional members of the WPRC include ADS Inc., Darn Tough, DuPont, Insight Technology, Integrated Wave Technologies, International Textile Group, London Bridge Trading Company, Milliken, New Balance, Otis, Pelican, Sperian, Surefire, TenCate, Wiley X and W. L. Gore. Additional leaders in the OCIE industry are expected to join as this effort gains momentum. For more information on the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition please visit www.warriorprotection.net.