Last week we mentioned that Blackheart International is now offering QinetiQ North America’s Ears Shoulder Worn Acoustic Targeting Systems (SWATS) gunfire detection system. We found this video that gives you a good idea of the system and what it does. It is becoming increasingly popular and the Army and Marine Corps have just awarded QinetiQ an IDIQ contract for the systems.
Extreme Outfitters is holding a soft opening today at their new Fort Benning location in Columbus, Georgia in honor of our first President; General George Washington.
BY ERIC STEINKOPFF
EXTREME OUTFITTERS STAFF
COLUMBUS, GA – On the birthday of the first U.S. Army General George Washington, Extreme Outfitters announces their soft opening in “soldier country†just outside the gates of Fort Benning, combining high performance adventure equipment, with cutting edge tactical products, making them the premier distributor of military, law enforcement and outdoor gear.
Selected as the first Commanding General of the Continental Army in June 1775 at the age of 43, until he resigned his commission in December 1783, Washington accepted what he called “arduous employment at the expense of my domestic ease and happiness.â€
In 1781 the soldiers of the Continental Army – working unpaid for five months – endured a great deal of suffering, primarily due to lack of food and clothing, under conditions Washington himself described as “most wretched.â€
Today’s soldiers at Fort Benning are slightly better compensated and they are now able to access quality tactical gear and equipment that could save their lives in combat at a reasonable price at Extreme Outfitters new “brick and mortar†facility in the Peach State.
The new 10,000-square-foot showroom is similar in style to their Jacksonville, North Carolina store, but tailored to meet the needs of the modern-day soldier that include thousands of products from over 300 different manufacturers, such as Bates, Blackhawk, Garmont, Granite Gear, Vibram five-fingers, Injinji toe socks, Walkstools, Snugpack, High-Gear, Magnum, ASP, Tactical Assault Systems, Eagles Nest, Oakley, Injinji and Misty Mountain.
There are traditional tactical items like boots, holsters, backpacks, sleeping bags, knives and flashlights, in addition to high-end items such as GPS’, holographic weapons sights, watches, altimeters and solar power travelers.
To celebrate the new location, all Granite Gear ACU camouflage pattern items are 50 percent off retail, while all Blackhawk multi-camo items are from 30 to 40 percent off retail, for a limited time only.
Customers will receive a free T-shirt and VIP 10 percent discount off retail for purchases of all other items in the store.
The new Columbus showroom and all future Extreme Outfitters facilities include state-of-the-art electronic kiosks with iMac computer terminals to place Internet orders for rush items that may occasionally be out-of-stock.
This soft opening is to test the facility and train employees as they serve each customer with dignity and respect in preparation for their grand opening tentatively scheduled for early April.
Extreme Outfitters gives back to the community and is a proud sponsor of:
– AnySoldier.com – a program where average citizens can purchase gear to send directly to service members who would not normally be able to afford it,
– The Wounded Warrior Project – a group working to honor and empower wounded military service members,
– Hope for the Warriors – a group that hopes to enhance the quality of life for U.S. Service Members and their families nationwide who have been adversely affected by injuries or death in the line of duty, and
– Mom4RMarines – an organization that sends needed and morale-lifting products to entire deployed units.
For more information visit the store at 1627 South Lumpkin Road, Suite 200, Columbus, Georgia; visit their website at www.tacticaledge.com or call direct at 706-685-3311.
As the name might imply, FrogLube was developed by former Navy Frogmen. Other than the fact that it works, the fact that FrogLube is “green” really sets it apart from other options on the market. Made from food-grade ingredients, it is a bio-based cleaner, lubricant and preservative. There is nothing caustic or harmful. FrogLube is non-flammable, has extremely wide temperature range and it’s nonhazardous. Human contact with FrogLube is safe since it contains no known toxins. If you wanted to, you could eat it. This means that used cleaning rags are safe to launder and that it is friendly to plastics, rubber and urethane. This means that it can be used with o-rings, nylon and rubber parts. We used up our small sample awhile back and it worked well.
Currently, FrogLube comes in two flavors, oil and paste. You use the liquid like you would any other liquid-based cleaner but the paste allows you to cram it into the recesses where it prevent corrosion from setting in. It is definitely worth looking into, particularly if you concerned about storing and using lots of chemicals.
Last week we posted a video featuring S.O.Tech’s head honcho explaining the various iterations of BLOCS. Now, we have a access to a video about the Mission Pack System. It is a great overview and can help guide you when deciding how you will use the system.
Wired online recently published a story based on a DoD IG report on the Marine Corps’ delay in fielding lasers for use at vehicle checkpoints in Iraq. Lasers work. It’s just too bad that bureaucracy reared its head. You will note that the Wired online article blames the Pentagon, when in fact the blame lay at the feet of the Marine Corps. And while this story isn’t exactly new, it is worth reading. Unfortunately, the writer didn’t do a good job of explaining the “why” as in “why troops might need green lasers”. When you are writing for a civilian readership that lives fat, dumb, and happy under the protective umbrella of the military yet at the same time abhors it, you have to lead them by the nose since they have zero frame of reference. The author says it in a roundabout way, but he doesn’t beat the readers over the head with it. So you get comments by the uninformed who think that green lasers are being used as weapons when in fact they are used to save lives as a nonlethal alternative to warning shots. In fact, they are now used by ALL services as part of their Escalation of Force Kits. But, probably the real tragedy in this story is that as the request languished in someone’s inbox, leaning forward in the foxhole I MEF purchased systems off-the-shelf. Of course, once the systems got to Iraq, someone in a position to do so directed I MEF to cease use of the systems. To add insult to injury, the recently released IG report recommends that the Marines investigate the purchase and “if appropriate, initiate administrative action.â€
Visit www.wired.com for the story and read the comments. These will give you an idea of why we don’t open up ours.
If you haven’t heard about the Arc’teryx Dump Pouch, that’s because it doesn’t exist, at least officially. It seems that during a recent weekend outing, Tactical Fanboy observed an Army SF student in a Vickers Tactical 1911 Operators Course using an Arc’teryx chalk bag as a dump pouch for his pistol magazines. Expediency at its best and we expect to see a rush on chalk bags.
Check out the details (and a photo) on TacticalFanboy.com.
And oh yeah, they are having a sale. In fact it’s called the “Holy Shnoogies Is It Nice Outside Sale”, or something to that effect. In honor of the nice weather, today through Saturday the 26th, Grey Group Training has all outerwear including water proof jackets and pants, fleeces, hoodies, puffy layers and wind shirts on sale for 25% off retail and if you buy two sale items you get a free Arc’teryx hat. Not too shabby…
For details visit www.greygrouptraining.com.
Lots to talk about these days when the subject of camouflage comes up. For example, Slovenia-based School of Survival from Nature has developed the LandCamo SUB-3D combat camouflage pattern family. It seems that companies are no longer developing single patterns anymore but rather taking a lead from the US Army’s camouflage requirement and preparing full families. Below is a photo simulation example of the Desert Shadow variant. It is joined by Transitional, Woodland, Snow, and SWAT patterns. Fabric is currently in production featuring IRR and FR properties.
