Although it’s a very specialized piece of equipment, the “yamakO2” is a comfortable, soft, stretchable, skullcap which allows MFF parachutists to pre-breath without a helmet by offering the ability to attach an oxygen mask.
Just sit back, relax and pre-breath in comfort.
Offered in size Small/Medium and Large/XLarge, MultiCam.
www.sandsprecision.com
The market for Soldier Systems items is changing rapidly. No one knows this more than Outdoor Research who for many years, has led the development of specialized handwear for military customers. In fact, their association with military customers predates the current conflict and many of the styles that troops wore that first winter in Afghanistan came from their factory in Seattle.
But how this market purchases their clothing and equipment is transforming. The military isn’t consuming products at as rapid a pace as even a year or two ago and the cost of domestic Berry Compliant production is too high for most individual, retail-based purchases or even procurement by law enforcement agencies with tight budgets.
Outdoor Research is adapting to this new reality by introducing three different versions of their highly popular Firemark glove in order to offer different options for different types of customers.
First, they continue to produce a Berry Compliant version of the glove that is manufactured in the US, from materials made here in the US. These are intended for contract purchase by the US Department of Defense.
Second, OR has produced a Trade Agreement Act glove that can be sold via GSA. This model is meant for purchase by Government agencies. TAA Compliance means that a product is manufactured in the US or Designated Countries. These countries are generally those that we have a free trade agreement with, belong to the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement, are considered “least developed” or located in the Caribbean Basin. There are several countries not on this list, particularly North Korea, Cuba and the People’s Republic of China. A full list of Designated Countries is in FAR 25.003.[3].
And last, but not least, there is an overseas production model that will find its way into retail outlets for individual purchase. It’s also a great model for those agencies and departments that do not require Berry Compliance. Regardless of production, all three versions meet OR’s performance specifications.
As you can see below, there are slight differences with each variant and these are based on materials and construction techniques available to each manufacturer but the quality remains the same. I’ve seen samples of all three versions coming out of these factories over the past few months and they’ve really dialed it in. You might not realize it, but in many cases, Berry Compliance limits the types of materials that can be used and how they can be assembled into a finished good.
To see which model is which, in the photo below, click the jump.
Back in 2000, TEA introduced a completely new type of tactical headset, the INVISIO® in-ear headset, which uses a patented in-ear bone conduction microphone. Special Operations Forces and SWAT Teams quickly adopted this exciting new in-ear headset technology for certain applications, but the trade off at the time was that these in-ear headsets didn’t provide hearing protection or electronic hear-through.
Soon after releasing the INVISIO® headset line TEA was awarded the MICH MARITIME program. This program was a break through in the communications industry because it was the first universal push-to-talk solution with modular cable down leads. TEA’s solution provided Special Operations Teams within the US Navy and US Marine Corps the ability to interface with an extremely broad range of radios and intercom systems. Because of the need to have hearing protection and electronic hear-thru programs like MICH MARITIME and the tactical headset market in general continued to be dominated with over-the-ear style headsets.
It wasn’t until 2008 that TEA released the INVISIO® X50 system, which closed the gap between in-ear bone conduction headsets and over-the-ear headsets with hearing protection and electronic hear-thru. For the next five years the tactical headset market share steadily began to shift away from traditional over-the-ear headsets to sleeker and smaller in-ear versions.
In 2013, TEA was awarded the Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCAPS) program for their INVISIO® X50 system.
The TCAPS X50 System consists of 2 main products. The INVISIO® X5 dual in-ear communication headset, which provides certified hearing protection and enhanced electronic hear-thru and the INVISIO® X50, which is a push-to-talk/control unit that interfaces with the new NETT Warrior radios/devices as well ground vehicle and aircraft intercom systems via modular radio cables.
The primary objective of the TCAPS program is to ensure all soldiers have the highest level of hearing protection and communications on the battlefield. As this program continues to expand into more brigades TEA also sees the rapid growth of in-ear headsets in to overall tactical headset market.
TEA Capabilities:
Outside of TCAPS, TEA continues to make major advancements in their interface capabilities with the new dual and multi-talk group radios as well as portable smart devices. They also offer a full line of advanced communication headset systems such as their INVISIO® V60 system, which also includes the INVISIO® X5 dual in-ear headset. TEA offers a no obligation 30-day evaluation program for qualified military and law enforcement teams/units to try out their products. “Hear for yourself” the difference in quality of TEA headsets!
For more information visit www.TEAheadsets.com.
For those times when a beard and body armor just aren’t enough…Ladies sizes Small – Large from ART 15 Clothing.
At present 100% of donations have gone to Soldier On and operating costs have come from the pocket of TWH OIC.
To help with some large expendatures coming up, SORD has this offer out there for everyone.
Stepping off on ANZAC Day 2014, the team will walk 300km (appx) along the “Death Railway” in Thailand, to raise money and awareness for SOLDIER ON, a charity that looks after the welfare of injured or disabled Australian Soldiers.
You can donate directly at give.everydayhero.com/au/the-walk-home-2014
Check it out!
ExplosiveOps Gear’s SSE Backpack is made from durable Duro Epsilon fabric. The pack is 13″ x 19″, with 2 fully adjustable shoulder straps with quick releases and pull tight locking closure. It can be worn as a backpack or with one strap, messenger style. The SSE tightly compresses into a small ball weighing only 4oz. for storage in a cargo pocket or pouch. Available in MultiCam. American made.
www.explosiveopsgear.com/catalog/item/8874790/10022916
I originally posted this story on 20 December, 2013. It gives you some real background on how Congress fumbled the quest for a camouflage pattern by stripping the deadline out of the legislation in conference committee. Since several articles discussing camouflage have made the rounds recently, I felt it was important to arm SSD readers with some facts.
I keep getting emails from readers with links to stories from other websites with these silly headlines about new legislation blocking the Army’s ability to field new camo. I thought that the best way to put this to bed is to share the actual language in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 with you so I asked the folks at Rising Tide if they could provide a copy and they were more than happy to oblige. Read the section in question for yourself and then we’ll discuss.
SEC. 352. REVISED POLICY ON GROUND COMBAT AND CAMOUFLAGE UTILITY UNIFORMS.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States that the Secretary of Defense shall eliminate the development and fielding of Armed Force specific combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms in order to adopt and field a common combat and camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms for specific combat environments to be used by all members of the Armed Forces.
(b) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection
(c), after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of a military department may not adopt any new camouflage pattern design or uniform fabric for any combat or camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms for use by an Armed Force, unless—
(1) the new design or fabric is a combat or camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms that will be adopted by all Armed Forces;
(2) the Secretary adopts a uniform already in use by another Armed Force; or
(3) the Secretary of Defense grants an exception based on unique circumstances or operational requirements.
(c) EXCEPTIONS.—Nothing in subsection (b) shall be construed as—
(1) prohibiting the development of combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms for use by personnel assigned to or operating in support of the unified combatant command for special operations forces described in section 167 of title 10, United States Code;
(2) prohibiting engineering modifications to existing uniforms that improve the performance of combat and camouflage utility uniforms, including power harnessing or generating textiles, fire resistant fabrics, and anti-vector, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial treatments;
(3) prohibiting the Secretary of a military department from fielding ancillary uniform items, including headwear, footwear, body armor, and any other such items as determined by the Secretary;
(4) prohibiting the Secretary of a military department from issuing vehicle crew uniforms;
(5) prohibiting cosmetic service-specific uniform modifications to include insignia, pocket orientation, closure devices, inserts, and undergarments; or
(6) prohibiting the continued fielding or use of pre-existing service-specific or operation-specific combat uniforms as long as the uniforms continue to meet operational requirements.
(d) REGISTRATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary of a military department shall formally register with the Joint Clothing and Textiles Governance Board all uniforms in use by an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary and all such uniforms planned for use by such an Armed Force.
(e) LIMITATION ON RESTRICTION.—The Secretary of a military department may not prevent the Secretary of another military department from authorizing the use of any combat or camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms.
(f) GUIDANCE REQUIRED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue guidance to implement this section.
(2) CONTENT.—At a minimum, the guidance required by paragraph (1) shall require the Secretary of each of the military departments—
(A) in cooperation with the commanders of the combatant commands, including the unified combatant command for special operations forces, to establish, by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, joint criteria for combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms, which shall be included in all new requirements documents for such uniforms;
(B) to continually work together to assess and develop new technologies that could be incorporated into future combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms to improve war fighter survivability;
(C) to ensure that new combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms meet the geographic and operational requirements of the commanders of the combatant commands; and
(D) to ensure that all new combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms achieve interoperability with all components of individual war fighter systems, including body armor, organizational clothing and individual equipment, and other individual protective systems.
(g) REPEAL OF POLICY.—Section 352 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84, 123 Stat. 2262; 10 U.S.C. 771 note) is repealed.
Now my comments–
The hope has been that Congress would step in to curb the US military’s number of camouflage patterns from what averages out to about two per service, to a more manageable total of three or less for everybody. I hope you aren’t as underwhelmed as I am with the legislation. Any teeth that the original Enyart Amendment had to bring about any real change, seem to have been yanked from this document.
Having said that, there are a couple of interesting bits. Such as…This section, which halts the Marine Corps’ restriction on sharing MARPAT:
(e) LIMITATION ON RESTRICTION.—The Secretary of a military department may not prevent the Secretary of another military department from authorizing the use of any combat or camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms.
But this section is the free pass that the USMC has been looking for to continue to use MARPAT as long as they want:
Nothing in subsection (b) shall be construed as—
(6) prohibiting the continued fielding or use of pre-existing service-specific or operation-specific combat uniforms as long as the uniforms continue to meet operational requirements.
My take is that this proposed law really does nothing to control the problem. It’s just another watered down version of the language from 2010 that it replaces. There are no deadlines to move to a common uniform or pattern as specified in Rep William Enyart’s (D-IL) (MG, USA NG, Ret) original amendment to the House version of the NDAA; no consequences to continuing on the current path. It’s status quo. Services can continue to use the patterns they already have and can utilize different pocket configurations and even different body armor. It’s the development of new patterns that is at issue and even this can be accomplished so long as it is done so under the banner of jointness. In fact, the language even encourages development of new patterns and technologies.
The real question is how this will affect the Army’s Camouflage Improvement Effort and the USMC’s developmental Transitional MARPAT (yes, you read that right). Not that it really matters. The Army has zero interest in announcing the results of the so-called Phase IV Camo Tests and instead is in the midst of a soft-transition to the Operational Camouflage Pattern (aka Crye Precision’s MultiCam), a currently issued pattern. And so far, no one knows what will come of work being accomplished by NRL on behalf of the Marine Corps.
If you want to know about all of the other defense programs, below is the entire 1105 page NDAA bill. It was recently passed by the House of Representatives and should clear the Senate today. The President is expected to sign it into law before Christmas.
There’s also some guidance on protective equipment early on in the bill. It’s worth looking at.
We’ve mentioned the Grid-Hercules material several times over the past few months and we saw several applications during SHOT Show. This flyer shows some chest rig applications of the material.
