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Archive for March, 2021
2021 SureFire Brand Book
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021Noble Announces Acquisition of TSSi to Expand and Enhance Products and Services for U.S. Military and Government Customers
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021Harrisonburg, Virginia, March 24, 2021 – Noble Supply & Logistics, an industry leader in Global Supply Chain Management, Logistics, DoD Mission Support, and Technology, announces the acquisition of Tactical & Survival Specialties, Inc.® (TSSi). TSSi, a decades-long provider of Special Operations Equipment (SOE), brings a specialized supply chain, an experienced team, and tailored logistics solutions to Noble’s growing SOE support to Military and other Government customers.
“I am thrilled to join forces with TSSi and expand our product offering to our customers,” said Tom Noble, Co-Founder, and CEO of Noble. “This acquisition brings together two companies that are razor-focused on ensuring that our warfighters and government customers have the supplies, gear, and equipment they need to complete their missions. Both companies complement each other extremely well, and we are looking forward to working together to add value to the DOD supply chain.”
The Noble-TSSi partnership expands the companies’ capabilities in meeting customers’ requirements for competitive pricing on a broad range of SOE equipment, dedicated customer service, and product expertise, along with established vendor relationships and agreements to serve Military and Government customers better.
Since 2003, Noble has worked with Military and Government customers to find better products, prices, transportation, and services at worldwide locations. This new partnership with TSSi means known team members with expanded product, transportation, and technology solutions.
“No question that Noble is the right home for TSSi,” said Bill Strang, TSSi’s Founder and CEO. “After more than 40 years of supporting those who serve and defend this country, it is important that our mission continue to grow and provide our customers with the best operational support equipment and services available. This partnership will provide our customers with more choices, better prices, and consistently reliable delivery.”
11th AF Establishes Special Experience Identifier and Wear of “Arctic” Tab for Arctic Leader Qualified Airmen
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021In January, LT Gen David Krumm, the Commanding General of the 11th AF which is responsible for air operations in Alaska signed a memorandum creating the Arctic Leader Qualification program, awarding a Special Experience Identifier (3LA) and award of the Arctic tab for those qualified.
The 11th AF is responsible for 79% of DoD Arctic operations and the program is intended to support the 2019 DoD Arctic Strategy. The baseline training is conducted at Alaskan Command’s Arctic Defense Security Orientation. This three-day course covers Arctic history, Alaska Native history, threats from adversaries and provides an extensive big picture overview. After additional experience, the Arctic Leader SEI and tab may be awarded.
In addition to ADSO, Airmen must complete one of the following:
1 Year on station operating in cold weather environment
Fulfill leadership role in exercise Arctic Edge. Arctic Eagle, Navy ICEX, or similar
Deploy in support of contingency op north of 60deg N parallel
USAF Arctic Survival Training
USARAK Northern Warfare Training Center Cold Weather Leader/Orientation Course
USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center Cold Weather Leaders Course
Naval Special Warfare Training – Kodiak
Previously awarded the USAF Arctic “A” Device, Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, USCG Arctic Service Medal, or Antarctic Service Medal
Image by A1C Emily Farnsworth.
Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition Honors Members of Congress with 2021 Sentinel Awards for Legislative Leadership
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021
WPRC Chairman Justin Mayer said, “Senator Rounds and Congressman Langevin continue to lead vital efforts to support the domestic industrial base, enabling the rapid production of American-made military and medical PPE during a period of sustained market disruptions. We are grateful for their leadership on behalf of those who serve in the Armed Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and frontline medical personnel. Sen. Rounds and Rep. Langevin are working every day to renew and strengthen American production of critical life-saving equipment and PPE at the best value to the Federal government.”
The Sentinel Award presentation took place during the 2021 WPRC Legislative Summit, conducted virtually due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. WPRC members participated in virtual meetings with key Members of Congress and staff members to advocate for best-in-class, American-made equipment, textiles and uniforms for U.S. service members, frontline medical responders, and the operational agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.
WPRC’s top legislative priority, the Homeland Security Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act, was passed unanimously in the House in the 116th Congress and will be re-introduced in the 117th to help ensure that American tax dollars are spent on high-quality, American-made uniforms, footwear and personal protective equipment (PPE). The WPRC continues to lead legislative advocacy to strengthen the domestic industrial base for manufacturers of PPE, body armor, ballistic helmets, eye protection, hearing protection, footwear, load carriage and the critical input materials required to maintain a complete, healthy domestic supply chain.
About the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition and the Sentinel Award:
The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) Sentinel Award is the association’s highest honor, presented annually to policymakers who have demonstrated extraordinary support for the American industry that manufactures advanced combat clothing and equipment for the Armed Services and Department of Homeland Security.
WPRC member companies strive every day to provide innovative, advanced solutions to ensure that our armed forces are prepared for any encounter, anywhere in the world. Senator Michael “Mike” Rounds represents the State of South Dakota. He serves on the Committee on Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Veterans’ Affairs; and Environment and Public Works. Congressman James Langevin represents the 2nd District of Rhode Island and serves as a senior member of the Committee on Armed Services.
U.S. Representative Jim Langevin accepted the 2021 Sentinel Award presented virtually by WPRC Executive Director David Costello, Chairman Justin Mayer, and the membership of the WPRC.
US Army Soldiers Provide Romanian Airmen New Equipment Training, Support Allied Readiness
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. – Tobyhanna Army Depot personnel extended the organization’s reach last month when they traveled to a Romanian seaside community to train allies of the United States.
A two-person team traveled to Constanta, Romania last month to conduct Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) New Equipment Training (NET) for Romanian Air Force artillery battalions. NET is an enduring workload for the depot and delivers training to military units after receipt of new assets, ensuring Warfighters across the globe know how to use lifesaving equipment on the battlefield.
Depot personnel spent a week instructing Romanian Airmen on the overall operations of the DAGR, typically used as part of the Patriot missile system. While NET missions often encompass a wide range of service members, this iteration of the training focused on a targeted group of 11 users, who were educated on the functionalities of DAGR. Students learned through classroom instruction as well as hands-on, practical exercises designed to ensure they could perform to Army Standards when operating the asset. Tobyhanna’s instructors gave the students rave reviews for their enthusiasm.
“The Romanian Airmen were very sharp and quick to learn. They made our job easy,” said Gregory Wirth, a training instructor in the Field Logistics Support directorate. Fellow training instructor Vincent Zuranski agreed.
“We had a great rapport with the class,” they said, adding that one highlight of the trip was the authentic Romanian food the Airmen treated them to every day. Wirth and Zuranski also noted the region’s rich history, home to many ancient Greek and Roman settlements.
The mission was the NET team’s first excursion out of Northeastern Pennsylvania since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While travel into the country was relatively easy, returning home to Tobyhanna was a significant challenge, according to Wirth.
“Because COVID-related guidelines are always changing, there was uncertainty about what we’d need to do to get back to the U.S.,” said Wirth. “We ended up needing a negative COVID test for return travel through Germany – not something easy to navigate while in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. Luckily, our students and personnel at the embassy helped us obtain the necessary information so we could get home.”
Despite the challenges, the duo said the opportunity to travel was more than welcome.
“As someone who travels for a living, I found it difficult to not be able to support our important missions across the world. It was extremely exciting to get back out on the road to support our Warfighters,” Zuranski said.
In addition to DAGR, Tobyhanna provides NET for military personnel on the Common Remotely Operated Weapons System (CROWS) and a variety of other systems. The mission is directly aligned with the depot’s long-range strategic plan, Toby 2028, specifically the C5ISR Readiness and Shape the Future lines of effort.
The program benefits all members of Team Tobyhanna, according to Eric Walker, who supervises the NET team.
“NET ensures Soldiers worldwide get the training they need to keep themselves, and the world, safe. When our NET instructors return home, they share any new knowledge with the depot employees who are responsible for repairing the equipment here on-post. It’s win-win and a program we’re proud very to support.”
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.
About 4,000 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.
By Danielle E. Weinschenk, Lead Public Affairs Specialist
ISOtunes Enters the Sport Shooting Market
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021Carmel, IN – ISOtunes®, creator of some of the world’s most innovative outdoor hearing protection, is excited to announce it has officially entered the shooting sports market. A Haven Technologies brand, ISOtunes has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. The mission of ISOtunes is to enhance safety and increase productivity by merging hearing protection with enhanced audio and communication technology in comfortable, lightweight designs. And now, that mission is being deployed in the shooting sports arena.
“We’ve known for a long time that professional and competitive shooters are using our products. The capabilities of our products speak for themselves, and in situations where unhealthy levels of sound are present, nothing outperforms ISOtunes technology,” says Pete Murphy, president of ISOtunes. “We’ve taken that feedback and tailored a line of products that truly addresses the shooter’s needs and outperforms everything in its class.”
This innovative product line has been developed to serve the specific needs of professional, competitive, and recreational shooters alike. With its extension into shooting sports, ISOtunes brings some of the world’s most cutting-edge hearing protection technology into a field with consistently debilitating levels of volume and one that’s eager for technological advancements. Shooters will find features like Tactical Sound Control™ and SafeMax Technology™ alongside Bluetooth connectivity and hearing enhancement. This line was developed with feedback from some of the best shooters in the world.
For more information on ISOtunes and their hearing protection technology, visit their website at www.ISOtunes.com.
Modernizing the Naval Selection Process
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021“Our process is cost-effective and portable and selects the most promising applicants, assisting in their placement into military occupational specialties paths that maximize their talent,” said Elena Grigorenko, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Psychology and director of the Human Genetics Lab at UH. “Our method combines virtual reality technology, physiological makers, and real-time data analytics to assess manpower multidimensionally.”
The Office of Naval Research awarded Grigorenko and her colleagues $2.2 million to develop the MPAB. The firm McAllister & Quinn was instrumental in connecting the U.S. Navy with the University.
The MPAB will create a unique opportunity to assess manpower multidimensionally while the individual is engaged in a virtual reality environment. It will also integrate hardware and software that can track sleep patterns, physical exhaustion, and cognitive load to model a variety of situations that may arise while performing Naval jobs.
For baseline data, the team will collect biomarkers that can interpret the underlying physiology related to a person going through different conditions.
“From the participants’ saliva samples, we will generate hormonal patterns, genome structural variant analyses and whole epigenome (DNA methylation) profiling,” said Grigorenko. “We will use the latest and greatest technology in the field to make sure the selection of military personnel for specific jobs is more precise.”
The MPAB will also use state of the art eye-tracking technology and additional hardware to track the biometric data (e.g., heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, respiration, electroencephalography). The MPAB is designed to be administered repeatedly under different circumstances, to gauge maximum performance, and to capture learning potential with both cognitive and biological indicators.
“The use of expert sailors’ multidimensional profiles in the data-analytics will also permit individualized Navy vocation counseling. This will decrease the costs of unproductive training and premature termination of services while increasing the returns from learning that focuses on strengths and compensates for weaknesses,” said Grigorenko.
Bushnell Continues Sponsorship of Precision Rifle Series
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – March 22, 2021 – Bushnell, an industry leader in performance optics, is excited to announce that it has extended its sponsorship of the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) for the 2021 season. Bushnell will serve as the Official Riflescope of the PRS for a third year in a row and will again be an Affiliate Sponsor as well as the Presenting Sponsor of the PRS Southeast and Atlantic Coast Regional Series. Bushnell will also serve as an Affiliate Sponsor for the new PRS Rimfire Series.
“We are thrilled to be partnering again with Bushnell for the 2021 season,” said Shannon Kay, PRS owner and director. “Since they came on the scene, Bushnell Elite Tactical has been a respected name in the PRS community. We’re grateful for their support of PRS events across the nation. Their commitment to our shooters, incredible optics and building relationships makes them outstanding partners for PRS and our community.”
In addition to its role as the Official Riflescope Sponsor, Bushnell will serve as an Affiliate Sponsor of the newly launched PRS Rimfire Series. Bushnell’s Match Pro Riflescope and Elite Tactical DMR II Pro are sure to be a favorite among rimfire competitors offering FFP (first focal plane) optics, locking turrets, reduced parallax and competition reticles.
Bushnell will also return as the Presenting Sponsor of the Southeast Regional Series and the Bushnell Tactical Vapor Trail Steel Siege match, as well as continues its support of the largest PRS competition in the world, the Bushnell Tactical GAP Grind PRO/AM.
In addition, Bushnell will support the PRS Pro Series, sponsoring the eight most elite matches this season as one of the primary sponsors of the AG Cup Series. PRS organizes the nation’s most renowned precision rifle competitions, with the 2021 PRS Pro Series Finale taking place November 6 in Raton, New Mexico, where Bushnell will be sponsoring the event.
“We are excited to be the official riflescope of the PRS again this year, as well as sponsoring the newly formed PRS Rimfire Series,” said Derek Osburn, Director of Optics for Vista Outdoor. “Supporting the competition community through event sponsorship and new product innovation is important to us at Bushnell. Our sponsored shooters put our optics to the test each year and we believe the durability, reliability of tracking, and glass quality our optics provide deliver an unmatched value to any competitor.”
For more information on the Bushnell line of products, especially those from the Elite Tactical lineup, visit www.bushnell.com/products/riflescopes/collections/elite-tactical.
