March 2023 | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for March, 2023

Textile Business at Milliken & Company Successfully Eliminates PFAS from Portfolio

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

Spartanburg, SC (Feb. 22, 2023) – The Textile Business of global manufacturer Milliken & Company announced it has successfully eliminated all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, from its textile fibers and finishes portfolio, becoming the first U.S.-based multi-market textile manufacturer to remove PFAS.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment and tribute to our team who worked around the clock to develop solutions that meet our customers’ performance requirements and reflect our purpose to positively impact the world for future generations,” said David Smith, executive vice president, Milliken & Company, and president, Milliken’s Textile Business.

The manufacturer announced in February 2022 an aggressive plan to eliminate PFAS as an ingredient in its textile portfolio by the end of the year. As of Dec. 31, 2022, the Textile Business at Milliken had removed PFAS-based finishes and fibers, which spans multiple industries including flame-resistant, military, uniform and decor fabrics.

Milliken’s Textile Business began evaluating its portfolio in 2020 and segmented its evaluation efforts between three areas of focus: durable water repellency (DWR), soil release and oil repellency. Alternative DWR solutions were readily available in the market through accredited organizations such as bluesign®. The Milliken research team assessed and implemented appropriate alternatives to maintain the performance and quality standards customers expect for DWR.

Soil repellency proved to be both a challenge and an opportunity for the Textile Business. Working with Milliken’s internal research team, a new soil release technology was developed and integrated into suitable textile applications without PFAS as an ingredient. The new technology, proprietary to Milliken & Company, has shown equivalent and, in some cases, superior performance to previous PFAS-containing finishes. Currently, the new technology is not an alternative to every soil-repellent finish application. After an extensive search and vetting process for alternative oil repellency, no alternative was found, and the company exited those lines of business as a result.

“Our work was intricate, and our team, including research and development, sourcing, compliance, sales, and many other functions, approached this initiative thoughtfully and with great care for our customers,” added Jeff Strahan, Ph.D., director of sustainability, compliance and research for the Textile Business. “We’re thrilled to be leading the industry in taking meaningful action that will have an immediate impact.”

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, Milliken no longer treats textiles with PFAS chemistry. This achievement follows Milliken’s recent announcement that its science-based net-zero targets were approved by the U.N.-backed Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Posted in Materials, Press Release | Comments Off on Textile Business at Milliken & Company Successfully Eliminates PFAS from Portfolio

Enforce Tac 23 – Rheinmetall Squad Support Weapon 40

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

Rheinmetall is exhibiting their Squad Support Weapon 40, a semi-auto, box-fed 40mm Grenade launcher. It fires Rheinmetall’s new programmable medium velocity rounds as well as legacy low velocity rounds. These rounds can be programmed for airburst and include:

HE Fragmentation (HEFRAG16)

Anti-Tank (HEDP16)

Door Breaching (HEBE14)

Air Burst (HEAB)

Training (TPM, TPM-T)

Illumination / Fog

Sound & Flash and Stimulus Ammunition (CS)

While we see a 5 round magazine, there is also a 3 round magazine under development which sits flush with the bottom of the pistol grip. Additionally, a 10 round magazine is under development. The weapons weighs about 4 kg.

This is the programmer which is the same one they are using for high velocity 40mm rounds fired from the Mk19 and HK GMG. It programs the round via IR.

With the US Army poised to release the Precision Grenadier System requirement, the SSW40 will surely be a contender.

Posted in Enforce Tac, weapons | 8 Comments »

US Marines Move Snipers from Infantry Battalions to Recon & MARSOC

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

There’s been quite a bit of grump king recently over USMC plans to move their Snipers from Infantry Battalions where they are organized in Scout Sniper Platoons to Reconnaissance Bns and Marine Corps Special Operations Command.

The move was made official late last week with release of a message which “directs immediate transition of Scout Sniper Platoons to Scout Platoons.” The move comes as part of Force Design 2030 and is reportedly due to the inability of Scout Sniper Platoons to provide continuous all-weather information on the battlefield.

Currently, Scout Sniper Platoons consist of 18 Marines. According to the message, “The Commandant of the Marine Corps agreed to establish a scout platoon within the Infantry Battalion to provide the commander with relevant, reliable, accurate, and prompt information. The Scout Platoon consists of 26 Marines, four teams of six infantry Marines led by a First Lieutenant and infantry Gunnery Sergeant. Trained designated marksmen and precision rifles will remain within the Infantry Company.”

Along with the move comes a new Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) for Snipers. They will no longer have the secondary MOS of 317. Instead, Marine Corps is establishing the Reconnaissance Sniper (0322) MOS, for designated 0321 MOS Reconnaissance Marines, which will be organic to reconnaissance battalions.

As for relying on MARSOC Snipers, the Marine Corps is writing a check they may not be able to cash since MARSOC provides forces to Special Operations Task Forces and not Marine Expeditionary Units.

Posted in USMC | 17 Comments »

Enforce Tac 23 – S4 Supplies

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

S4 Supplies which is the retail arm of German distributor CSC had two bespoke items on display.

First is CSC’s new helmets which were shown in Mid and High-cut variants. They’ve passed testing against 9mm threats. We’ll follow up with some more definitive tech data soon.

They will also be releasing ballistic plates in the future.

The second item from CSC is an as-yet-unnamed pack. This 120L internal frame features top, panel and bottom access along with two removable (via zippers) side pockets which can be used for stand alone assault load carriage. It’s also lightweight, coming in at less than 7 pounds. It’s made from 500D Cordura and offers different sized hip belts. The shoulder straps, back pad and belt features a high ventilation mesh which guarantees airflow.

There are also some nice side release buckles at the sternum and pack bag which are easier to open while wearing gloves.

Posted in Enforce Tac, Helmets, Packs | 2 Comments »

Enforce Tac 23 – Direct Action

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

Direct Action has released their rope bag. Designed to be leg mounted, it will control the rope during rappel descents.

Posted in Advertiser, Enforce Tac, Load Carrying, Mountaineering | Comments Off on Enforce Tac 23 – Direct Action

Enforce Tac 23 – Act In Black

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

Sure, Act In Black is a night vision company, but they also have some of the coolest mannequins.

Take for instance this guy who is outfitted in a back to the future outfit featuring NVA (that’s the East German National Volks Armee and not the North Vietnamese Army) Strichtarn or as it’s known in the US, Raindrop camouflage.

Unfortunately, you can’t go one place and get all of this goodness they’ve carefully curated the look including some pieces from my buddy at Flimmuur Tactical.

Posted in Camo, Enforce Tac | 6 Comments »

Access and Opportunity: How the Naval Studies Certificate Starts the Journey of Lifelong Learning

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

OAK HARBOR, Wash. – AWO2 Brooke Graham was one of the first 34 students to complete the Naval Studies Certificate, a naval-relevant education program offered as a part of every associate degree program with USNCC.

“Petty Officer Graham, you have a visitor,” says one of the chief petty officers attached to the command. Naval Aircrewman (Operator) 2nd Class Brooke Graham, of Oakley, California, looks at the senior enlisted leader with furrowed brows. Sgt. Maj. Michael Hensley introduces himself and congratulates her on her recent completion of the Naval Studies Certificate.

“I’m used to being around Navy people all the time,” said Graham about her experience with USNCC. She said her interactions with active duty Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen in the five courses that comprise the Naval Studies Certificate “makes me take a step back and see how we fit in. It gave me more awareness of our place in the world and how our mission impacts it.”

Graham was one of the first 34 students to complete the Naval Studies Certificate, a naval-relevant education program offered as a part of every associate degree program with USNCC. These five courses were taught entirely online and asynchronously, giving service members access and opportunity to balance their work life with the pursuit of naval-relevant education.

“We can’t spend our way to victory,” said USNCC’s Sgt. Maj. Michael Hensley. “We need to educate our Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen if we want to invest in our success.”

“The Naval Studies Certificate is designed with fleet input to be both a part of the student’s associate degree and build skills the operating force needs,” said Russ Evans, associate dean of Naval Studies at USNCC. “Whether it is expeditionary advanced operating bases or distributed lethality, we will ask more junior individuals to make bigger decisions with less support more quickly. The Naval Studies Certificate is designed to prepare students for those challenges.”

The Naval Studies Certificate’s 15-semester-credit program is a stackable certificate within each of the associate degree programs offered by USNCC. These stackable certificates mean USNCC students will be able to build on the education they earn to develop a journey of lifelong learning.

“We want our Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen to continually progress in learning. Through continued lifelong learning, our men and women in uniform are key to enhancing operational readiness and advancing the warfighting advantage over our competitors and adversaries,” said President Randi R. Cosentino, Ed.D., of USNCC. “This Naval Studies Certificate program is a key component to ensuring the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard better develop the intellectual talent we have at all paygrades in the services.”

The Naval Studies Certificate program opened up for a pilot command-referral phase February 1, 2023. These Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen will be directly referred by their commands as prime candidates to earn an independent Naval Studies Certificate.

“For the USNCC to be successful, we have to provide naval-relevant classes and content,” said Dan Goff, Ph.D., professor of Naval Studies and a retired Marine. “The only way we can really ensure that is feedback from the students, but also the commands where those students come from.”

After her studies, Graham was meritoriously promoted to petty officer 2nd class, a process that relies on the Sailor maintaining sustained superior performance as identified by command leadership. While the promotion was not the direct result of her education, Graham said the Naval Studies Certificate helped her take a step back and see how she fit into the bigger picture of the mission.

To learn more about the Naval Studies Certificate program, or to find out more about the command nomination program, go to www.usncc.edu.

The United States Naval Community College is the official community college for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. To get more information about the USNCC, go to www.usncc.edu. Click on the Apply Now link to become a part of the USNCC Pilot II program.

From Chief Mass Communication Specialist Xander Gamble

Posted in Guest Post, Navy, Press Release | Comments Off on Access and Opportunity: How the Naval Studies Certificate Starts the Journey of Lifelong Learning