
Varusteleka is offering TSL 227 XL Snow Shoes in Finnish M05 Snow camouflage.

TSL snowshoes are manufactured in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps, quite near to Mont Blanc.
www.varusteleka.com/en/product/tsl-227-xl-snow-shoes-m05-snow-camo

Varusteleka is offering TSL 227 XL Snow Shoes in Finnish M05 Snow camouflage.

TSL snowshoes are manufactured in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps, quite near to Mont Blanc.
www.varusteleka.com/en/product/tsl-227-xl-snow-shoes-m05-snow-camo
Throughout the course of the American Revolutionary War, the British imprisoned a significant number of colonists as prisoners of war. They were held on ships because doing so was more cost-effective than constructing prison of war camps on land.

In Wallabout Bay, one ship that fit this description was the HMS Jersey. This port was in close proximity to New York City. The captives were handled in an extremely cruel manner. They were not provided with an adequate amount of food or water. Many of the soldiers perished as a result of diseases such as yellow fever and smallpox. More Americans lost their lives on British prison ships in New York Harbor than in all of the Revolutionary War’s engagements combined. For the majority of the conflict, there were at least 16 of these floating prisons, all of which were known for their filth, bugs, contagious diseases, and terror. They were all anchored in Wallabout Bay on the East River. The Jersey was the most infamous of the miserable ships, although they were all awful.
The British had hundreds of prisoners on their hands after the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 and the subsequent surrender of New York City, and the jails in New York quickly became overcrowded. The British then converted a number of old ships into prison ships when they started taking hundreds of seamen from privateers.
On the HMS Jersey, more than a thousand soldiers were crammed at once. When their British jailers opened the hatches in the morning, their first words to the soldiers below were, “Rebels, turn out your dead!” They died so frequently.

The Department of Defense reports that during the Revolutionary War, 4,435 people died in action. There may have been more deaths on prison ships than the 7,000–8,000 that one historian estimated. Some sources have that number as high as 12, 000 dyeing on the prison ships. Although such number is improbable for a single ship, it is plausible for all of the prison ships taken together and is frequently used.
Elizabeth Burgin was a loyal and brave citizen. We don’t have a lot of information regarding her life. It is well knowledge that she paid as many visits as she could to the captives held aboard the British prison ships. She provided the men food as well as a joyful spirit. An American officer took note of her frequent trips. He intended to provide assistance to a few of the inmates so that they might flee. He requested Elizabeth’s assistance in carrying out his plan. The British authorities did not permit male visitors on board the ships. Elizabeth gave her consent for the inmates to be informed to prepare. They were able to escape the ship with her assistance. The winter of 1779–1780 was one of the coldest on record. Men were able to escape from the ships by walking on the ice that formed when the water in the harbor froze over. During the winter of that year, Elizabeth Burgin was responsible for freeing more than two hundred convicts.
The anger felt by the British was palpable. They were willing to pay a reward of two hundred pounds for information leading to her capture. This sum was greater than what the majority of British troops were paid throughout their whole career of twenty years. Elizabeth was concerned that she might be executed by hanging. As a result of being forced to escape her home, she had to leave the majority of her valuables behind. Elizabeth’s bravery was praised in a letter that General George Washington sent to the Continental Congress. In recognition of her service and sacrifice, the Continental Congress awarded her a pension in the year 1781.
Happy New Year from the FirstSpear team.
As dawn breaks into the new year, remember those working hard at home and abroad so we can celebrate in peace with family and friends.

Visit FirstSpear to find America’s Best tactical gear this New Year.
Safran Optics 1 Selected to Provide Panoramic Sight to General Dynamics Land Systems for the US Army’s Mobile Protected Fire Program

Bedford, NH, December 28, 2022.
The U.S. Army selected General Dynamics Land Systems’ (GDLS) all-new Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) vehicle with Safran Optics 1’s PASEO Commander’s Independent Tactical Viewer (CITV) long-range panoramic targeting sight. The Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) award, valued at $1.14 billion, will provide the U.S. Army with 96 vehicles over the next four years. The award also includes test support, logistics support and systems technical support.
“We are proud to have partnered with GDLS to offer our best-in-class PASEO CITV sight for the groundbreaking MPF, all for the ultimate benefit of those who will serve on the vehicle,” said Joseph Bogosian, President & CEO at Optics 1.
The PASEO is one of the most innovative surveillance and targeting sights for infantry vehicles and battlefield tanks. It provides an above-armor integrated sight enhancing situational awareness to the Commander and crewmembers.
MPF is a lightweight, direct-fire combat vehicle that is highly lethal and survivable to dominate ground threats on the multi-domain battlefield. The MPF vehicle employs a four-person crew and features an enhanced thermal viewer (PASEO CITV), a large-caliber cannon, a lightweight hull and turret, and a modern diesel engine, transmission and suspension system. This new tank will be the first newly designed vehicle for the Army in over 40 years.

Job Details
Full-time · $57,000 – $58,000 / year
Job Description
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Basic understanding and use of GD&T
• Utilize 3D CAD system to maintain current products and develop design concepts
• Identify current brand aesthetics and design products to fit said aesthetics
• Design a variety of product types and collaborate with manufacturing team to optimize manufacturability and efficiency. Product types include:
o Soft goods (Sewn)
o CNC Machined
o Injection Molded (polymer and liquid silicone rubber)
o Thermoformed
• Proficient in various prototyping methods to demonstrate form and function
• Create, organize, and maintain existing engineering documentation (Drawings, BOMs, Work Instructions, etc.)
• Advance problem solving skills to identify and mitigate design failure
• Develop and conduct test procedures to validate concepts, direct and coordinate testing
• Able to work multiple projects simultaneously
• Create, modify, and train others in known processes and procedures as required
Job Requirements:
• Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or related discipline
• 0-2 years of experience in product design and development
• Experience in plastic, CNC machined, and soft good design is highly preferred.
• Experienced in 3D solid and surface modeling in CAD. PTC Creo experience is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in MS Office
• Personal attributes: highly motivated, innovative, collaborative, dynamic
• Superior communication skills. Engage various team members with a hands-on attitude. Not afraid to fail in order to learn and succeed.
• Motivated to provide design updates and open to receive feedback and constructive criticism.
A RESUME IS REQUIRED TO APPLY APPLY TO THIS POSITION. PLEASE APPLY BY SUBMITTING YOUR RESUME. NO CALLS PLEASE. You will get a response!
2504 Squadron Ct,
Ste 110,
Virginia Beach, VA 23453
How do you protect yourself while traveling? Being on the road all of the time, this is an issue I struggle with and it’s only exacerbated while traveling overseas. Even some
of the most innocuous stuff like a first-aid kit and a pen knife can get you hemmed up.
Adam Holroyd of Spiritus Systems breaks down some options.
On December 24th, 1944, The Battle of the Bulge had started 8 days before with a massive push by the Germans to split the Allies in half and stop the use of the Belgium port of Antwerp. Many soldiers on both sides had become lost from their units and were looking for a place to stay. Three American Soldiers were lost around the area where the shack was. They saw the light from the small hunting cabin and the smoke from the chimney. They saw their chance to warm up. They knocked on the door and asked if they could come in. The German lady had a small chicken cooking for themselves but invited the Americans in to warm up and for the Christmas meal.

One of the American Soldiers was wounded, and the lady tried to make him comfortable. There was a language barrier for a time till one of the soldiers found out the lady could speak French as well as German. So, everything was going well, and the Americans were feeling right at home.
Then suddenly there was a knock at the door. The American’s went for their guns. The lady went to the door and answered it. There were four German soldiers who were also lost from their unit, and they asked the lady for shelter. The lady answered them with this, “Yes, you can come in for Christmas dinner, but I have other guests.” One German soldier remarked, “Americana.” She said, “yes, and that this was Christmas, and there would be no killing on this night.” She also told the Germans that they would have to lay down their weapons while they came in. She instructed the Americans to do the same.
There they were all in the room together, soldiers who a little while ago were bent on killing each other. Now, they were in a small room together with no weapons. Everyone could feel the tension in the air. It was very quiet for about ten minutes. Then one American soldier offered the Germans a cigarette. They obliged. One of the Germans who had medical training asked about the wounded American. He then began to help the wounded American and made him as comfortable as he could be.
By the time the meal was ready, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Two of the Germans were only sixteen, their corporal was 23. As Elisabeth said grace, Fritz noticed tears in the soldiers’ eyes, both German and American.
The truce lasted through the night and into the morning. Looking at the Americans’ map, the corporal told them the best way to get back to their lines and provided them with a compass. They asked if they should instead go to Monschau, the corporal shook his head and said it was now in German hands. Elisabeth returned all their weapons, and the enemies shook hands and left in opposite directions. Soon they were all out of sight, and the truce was over.
If you are in the Christmas spirit and want to watch a movie about the Battle of the Bugle, I would recommend Battleground. It was written by someone who was in the Battle of the Bugle. It is an all-time classic.
Sorry, I couldn’t find the whole movie. This is the preview.
If you’re a fan of Bravo Company, then you’ll want to pick up a copy of “Mod 1 The Bravo Company MFG Collection”. This monograph by Jon Chang and Stephen Ciuccoli captures images taken from 2012-2021.

More than a look book, the work encompasses dozens of product photos, the complete American Gunfighter History series, and dozens of photos of the BCM Gunfighters on the range training the next generation of responsible American citizens.
bravocompanyusa.com/mod-1-the-bravo-company-mfg-collection-hardcover