As a follow-up to last week’s discussion of the reverse 180, Wyatt goes over the forward 180.
Learn those and other driving skills at Team O’Neill’s Tactical Driving Course at their facility in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This five-day course includes driving under NODS and is available to military and other government agencies as well as civilians.
Western North Carolina still needs our help! As temperatures drop, the need for warmth is growing in WNC. We’re proud to announce our partnership with Uwharrie Outdoor Inc. to support relief efforts in the area. From now through December 31, for every Exfil Woobie Poncho Liner purchased, we’ll donate an identical one to those in need.
Now is the perfect time to buy—these woobies make the ideal gift for anyone who enjoys the outdoors or as a handy emergency item to keep in the truck. Get your holiday shopping done while making a difference in someone’s life!
Shop now and help spread warmth this season!
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As cooler weather moves into Western North Carolina, the need for warmth has never been greater. First responders and volunteers are working tirelessly to provide essential items—like jackets and blankets—to those in need. But they can’t do it alone.
Here’s how you can help: From now until December 31, we’re partnering with Uwharrie Outdoor Inc. to support the community. For every woobie purchased, we will donate an identical one to the relief efforts in Western NC, helping provide comfort and warmth to those in need. Together, we can make a real difference.
Buy Now for $79.00 at raptortactical.com/exfil-woobie-poncho-liner.
WASHINGTON — During the “Leading Change Brief” at the annual AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington D.C. on Oct. 15, 2024, Sgt. Maj. of the Army, Michael A. Weimer, announced the U.S. Army has completed and released a digital Blue Book with a companion website. The Blue Book development was announced at last year’s AUSA Annual Meeting.
“You can’t build standards and discipline in a time of crisis,” Weimer said last year. “If we’re really going to be truly ready for large-scale combat operations, we have to have those standards and discipline before we get called upon for that.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond S. Harris, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, was tasked to lead the Blue Book development.
“To meet the SMA’s intent, we had to ensure that we created a digital version that can be accessed anywhere at any time on any device and that is what the team was able to do,” Harris said.
The purpose of the Army Blue Book is to support history, heritage, lineage, and standards and discipline while simultaneously reinforcing trust at echelon and strengthening the Army profession. The book also includes commonly violated or misunderstood standards. The Blue Book is based on the original intent of Baron von Steuben’s Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States and will serve as the base for all unit standards books to create commonality and consistency throughout the Army.
The TRADOC team traveled to several installations across the Army to gather input for the Blue Book. “We wanted to hear from the force during Blue Book development,” said Sgt. Maj. Tyson Crosby, TRADOC Enlisted Initiatives Group and Blue Book lead planner. “We traveled to five installations, engaging with students and cadre from our Non-commissioned Officer Academies. We also solicitated input and insight from senior Army leaders.”
Although TRADOC was tasked with developing the Blue Book, Crosby said they wanted to ensure NCOs outside of TRADOC had input as well.
“The Blue Book mission was not a singular effort. We received great input and feedback from across the Army, making it a collaborative work. The Blue Book is for the entire Army and our overall plan reflects that,” Crosby said.
The final version of the Blue Book is 23 pages (three chapters), designed to be the first three chapters of a unit-level Blue Book. Once a user opens the Army Blue Book through the QR code, they can download the Blue Book PWA using the phones settings, which will create an app on the phone’s screen. In terms of useability, this will act no differently than app from an application store
Through Army University, TRADOC also developed a progressive web application centered around “Strengthening the Profession.” The webapp will serve as a leadership development and Army professionalism hub. It will also give users the ability to print a Blue Book PDF version. The Strengthening the Profession site will be contemporary and user friendly and will include hot topics, links to relevant sites, and professional articles all relevant to strengthening the Army profession and leadership. TRADOC will be the proponent of the site with regular reviews and updates.
The webapp can function like a native, downloadable app from an application store, but will require a QR code or the weblink to access first. When on the site, users can download the app that will take them directly to the site.
“The Army Blue Book was best developed as a PWA,” stated Matthew MacLaughlin, Army University’s mobile division chief. “The instructional designers determined how the info in the book would be optimized for the format, and then the computer scientists built the framework to ensure the execution is seamless and for all screen sizes.”
He added that while native applications have their place, the PWA format for publications allows for faster updates and provide a native-app experience for the user. The website can detect the user’s device type and will format accordingly.
Weimer said the Blue Book is for living by a standard and enforcing that standard amongst teams that are preparing for combat.
“Be disciplined and be brilliant at the basics,” Weimer said.
TRADOC will review the Blue Book content often and conduct updates as necessary.
The new Blue Book can be viewed online through the Central Army Registry website.
By SGM Jason Stadel
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The form-fitting hood and thumbholes in the cuffs give it a stylish look, while also providing extra warmth and protection from the elements. This hoodie is designed to be comfortable and stretchy, while still providing a close and snug fit. The full-length front zipper makes it easy to get on and off. The sleeves are long enough to provide extra coverage, while the thumbhole cuffs keep your hands warm without sacrificing mobility. The merino wool exterior is naturally resistant to wear and tear, while the polyester interior is designed to withstand repeated washing and drying. And with its form-fitting design, you won’t have to worry about it losing its shape or stretching out over time. Why settle for an ordinary hoodie?
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For the past few weeks we’ve been sharing a series of tactical driving tips from our friends at Team O’Neill. This week instructor Wyatt gets to the good stuff, the “J-turn” or Reverse 180.
In just a few weeks I’ll be putting these driving tips to good use at the Team O’Neil Tactical Driving Course at their facility in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This five-day course includes driving under NODS and is available to military and other government agencies as well as civilians.
Fall is here, and so is the perfect time to upgrade your wardrobe with Vertx Flannels. Simply put, these shirts are the ultimate combination of comfort and durability you’ve been searching for. Crafted from soft, breathable fabrics, they keep you cozy on those crisp days when nature calls.
Their timeless design is packed with features that let them transition effortlessly from casual outings to rugged outdoor adventures. Plus, with reinforced stitching, they’re as tough as you are.
Why settle for less this season? Gear up with Vertx Flannels this fall and experience unmatched comfort and resilience.
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. —
Air Force officials hosted a ceremony at Maxwell AFB, Oct. 8, 2024, highlighting the activation of the Air Force Accessions Center (Provisional) at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and the implementation of a broader strategy to improve how the Air Force inspires, engages, recruits and trains the next generation of Total Force Airmen and Guardians needed to compete, deter, and win in today’s global landscape.
Air University’s Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development at Maxwell AFB merged with JBSA-Randolph’s Air Force Recruiting Service to form the newly established AFAC (P), which is expected to reach Full Operating Capability by Oct. 1, 2025.
“Combining recruiting and specific training missions enables Air Education and Training Command to optimize resources and weight of effort across the enterprise ensuring agility, adaptability, and effectiveness to meet Department of the Air Force, and by extension, combatant command requirements,” stated Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein, AFAC (P) commander. “Our goal is to be able to inspire, recruit, train and develop the right talent, whether Airman or Guardian, into the right job at the right time and while being agile enough to adjust while in execution.”
Recruiting across the Department of Defense has become increasingly challenging due to a widening unfamiliarity gap between the civilian sector and the military.
While the DAF exceeded its recruiting goals for this year, this gap has made the mission of attracting high-quality recruits more difficult.
This gap has made the mission of attracting high-quality recruits more difficult. However, the Air Force is committed to communicating that service in the Air Force or Space Force offers much more than employment it provides profound opportunities, unparallel community, and sense of purpose. The Accessions Center will now be able to garner that talent as well as train and develop the ROTC, JROTC, OTS, and Warrant Officer pipelines under one umbrella.
To learn more about the Air Force and Space Force and discover full and part-time opportunities, visit our website www.AirForce.com of www.SpaceForce.com. To speak with a recruiter near you, click here.
By Joe Gangemi, HQ Air Force Recruiting Service
