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FirstSpear Friday Focus – Assaulter Armor Carrier v2

Friday, July 7th, 2023

You heard the call for something that’s light and low-profile while still offering full protection. We answered with the AAC v2. Whether your mission is land or sea, let the Assaulter Armor Carrier v2 keep you geared up and ready.

Don’t forget the upgraded Instant Adjust Back Panel – it ensures your carrier is always sized right for the mission. Its minimal padding and water-resistant nylon mesh material make it one tough cookie – lightweight and streamlining you while keeping you safe. You can configure it with BC inserts, soft armor inserts, and hard armor inserts to give you full protection.

If you’re ready to leave the boys in the dust, check out the 6/12 Padded Wings that offer you added comfort while giving you extra pockets for all your gear. So if you need protection for your mission, the AAC v2 is the one for the job. Light and low-profile – mean and strong.

Visit FirstSpear to find American Made kit and accessories, Built For The X.

Posted in Advertiser, Armor, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus – Assaulter Armor Carrier v2

Magruder Takes Command of Special Tactics

Friday, July 7th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Col. Daniel Magruder assumed command of the 24th Special Operations Wing during a ceremony at the Special Tactics Training Squadron on Hurlburt Field Jun. 29.

Air Force Special Operations Command commander Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind presided over the ceremony where Magruder took the guidon from Col. Jason Daniels, who is moving on to serve as the Deputy Director of Operations at headquarters AFSOC.

During his command, Daniels led Special Tactics through multiple crises including executing a challenging non-combatant evacuation in Kabul, humanitarian assistance in Haiti, a variety of missions in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Asia, and expanded the wing’s focus from countering insurgencies and terrorists to include strategic competition.

Bauernfeind shared words of praise for Daniels.

“Under his leadership, the Air Commandos of the 24 SOW were innovative across the spectrum of conflict, resolute under pressure, and made the impossible look simple,” said Bauernfeind. “The 24 SOW provided back-to-back historic extraction support in August of 2021 and those outstanding achievements would not have been impossible without Jason’s leadership.”

As Daniels prepared to relinquish command, he reflected on his time in the 24 SOW.

“I stand here overwhelmingly with a feeling of thanksgiving for the chance to serve with, lead, and command with the Special Tactics community for more than two decades, particularly the last couple of years,” said Daniels. “The opportunity to command this wing and serve its Airmen has been the greatest honor of my career.”

Daniels was awarded the Legion of Merit Second Oak Leaf Cluster for exceptionally meritorious conduct during his tenure as wing commander from Jun. 4, 2021, to Jun. 29, 2023.

Following the change of command, Magruder spoke to the wing for the first time as commander.

“To the men and women of the 24th Special Operations Wing, Jen and I look forward to working for you. Every day we must earn the distinction as our Air Force’s premier ground special operations force,” said Magruder. “I am optimistic about our future because of you… the incredible people that fill our ranks, I aim to earn your trust as we work together to solve our nation’s toughest problems.”

Magruder earned his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2003. He has not only commanded at the flight, squadron, and group levels, but has served in a variety of high-level positions, including being the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s speech writer.

Magruder closed out the ceremony with a challenge to the men and women of Special Tactics.

“To every member of the AFSOC team and the 24 SOW, I encourage you to think about your place in history. It will call on each of you in some way. When history calls on you, when you are tapped on the shoulder, will you be willing to deliver the roar our nation needs?”

By Capt Savannah Stephens, 24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

Posted in AFSW, Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

All Trauma Can Cause PTSD

Thursday, July 6th, 2023

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) —

Post-traumatic stress disorder is commonly associated with combat-related trauma, but service members may not know that PTSD can also be caused by experiences beyond the battlefield.

PTSD is a physical and mental reaction to a situation or event that was perceived as dangerous, according to behavioral health experts.

“The key is being exposed to a traumatic event,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Larry Kroll, deputy chief of the Defense Health Agency’s behavioral health clinical management team.

“Threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, actual or threatened sexual violence—there are all kinds of traumatic experiences that qualify,” he said. These noncombat-related traumas include car accidents, mass shootings, natural disasters, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

The PTSD trigger can vary from person to person. What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another.

“A tornado comes and destroys the town you live in. Your neighbor’s house is still standing. Yours is destroyed,” Kroll said. “Both parties could be diagnosed potentially with PTSD.”

The trigger may be through direct exposure to trauma, or even indirect exposure. According to Kroll, indirect exposure could range from situations like a first responder witnessing trauma as part of their job to learning that a relative or close friend was exposed to a trauma.

There are several symptoms that can lead to a PTSD diagnosis.

Re-living the event: Service members who experienced a traumatic event may re-live the event in their minds over and over again. They may have nightmares or flashbacks. Reminders of the trauma can be caused by people, places, sounds and smells. These reminders are called “triggers.”

Avoiding situations that remind you of the event: Service members may avoid the things that remind them of the experience to avoid painful thoughts and feelings.

Negative thoughts or feelings that worsen after the trauma: You may have changes in thoughts and moods after a trauma. You may blame yourself or feel guilty for having these thoughts. You may separate yourself from others, lose interest in things you like to do, and feel more and more isolated.

Hyperarousal: You may feel too alert or hyper-aware of your surroundings. You may have trouble sleeping and concentrating. You may feel irritable, overly aggressive, or be easily startled.

It’s important to reach out for help if you experience PTSD symptoms. Treatments like cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure therapy are highly effective and available in most military hospitals and clinics. Newer treatments like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy may help too.

According to Brandi Blue, a licensed clinical social worker at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, these therapies allow for the patient to process their feelings of distress and challenge any unrealistic thoughts that have come from the trauma.

Service members may have felt reluctant to get help in the past, but Blue said that education in schools and exposure to mental health needs and symptoms on social media, television, and in movies is lessening the stigma.

“We can help you manage it better and deal with it better,” said Kroll. “We just want you to have a better life and a more fulfilling life.”

Kroll sees a difference in younger service members. “I think young soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardians now are far more comfortable getting mental health support than service members were when I first came in… they’re more comfortable talking about their stuff.”

Resources: The Military Health System has many resources available to help service members, families, or veterans, such as:

The Psychological Health Center of Excellence: The center seeks to improve lives of service members by advancing excellence in military psychological health care research.

Real Warriors Campaign: Real Warriors encourages members of the military community to seek help for mental health concerns by promoting a culture of support. The campaign features videos, tools, and resources with key information about mental health and how to get help.

inTransition: inTransition is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve, veterans, and retirees who need access to mental health care.

For a complete list of PTSD and mental health resources, visit the Health.mil information pages.

By Ken Cornwell, MHS Communications

Posted in Guest Post, Medical | Comments Off on All Trauma Can Cause PTSD

US Army Marks 50th Anniversary of All-Volunteer Force

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

WASHINGTON — On July 1, 2023, the U.S. Army and the nation celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the all-volunteer force. For half a century, the call to serve has been answered with Americans making the choice to represent the highest ideals of service and patriotism through military service.

“This year is the 50th anniversary of the all-volunteer force,” said Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth during the Army’s Birthday Festival. “That is 50 years of selfless service, 50 years of Soldiers from all walks of life volunteering to realize their potential, 50 years of Soldiers being all they can be.”

In 1973, the Nixon administration announced the U.S. military would fill its ranks exclusively with Americans that made the choice to serve rather than with draftees. Prior to 1973’s all-volunteer force, a near-continuous conscription began with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s activation of the nation’s first peacetime draft in support of World War II. That first draft, between November 1940 and October 1946, enlisted over 10 million Americans. The draft was again re-adopted in 1948 and continued to exist until it was officially halted on July 1, 1973.

(Photo Credit: Photo by Warren Leffler, courtesy of the Library of Congress)

The Army started working on developing the all-volunteer force well before the draft ended. According to Nicholas Torre, an Army Historian with the U.S. Army Center of Military History, in April 1971, a transitionary program called VOLAR, named for the new Volunteer Army Program, was successfully implemented at select bases. VOLAR was an experiment designed to increase retention rates and morale among Soldiers and to attract those who wanted to serve. The results were promising. For example, reforms at Fort Carson that aligned with the principles of VOLAR resulted in a 45% increase of reenlistments.

“VOLAR and accompanying initiatives sought to rectify the ills of the Vietnam-era draft-dependent Army,” said Torre. The Army wanted to find ways to increase discipline and morale as it moved towards an all-volunteer force. That included improving work environments by focusing on three areas: Army professionalism, day-to-day quality of life and addressing contextual social problems like race-related and drug abuse issues. Today, at the close of the Global War on Terror and with recruitment presenting challenges, there are parallels shared between the inception of the all-volunteer force and the present state. For instance, the U.S. Army’s continues to be a diverse force and a place for equal pay and treatment.

“Our Soldiers, from the newest E-1 to the most experienced generals come from all over the country, from many different backgrounds, from multiple demographics, races and ethnicities. And while our Soldiers are as diverse as the nation they serve, we have seen throughout our history that we are strongest when we serve together. At the end of the day, what unites us is our shared Army values. That and our collective mission to fight and win the nation’s wars,” said Wormuth.

Our diverse force continues to be united by a common mission, but the U.S. Army has also evolved over the last 50 years. Under the draft system, draftees usually served for two years. Today enlistments vary depending on each Soldier’s training and career path. Today’s Army offers more complex education and training for over 200 career paths. New innovations in training such as the Holistic Health and Fitness, new approaches towards mental readiness, sleep readiness, physical readiness and spiritual readiness are telling of how today’s Army is prioritizing setting up Soldiers for readiness and success.

“No other organization can bring out the best in people like the United States Army,” Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. James C. McConville remarked at the Army’s Birthday Festival.

Wormuth succinctly expressed what’s at the core of encouraging and celebrating Americans who choose to serve in an Army of possibilities, “The strength of our total Army has always been and will always be, our people.”

By Corinne Dionisio

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History, Profession of Arms | 8 Comments »

US Special Forces Partner with Bosnian SIPA for Joint Combined Exchange Training

Tuesday, July 4th, 2023

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Forty miles southwest of Sarajevo, enemies are holed up in an underground government facility built inside a mountain during the Cold War to protect a former Yugoslav president against nuclear attack.

From a Sarajevo compound, U.S. Army Green Berets assigned to the Critical Threats Advisory Company, or CTAC, take off to raid the 70,000-square-foot protective bunker alongside Bosnia-Herzegovina State Investigation and Protection Agency, known as SIPA, officials May 8, 2023.

Three nondescript houses disguise each entrance to the facility. Through the houses and inside the labyrinthine structure, intermittent volleys of gunfire with the enemy reverberate through tunnel corridors. Room by room, the combined force of assaulters systematically clear the protective bunker.

This raid was the culmination exercise of a six-week-long joint combined exchange training focused on close-quarters battle and small unit tactics.

“It was a time-sensitive target, so the planning cycle was condensed,” said the troop leader assigned to CTAC, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) — a highly lethal force capable of collaborating with elite special operations forces elements worldwide. “The bunker has small hallways and small rooms … I wanted to raid the bunker to see how the team would react; to see how I would command and control.”

The 100-room structure was selected as a target to test the force’s methods due to its complexity and extensive size.

Providing solutions for the most sensitive problems and succeeding is paramount, said the special support unit executive officer, a SIPA official with over thirty years of police experience. The mission’s challenging location, time constraints and finite resources presented a nightmare scenario that compelled partners to combine efforts, overcome adversity and get results.

The mission succeeded, shortfalls and gaps were identified, and both sides provided recommendations for future reference, said the special support unit executive officer. Experience and lessons learned from the CTAC are valuable resources that will align the special support unit in solving complex problems.

“I do truly believe that the systems were tested that day,” said the CTAC troop leader. “We definitely learned lessons working with a new partner force which is key in refining troop standards. It’s the Green Beret way.”

By SSG Anthony Bryant

Posted in Army, Guest Post, International, SOF, Training | 3 Comments »

Black Side Solutions for Specialized Mobility Requirements

Monday, July 3rd, 2023

With years working and deploying on mobility operations at the highest levels on no fail operations. We’ve been involved with industry for well over a decade to help develop equipment that will survive the rugged use equipment sees in the field.

We currently provide that equipment to our Special operations customers, government and federal agencies.

The equipment we provide is currently in use and fielded to US military units and fielded on USSOCOM vehicle platforms.

We don’t only provide the right equipment but we’ve used in real world environments during the years of the global wars on terrorism.

From Baja Designs IR lighting, Parker Defense tactical water filtration systems to Safe-Xtract recovery kits and MAXTRAX recovery boards.

We can provide your unit with any array of specialized mobility equipment to meet your unique mission requirements.

To request a catalog or discuss your requirements , visit www.BlackSidesolutions.com or contact Thomas@blacksidesolutions.com

We are partnered with Noble to meet your units TLS and SOE contracting requirements.

Posted in Guest Post, Mobility | Comments Off on Black Side Solutions for Specialized Mobility Requirements

The Horse Cav Rides On

Monday, July 3rd, 2023

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — First Team Troopers have been preserving the traditions of the U.S. Cavalry, performing drills and ceremonies at events locally near Fort Cavazos, or overseas in partner nations for over 50 years.

In 1972 the 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment was activated. Since then, it has demonstrated its proficiency from the local change of commands to being a part of the Army-Airforce Football game. Capt. Michael Gates, an experienced rider who previously commanded the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment “Blackhorse” Horse Detachment, recently assumed command of the 1st Cavalry Division detachment.

“They’re putting me through the same training program that all the new Troopers go through,” Michael said. “I want to see how everything works out here because learning how things are done at the 1st Cavalry Division is very important to me.”

When not performing in parades across the pond in the U.K. or exhibiting at local rodeos, the detachment hosts a weekly demonstration every Thursday. Mounted drills from the U.S. Army’s 1883 Manual of Cavalry Tactics are presented to newly arrived Troopers, their families, and others from the local Texas community.

“We came out to see Fort Cavazos and the 1st Cavalry Divisions demonstration,” said Angel Callan, the site director for the Florence Independent School District’s ACE program. “Many of these students don’t get to experience anything like this; we’re trying to expose them to different colleges and careers.”

Detachment Troopers perform other historical duties besides mounted drills, such as creating riding saddles in their leather shop, building and maintaining their Model 1878 supply wagon, and training and caring for their horses and mules.

“I had no prior knowledge of horsemanship or how to do any leather work,” said Spc. Isaac Hernandez, a detachment Trooper, drives the supply wagon and helps make the unit’s leather items. “As soon as the opportunity to join, I jumped on it. This is a great experience to teach me how to ride horses and get me in tune with a different side of the Army.”

The Horse Cavalry Detachment staff is always ready to give a tour so families can visit and see the animals. Troopers are invited to visit the detachment and try out for a position with the First Team’s Horse Cavalry.

“Come give it a shot; you don’t know you’ll love it until you’re out here,” said Gates. “I had zero experience before I joined the Blackhorse team; I fell in love with it head over heels. I just bought my horse, and I will get involved with the cavalry and horsemanship in my free time.”

By SGT Alex Romey

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History | 5 Comments »

Rheinmetall Mission Master CXT – Fire Support for Counter UAS Role

Sunday, July 2nd, 2023

Rheinmetall is proud to present the Mission Master CXT – Fire Support, equipped with Dillon dual M134D miniguns. This innovative and reliable countermeasure is specially designed to defeat small unmanned aerial systems (UAS). It can fire an impressive 6,000 rounds per minute and defeat drone targets day and night.

With the ability to autonomously detect and track aerial and land targets, while also prioritizing safe fire engagement by the operator (man in/on the loop), this pioneering technology is set to revolutionize counter-UAS operations. What’s more, it features wolfpack capability, meaning that one operator can manage multiple unmanned ground vehicles at the same time.

Rheinmetall will display its counter-UAS solution for the very first time at DSEI in September 2023.

Posted in DSEi, Guest Post, International, UAS | 2 Comments »