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FirstSpear Friday Focus – OEM Spotlight – Catamount Outdoor Gear

Friday, July 29th, 2022

Gear For Life. No matter where it takes you.

In this weeks Friday Focus, we’re presenting another OEM Spotlight, Catamount Outdoor Gear. Owner, Mark Johnson, reimagines the average bino harness to create an extraordinary, American made product for the outdoor industry and beyond.

The Catamount Outdoor Gear (COG) Bino Harness is purpose built to provide the ultimate level of user comfort and optics protection. Before Mark created Catamount Outdoor Gear, his expectations of bino harness’ were never fully met. Dealing with issues such as loose hanging straps and improper pouch positioning was concerning for him. This sparked his creativity and bred the necessity to design his own system.

Unique COG features include the ability to MOLLE weave onto a pack or mount additional pouches through the laser cut cordura to create a larger kit suited to the individuals needs while hunting, scouting and traveling.

The 4-way stretch bino compartment flap provides notable protection against dirt, dust and debris. This flap can also be manipulated by one hand and is designed to be quiet while spot and stalking, bow hunter etiquette at its finest.

The COG Bino Harness is specifically designed to be as minimalistic as possible out of the box. Whether you’re loaded with pack and gear or drawing your bow on big game, your bino’s will be comfortably secured and out of the way.

The Learn more about Catamount Gear Outdoors, visit www.catamountog.com/home.

Visit FirstSpear to find all the gear and apparel for America’s Warfighter.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus – OEM Spotlight – Catamount Outdoor Gear

Combat Artist Illustrated Marine Raiders

Friday, July 29th, 2022

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC —

It was a hot day at Camp Lejeune while a Marine Special Operations Company conducted a portion of their pre-deployment readiness exercise. In the distance, Marine Raiders conduct a gear check as they prepare for the next segment of their training. In the foreground sat Capt. Charles J. Bauman and to his left, Capt. Michael Reynolds, as both expertly maneuver their choice of drawing tools across their sketch pads, illustrating the story unfolding right before them.

Capt. Charles Baumann, a designated combat artist and logistics officer with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, and Capt. Michael Reynolds, ammunition officer with Marine Forces Special Operations Command, document a pre-deployment culminating exercise while attached to a Marine Special Operations Company, June 13-16, 2022.

“The purpose of the [Marine Corps Combat Art Program] is to document Marine Corps operations via illustration for historical documentation,” explained Baumann. “I hope to contribute to the collections of work archived in the [National Museum of the Marine Corps] and provide a slightly different perspective to viewing the recorded history of the Marine Corps. I hope that in 10, 20, 50 years my artwork can be used to help tell the story of the Corps while I was in service.”

“The purpose of the Marine Corps Combat Art Program is to document Marine Corps operations via illustration for historical documentation.”

Capt. Charles Baumann, Designated combat artist and logistics officer

Baumann, initially, was not aware of the Marine Corps Combat Art Program. Once he became aware of the program, he reached out to retired Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael D. Fay who was the last activated reserve combat artist during the early Iraq War years who then introduced him to retired Col. Craig H. Streeter, also a combat artist. Streeter then introduced Baumann to the NMMC’s director, deputy director and art curator, who encouraged him to submit a portfolio of artwork. They deemed Baumann’s artwork skilled enough to bring him into the program and he attained the free military occupational specialty of combat artist.

Combat artist is a free military occupational specialty that can be filled by any Marine regardless of primary MOS in addition to their regular duties. They illustrate military operations on behalf the Marine Corps’ historical collection efforts as their schedule allows and is intended to capture military operations from an organic point of view.

“Once I realized I could combine my passion [and] skill for art and my calling to serve in the USMC, I was immediately inspired to see my military experience as medium to be illustrated,” said Baumann. “My initial body of work that was submitted as a portfolio was praised by people I respected and admired as veteran artists, which had a huge impact on my self-confidence and determination to develop my skill.”

Reynolds is currently applying to join Baumann as a combat artist for the Marine Corps Combat Art Program.

“I can directly attribute my desire to become a combat artist to the influence of Marine Corps Combat Artists like Capt. Baumann and former Staff Sgt. Elize Mcelvey,” said Reynolds. “Just as in marksmanship, if you have the foundational understanding of what is supposed to happen and have the ability to receive and grow from constructive criticism, you can consistently get better with more practical application.”

“Just as in marksmanship, if you have the foundational understanding of what is supposed to happen and have the ability to receive and grow from constructive criticism, you can consistently get better with more practical application.”

Capt. Michael Reynolds, Ammunition officer

Baumann was coached early on by Fay, Streeter and Richard Johnson, a civilian field illustrator, to draw from observation and life-to-life experiences. Once he grasped the concept of illustrating by direct observation, new opportunities came with the confidence to draw what he observed in person. He now keeps a sketch pad and camera on hand for any opportunities that may arise worth illustrating.

“I hope my art is able to connect with the viewer in an emotional and personal way,” expressed Baumann. “I want my civilian audience to gain an appreciation for the details of what it means to serve in the military. I feel like I can provide an insider perspective as both the illustrator and active-duty service member.”

Reynolds shares what he hopes to accomplish with his art.

“When observing artwork by former Marine Corps combat artists like retired Chief Warrant Officer Mike Fay, I’m brought back into the scene I’m looking at,” said Reynolds. “I recall the smell of JP8, the feel of moondust beneath my boots, and the sounds of the rumbling engine of the Humvee in the distance. It’s that level of connection that I am to achieve in hopes that someday, someone can recall and connect with what I’ve illustrated to tell a story using non-verbal communication.”

The NMMC is currently taking applications from artistically talented Marines to serve as combat artists. For more information on the program and how to apply, refer to MARADMIN 267/22.

Sgt Jesula Jeanlouis, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

Posted in Guest Post, SOF, USMC | 2 Comments »

Haley Strategic D3 Belt

Thursday, July 28th, 2022

Battle belts have been used by warfighters dating back to the first American Revolutionary War. Throughout time, materials and mission requirements have evolved and so have belt designs. The application of the latest technologies in American made materials and over 240 years of battle belt history have combined to form our D3 BELT. Our hallmark disruptive approach to product design was harnessed into the foundation of this belt sparing no minor details in the fit, form, or function of the D3 BELT.

Any structure is only as strong as its foundation. Influenced by decades of operational use, we began engineering our premier mounting surface on this principle. The D3 BELT delivers optimal synergy between belt rigidity and comfort and closes with the proven Cobra buckle. The best equipment in the world borne on a weak foundation is unacceptable when life and liberty are at stake, the D3 BELT provides a proven foundation to support any mission requirement for the modern warfighter.

The highly anticipated Haley Strategic D3 Belt is finally here and launches TODAY at 1200 PDT.

haleystrategic.com/products/d3belt

And dont forget the pouches…

UPDATE: Due to technical issues, the belts will be available on Friday, 29 July.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Load Carrying | 2 Comments »

Low-Cost Tech Shaping Modern Battlefield, SOCOM Commander Says?

Thursday, July 28th, 2022

ASPEN, Colo. — In his 38 years as a soldier, across theaters ranging from the Middle East to Europe, the commander of Special Operations Command says he never had to look up. But those days are ending.

“I never had to look up because the U.S. always maintained air superiority,” Army Gen. Richard D. Clarke said during a discussion Friday at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado. “We won’t always have that luxury,” he added.

Low-cost quadcopters and larger unmanned aerial vehicles are disrupting the status quo as militaries and insurgents increasingly rely on them, the general said.

“When Russia is running out of them for Ukraine, and they’re going to Iran to go buy more, [that] should cause us all a bit of concern because you can see how valuable that they can be in the future fight,” he said.

U.S. and partner forces have largely focused on ways to defeat enemy drones after takeoff, but Clarke said there is also a need for interagency discussions on ways to disrupt supply chains to prevent them from taking off.

But first, there must be a discussion on norms and authorities for their use, he said. With a “very low” cost of entry for some of the small unmanned systems, the general said some countries may want to use drones to move patients or supplies. Medical transport vehicles are protected under the Geneva Conventions.

Chemical, Biological Weapons

Clarke said the Defense Department has charged Socom with looking at another threat that is inexpensive to produce and use — chemical and biological weapons.

ISIS used chlorine and mustard gases in Iraq and Syria, he said. Russia has used chemical weapons against its political allies — on its own soil and elsewhere, Clarke added.

“The fact that someone in the basement in Mosul [Iraq] with a few lab sets can do this,” proved that it’s a simple process to create these weapons, the general said. Chemical and biological weapons are a terrorist weapon system, he said, and ISIS and al-Qaida will continue to use them because they instill fear.

“As we go into the future, we have to be prepared for that eventuality … and look for methods to continue to combat it,” Clarke said.

Cyber Threats

Though U.S. officials have said government and other critical systems are receiving daily cyberattacks, the general said he’s equally concerned with the way adversaries are using cyber to exploit the information space.

Malign actors are spreading misinformation and disinformation online, and these have had an impact on elections, he said.

Misinformation is false or misleading information — a mistaken breaking news announcement, for example. Disinformation is meant to intentionally deceive the recipient.

Clarke said cyber gives adversaries a quick route to spread false information that can damage the U.S. cause.

“The message, if you look at the internet and what is happening from the African countries, its U.S. sanctions against Russia are causing food shortages in Africa,” the general said. “So we’re being blamed for people in Africa not getting to eat. … We have to look at what is on the internet and get the truth out about what is happening. And I think we have to be able to do that as a government a little bit faster than what we’re doing today.”

By Claudette Roulo, DOD News

Posted in Army, CBRNE, CEMA, Disruptive Tech, Guest Post, Information Warfare, SOF | Comments Off on Low-Cost Tech Shaping Modern Battlefield, SOCOM Commander Says?

How Drones Will Transform Battlefield Medicine, Save Lives

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) —

Blood loss or “bleeding out” is the leading cause of preventable death on the battlefield, military health experts say.

So, one of the best ways to save lives during combat operations is to provide blood products to forward-deployed medics and corpsmen as soon as possible.

During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, getting the needed blood products to injured warfighters was typically not a major challenge when the U.S. military controlled the skies and maintained a nearby network of medical facilities.

“We were pretty reliant on medevac ‘dust off’ to deliver our blood,” said Air Force Col. (Dr.) Stacy Shackelford, Joint Trauma System chief.

However, in future conflicts against a “near-peer” adversary, Shackelford said, that could be far more difficult. Injured troops may have to remain at the frontlines for days while needing blood transfusions or other major medical care.

The solution: Drones may become essential to combat medicine.

“I think it’s going to come down to drone delivery of blood by some type of unmanned vehicle that can fly in and drop off more blood or more bullets, whatever is needed,” Shackelford said.

Resupply by Drones

“We think that drone resupply of blood and immediate-need medical products are really just around the corner,” said Dr. Adam Meledeo, a research scientist for coagulation and blood research at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

“There are multiple off-the-shelf solutions that are being considered,” and the Defense Health Agency is funding several other innovations to optimize the ability to provide drones in the battle space, Meledeo said.

Yet using drones to resupply blood and other medical supplies will be challenging.

“There’s obviously trade-offs between some of these different platforms, such as making sure that we have a vehicle that’s fast, and somewhat stealthy … and has a very large battery that will be able to keep it airborne for a much longer period of time if it needs to loiter somewhere in anticipation of there being a problem,” Meledeo said.

“There’s also been some talk of outfitting some of our combat hardware drones that are already in use with alternative payloads that would be able to supply blood, medical supplies and really just about anything, such as MRE’s, ammunition, and water” to frontline medics or service members caring for wounded Soldiers, he explained.

Blood Resupply

“The primary issue with blood resupply is that it has to be maintained at specific temperatures, as do a number of pharmaceuticals including certain pain medications, and antibiotics,” Meledeo explained.

“The biggest technological hurdles right now are being able to maintain those temperatures inside those drone payloads very consistently, at a variety of altitudes, and a variety of different ambient conditions for potentially lengthy periods of time, without drawing too much power away from the system itself,” Meledeo continued.

The Marines Corps used drones for resupply during an exercise in Australia. Drones have also been used in Rwanda and Uganda to transport medical supplies to rural areas across mountain ranges and in bad weather, Meledeo said.

“I think that we’re going to get there much faster than we had initially anticipated,” he said.

The use of drones for future near-peer conflicts is starting to filter down into the operational forces as a potential solution in the near term, he noted.

Wounded Warrior Evacuation

“In the long term, there are a number of lines of effort, such as involving drones for the extraction of patients,” Meledeo said.

U.S. partner countries are examining some of these platforms that can evacuate a patient rapidly without risking other personnel in potentially contested airspace, he added.

How does one transport casualties stealthily?

“Part of it is marking the vehicles appropriately with standard medical nomenclature. That gives you the Geneva Convention protection. But obviously, we go up against certain enemies that will not care about that at all,” he explained.

Artificial Intelligence

Stealth technology continues to improve. When it comes to drones, “it may be just a matter of keeping the drones low to the ground, and that they’re being piloted by an artificial intelligence system,” Meledeo explained.

“So, hopefully, AI will be faster to react than a human would be. But even still, I think there are a lot of concerns about” the use of drones to extract wounded warfighters.

“The long-term goal … is to actually have some sort of robotics onboard these drones that would be doing medical care to the patient during transport,” he said.

DARPA AI Initiative

A new Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiative called “The In the Moment Program” aims to ultimately give AI systems the same complex, rapid decision-making capabilities as military medical staff and trauma surgeons who are in the field of battle based on algorithms of care and decision-making capabilities.

One example is smart tourniquets that will be able to detect whether they need to be released. Other automatically guided solutions include IV placement or catheter placement, Meledeo said.

“It sounds like science fiction. It is still a little bit science fiction, but it’s not as far off as it may sound,” he said.

“At least on a rudimentary level, the community is already pursuing a lot of automated solutions or artificial intelligence-derived solutions for automation of different medical processes.”

This research is underway but there’s no timeline on this concept.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get some confident results from some of these different technologies that are going to be packaged together in this system and enable the drones to then not only resupply at the point of injury, but also actually take care of the transportation and the management of patients during that transportation.”

By Janet A. Aker, Military Health System Communications

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Medical, UAS | 2 Comments »

PEO Soldier Welcomes New Leader

Tuesday, July 26th, 2022

Fort Belvoir, VA –

PEO Soldier held a change of charter ceremony as Brig. Gen. Christopher Schneider assumed responsibility as the organization’s leader from Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts, at the National Museum of the United States Army, at Fort Belvoir on June 21st.

Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and family members and friends of the ceremony participants filled Veterans Hall for the event, presided over by Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA ALT), Mr. Douglas Bush.

PEO Soldier delivers 127 programs, 253 products and integrated capabilities to Soldiers across the world, including weapons systems, body armor, helmets, sensors, lasers and uniforms. Its mission is to “rapidly deliver agile and adaptive, leading edge Soldier capabilities in order to provide combat overmatch today and be more lethal tomorrow.”

Much of the ceremony highlighted the achievements of Potts as Program Executive Officer and the scope of the work performed by the many directorates under his command for nearly four and a half years.

Bush cited how more than six million items were fielded to Soldiers since Potts’ tenure began in January 2018 – 114,000 items for 53 months – to include protective equipment, armor, helmets, combat and service uniforms, cold weather gear and flame-resistant clothing.

“An awesome level of achievement,” said Bush, who awarded Potts the Distinguished Service Medal as part of the ceremony.

Specifically, Bush praised Potts for overseeing the ongoing Rapid Fielding Initiative, which supplied tens of thousands of Soldiers this year with clothing and gear before they were sent to Europe. He applauded Potts’ multi-year efforts in the design, development, testing, evaluation and rollout of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU).

Bush also commended Potts for overseeing the quick fielding and delivery of the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular (ENVG-B), which he described as, “the highest performing night vision device ever.”

He noted the Next Generation Squad Weapon and the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) as programs PEO Soldier has brought to fruition through Potts’ leadership, successfully synchronizing efforts with Army Futures Command and Cross Functional Teams (CFTs) to increase the capabilities of Soldiers on the battlefield.

During his remarks, Potts was quick to credit others for PEO Soldier’s accomplishments, thanking by name dozens of mentors, Army leaders and current and former staff from the organization.

“Our three priorities at PEO Soldier are to deliver capability, take care of people and develop a culture of innovation,” he said. “This is a team that sees the possibility of the future and asks the question, ‘what if,’ and then they go after it.”

Potts singled out as successes the Modular Handgun System and Sub Compact Weapon as popular programs that delivered improved pistols and machine guns to Soldiers, and the Soldier Enhancement Program, which “enabled us to accelerate modernized clothing and equipment to our force.”

Our Soldiers are “grateful to the men and women that design, build, test and deliver the capability they need to have overmatch today,” remarked Potts.

The day after PEO Soldier’s change of charter, Potts assumed the charter as Program Executive Officer for Command, Control and Communications – Tactical (PEO C3T), during a ceremony at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.

Schneider assumes command of an organization with a $2.3 billion budget, comprised of 1,300 personnel, four project management offices, eight product management offices and one project director office.

Schneider is familiar with many of these offices. He previously served in several positions within PEO Soldier, to include Project Manager for Soldier Sensors and Lasers and Project Manager for the Integrated Visual Augmentation System. He returns to PEO Soldier after his most recent assignment as Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology).

Bush said Schneider’s “top level knowledge of acquisition, coupled with his valuable experience will enable him to continue this PEO’s tradition of strong, effective leadership.”

Schneider said he was “excited and grateful” to return to the PEO Soldier workforce.

“It’s my greatest professional honor and privilege to serve for a third and final time amongst your ranks,” Schneider said. “Your work is sacred. Every ounce matters. Every bullet counts.”

By Frederick Shear PEO Soldier

Posted in Army, Guest Post, PEO-Soldier | 2 Comments »

The Light Fighter Manifesto Volume One

Monday, July 25th, 2022

Historically, light fighters fought as scouts, raiders, and skirmishers—who fought in a loose formation ahead of the main effort to harass, delay, disrupt supply lines, and generally “soften up” an enemy before the main battle.

The Light Fighter must embody a light fighting ethic that exists and manifests itself into a distinctive tactical style, with freedom from dependence on fixed lines of communication, and with a strong propensity for self-reliance.

Today’s wars calls for like minded individuals to build a community of thinkers who use broadly available commercial technologies and proven tactics to be an asset; in all operating environments.

The Light Fighter Manifesto Zine is a way for Subject Matter Experts to put pen to paper and share ideas and best practices. LFM has no ads, or filler content, but just honest advice from respectable individuals.

Christopher M. Rance, founder and editor of LFM, sought out to encourage the community to contribute to LFM and all profits will be used to fund future Light Fighter projects, such as the Light Fighter Symposium.

Head on over to CR2 Solutions to grab a copy and support the cause! The first shipment sold out in less than two hours; but a new shipment is coming August 5th. Don’t miss out!

www.cr2shootingsolutions.com

Posted in Guest Post, Profession of Arms | 1 Comment »

Wright-Pat’s GearFit Shortens Feedback Loop

Monday, July 25th, 2022

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio (AFNS) —

A new application called GearFit is giving Airmen a direct line to share feedback on fitment and utility of the gear they wear to perform their missions.

Members can input their comments on body armor, harnesses, helmets and more, and they are instantly shared with the development teams responsible for designing and acquiring that gear.

Taylor Harrison, Combat Ready Airman program manager in the Agile Combat Support Directorate, joined with Nicole Wright and Sarah Tress with Skylight Digital, on an episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast to discuss the new application.

“This program has been super amazing because we are getting feedback from our Airmen, the end user,” Harrison said. “We are not just delivering and hoping that we hit the mark.”

This application, and the Combat Ready Airman program, is designed to help the 91% of Air Force jobs that do not include aircrew members or special operations, which already have programs focused on their needs.

“We focus solely on maintainers, Security Forces, medics, anybody that isn’t aircrew or special ops,” Harrison said.

Currently, equipment is identified at the unit level, which leads to a lack of consistency for gear across the Air Force. The Combat Ready Airman program is looking to ensure all gear is standardized. That could be simply providing a list of approved body armor vests that units can pick from.

GearFit came about in 2019 as the result of an AFWERX challenge. Specifically, it was designed to collect anthropometric data on female Airmen to better define requirements and specifications of gear being acquired from industry. The program is now expanded to collect data from male Airmen as well.

Nicole Wright, GearFit product manager, led the team from Skylight Digital that collaborated with Air Force developers at the Business and Enterprise Directorate’s BESPIN software factory to develop the GearFit website.

“We are working on building out the GearFit website and experience. We are continuously releasing new features and iterations on feedback we hear to get closer to optimizing the goals that Taylor was talking about,” Wright said.

You can also listen by searching “Leadership Log” on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Overcast, Radio Public or Breaker.

By Daryl Mayer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Clothing, Guest Post | Comments Off on Wright-Pat’s GearFit Shortens Feedback Loop