Archive for the ‘Guest Post’ Category
TNVC Presents: Decisive Action
Thursday, November 17th, 2022AFSOC Conducts Live-Fire Exercise with Rapid Dragon
Wednesday, November 16th, 2022ANDøYA SPACE DEFENSE RANGE, NORWAY (AFNS) —
Two Air Force Special Operations Command wings partnered in a total force initiative to conduct the first live-fire demonstration of Rapid Dragon, a long-range palletized munitions system, in the U.S. European Command theater over Andøya Space Defense Range, Nov. 9.
During U.S. Special Operations Command Europe exercise ATREUS 22-4, two MC-130J Commando IIs assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Wing flew the Rapid Dragon package to a Royal Norwegian Air Force training range and deployed it over the Atlantic Ocean. An MC-12W Liberty assigned to the 137th SOW, Oklahoma Air National Guard, used its manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to collect and disseminate information about the release.
This is the first time Rapid Dragon has been employed using cargo aircraft in the USEUCOM theater, and precision munitions capabilities for medium-sized or larger cargo aircraft allows U.S. and NATO forces a flexible rapid response option.
“It’s really easily exportable to our partners and allies around the globe that may want to increase the utility of their air force,” said Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, AFSOC commander, during a recent Air and Space Force Association event. “When you look at partner capability, we have a lot of partners around the globe that don’t have heavy bomber-type platforms that would be traditional carriers of those types of munitions, but they’ve got plenty of C-130s proliferated around the world.”
More than 40 countries operate C-130 Hercules, but AFSOC has been the only U.S. Air Force combatant command to demonstrate this system.
“An MC-130J is the perfect aircraft for this capability because we can land and operate from a 3,000-foot highways and austere landing zones whereas a bomber cannot,” said Lt. Col. Valerie Knight, 352d SOW mission commander. “Additionally, a crew qualified to execute heavy equipment airdrop could employ this operationally. After the successful execution of this airdrop, we have now proven we can employ the same weapons system — creating a dilemma for our adversaries. As the only U.S. Air Force Special Operations Wing in Europe, this capability provides our allies, partners and the joint force an additional response option, strengthening our deterrence capabilities in USEUCOM.”
Developing relationships between allies and partners extended to the total force with the inclusion of an Oklahoma Air National Guard MC-12Ws. Two U.S. Air Force pilots and a combat systems officer were part of the MC-12W aircrew to conduct the mission, with support from aircrew flight equipment and special operations communications Airmen.
“The 137th SOW actively seeks out exercises where we can demonstrate our unique capabilities and create relationships with our partners — not just within AFSOC and the total force, but across a multi-national coalition,” said Maj. Murray Ludwig, a 137th SOW combat systems officer. “Thanks to the assistance of our Norwegian allies, our integration into this exercise has been seamless. We were able to demonstrate that our wing can provide top-tier ISR support and a wide array of sustainment capabilities for our joint partners.”
Members of the 137th Mission Sustainment Team also participated, conducting pre-deployment site surveys and airfield assessments. While it is not the first time the team has worked with coalition forces, it is the first time the MST has conducted their mission in a setting realistic to the austere environments they will operate in as they support global SOF operations.
“The multi-capable Airman concept allows us to become completely self-sufficient anywhere in the world,” Ludwig said. “The training our operations Airmen and Mission Sustainment Team are receiving here will be critically important to their future war-fighting potential.
As AFSOC postures its forces for the future fight, developing unconventional, innovative capabilities to protect against near-peer adversaries is critical.
“This rapid roll-on, roll-off capability extends America’s ability to project firepower around the globe,” Knight said. “It doesn’t require any aircraft modifications, making it incredibly easy to employ any place, any time.”
By TSgt Brigette Waltermire, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
Video by SSgt Izabella Workman
Missile Wings Conduct Remote Code Change with ICU II
Tuesday, November 15th, 2022
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. (AFNS) —
The missile wings of the 20th Air Force are changing their procedures on how nuclear code change operations are done, with each wing having switched one squadron’s area of responsibility to the new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Cryptography Upgrade program.
It is a change that promises to save the Air Force considerable resources in labor hours, cash, and the wear and tear on vehicles.
“Code change has typically included hundreds of defenders, maintainers and missileers working five or more 14-hour days, and that’s just at one wing,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Lutton, 20th AF commander. “With the new procedure for conducting code change, it now takes two missileers a single, eight-hour alert; saving each wing thousands of miles of road time, as well as the fuel and labor hours that go with that. This innovation will improve the quality of life of our Airmen while saving [the Air Force] millions of dollars.”
Code change is an annual requirement that typically takes three weeks to complete for each wing, at about five days for each missile squadron’s AOR. In those three weeks, missileers, maintainers and security forces drive thousands of miles and work thousands of hours to change the codes required for the launch of a wing’s ICBMs on site at each launch facility. This manual process is now being changed to one that is conducted remotely from the launch control capsule by a team of missileers.
Before the remote code change can be conducted, launch facilities must all be properly configured to the new format, a considerable effort for the maintenance group, said Master Sgt. Adam Urban, 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron, noncommissioned officer in charge of Electromechanical Maintenance Team section.
“With an average of a three-person team, EMT expended a total of 1,965 man-hours and typically accomplished one or two sites every day, including many weekends, until the whole squadron of 50 launch facilities and five missile alert facilities was complete,” Urban said. “Each day reconfiguring launch facilities was between 11 to 14 hours; with the days we were dispatched to the missile alert facilities taking about eight.”
Urban said that though his teams worked long hours, it was only from the efforts of other units that they had the resources required to complete the job.
“EMTs efforts really came from a culmination of many other actions for the ICU II rollout, such as the electronic laboratory section of the 790th Maintenance Squadron logging many manhours handling procuring, storing, packing and shipping the old component drawer units,” Urban said. “Additionally, the OSS [Operations Support Squadron] codes section coded KS-60 code components about every day to ensure the new drawer could communicate with the rest of the system.”
The process of reconfiguring a missile squadron’s AOR to ICU II consists of three phases, said Capt. Aaron McLarty, 320th Missile Squadron director of training. The first phase, initial implementation, involves ensuring everyone involved understands what ICU II is, and what goes into a remote code change. The second phase is like a typical code change and is what prepares the site to be formatted for a remote code change.
“Phase two of the process was the largest movement of personnel and resources, involving the code shop, maintenance and security forces,” McClarty said. “Codes dispatch the properly coded components to maintenance, then the maintainers and defenders go out to the launch facilities multiple times over the course of a couple of months, getting them into a state of configuration for the operator in the capsule to be able to conduct that remote code change.”
The third phase is the culmination of all the previous efforts in conducting the remote code change, which required substantial training of the missileers in the new procedure.
“The third phase was a code change conducted remotely, which is one of the major capabilities of ICU II,” said Capt. Dustin Maglinti, 90th OSS weapons and tactics instructor. “With its completion, it reduces the manpower required for code change, maintenance and security forces personnel, lessens the need for moving code components from base to the missile field and now we have this capability where we can do all of this remotely.”
From the thousands of hours that went into a legacy code change, the manpower requirement of ICU II diminishes to one eight-hour shift for the missileers on duty that day.
A lot of our day-to-day experience is doing a lot more with fewer people and less resources, and ICU helps a lot with that,” McClarty said. “We’re still accomplishing this code change, just like we normally would, but now we’re cutting down tremendous numbers of personnel that no longer have to be involved in the physical maneuver of code change.”
For all the benefit to the wings’ missileers, ICU II will positively impact the Airmen of the maintenance and security forces groups of the three missile wings too.
In the case of the maintenance groups, leaving the traditional code change format will free up hundreds of maintenance personnel to devote resources to the important job of maintaining the venerable LGM-30G Minuteman III.
“An ICU II Code Change will free 163 personnel to continue their maintenance duties of maintaining and sustaining the launch facilities, missile alert facilities and ICBMs on alert here at F.E. Warren,” Fasting said. “That sums up to 3,000 hours a year returned to the task of maintaining the 50-year-old Minuteman III.
In addition to the benefits of better allocated maintenance personnel, there are positive effects to other units and a direct benefit to the security of coded components.
“The second- and third-order effects of this are freed MAF space, the costs of and requirement for second chefs, the reduced cost of sundries and linens from not resting overnight and returning that time to our folks and their families,” Fasting said. “Lastly, not carrying as many coded components to the field reduces the security risks from that material.”
The 91st and 341st Maintenance Groups are expected to see similar outcomes.
Like the maintainers, defenders will see their responsibilities specific to code change lessen, as the requirement to protect open sites decreases.
“The Defenders of the Mighty Ninety are always ready to ensure that launch facility sites are secure during code change operations,” said Lt. Col. William Brokaw, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron commander. “However, following the completion of ICU II, the dated approach to security response during those operations becomes much more limited, and that frees up personnel and resources for other aspects of the Big Missiles’ mission.”
Though the security forces response specific to ICU II code change is not as significant as during manual code change, the physical defense of the complex will not diminish with the change – in fact, it will increase.
“The ICU II upgrade, by nature of design, is more secure and allows security forces defenders the flexibility to focus on all areas of security more effectively and efficiently across the complex,” Brokaw said. “ICU II allows more defenders to patrol the field than ever before and guarantees security and safety of our sites and assets.”
While the process of converting the sites to ICU II is a significant process for personnel across the operations and maintenance specialties, the result is a more secure missile field with more resources returned to the wing. Though the process has not been finalized, all three wings are working toward converting all their sites to ICU II over 2023.
By Glenn S. Robertson, 20th Air Force
Army Futures Command Engages with International Partners to Prepare for the Future
Monday, November 14th, 2022
AUSTIN, Texas — As the U.S. Army transforms itself to ensure the all-service force can deter and, if necessary, win any future conflicts, it is engaged with allies and partners to develop new capabilities and foster leap-ahead warfighting advantages.
U.S. Army Futures Command plays a pivotal role in this effort by engaging regularly and meaningfully with partner nations, embracing a collective approach to warfare that aligns with the demands of multidomain operations to deliver speed, convergence and overmatch on the modern battlefield.
The command’s International Programs Team, part of the G-3/5/7 directorate, is spearheading AFC efforts to prepare for tomorrow’s joint and combined warfighting challenges in an adept and highly integrated manner, as exemplified by ongoing multinational experimentation being conducted through Project Convergence.
“The reality is, as we look to the future of warfare, we don’t do anything without our international partners,” said Newman Yang, AFC International Programs Team lead. “Whether it be Iraq, counterterrorism, Afghanistan, you name it — our operations are executed with our combined allies and partners; we don’t do it unilaterally.”
Yang joined AFC as a Department of the Army civilian after 30 years of active-duty service, in a career that included 20 years as an Army foreign area officer in locations such as Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Due to increasing demand signal for greater engagement with AFC, the command recently expanded the International Programs Team to include personnel with diverse backgrounds in domestic and international Army experience, along with Department of Defense and Congressional engagement knowledge and foreign policy expertise.
Together, the team members help explain AFC’s Army transformation mission, structure and programs to international partners, many of whom have expressed an eagerness to stay abreast of new technologies and to engage in collaborative research and development efforts.
In the fall of 2021, for example, the International Programs Team assisted in the design and execution of a two-day modernization forum hosted by U.S. Army Europe and Africa; the forum, which took place in Germany and included the participation of 13 European allies and partners, offered an in-depth exploration of future opportunities, challenges and concerns related to transformation efforts.
The team also regularly supports engagement visits to AFC headquarters in Austin, recently welcoming senior military leaders from Europe, the Middle East and Asia to discuss shared future force plans and objectives.
Understanding what U.S. military equipment and warfighting systems will look like in the future enables allied and partner nations to make informed decisions about their own transformation requirements, Yang explained, and lays the foundation for future interoperability between allied country militaries.
The diligent work of the International Programs Team contributed to the multinational presence at this year’s Project Convergence event, Project Convergence 22, which brings together U.S., U.K. and Australian service members at U.S. military installations to explore the parameters and possibilities of future warfighting scenarios.
“U.K. and Australia have been full planning participants,” Yang said, noting the countries have incorporated their own service branches in the experiment in a realistic way. “This is a huge commitment on their part.”
Canada, France, Israel, Japan, Korea and New Zealand are also attending the experiment as observers, with the understanding that future iterations of Project Convergence may expand to include additional allied and partner nation participation.
The Project Convergence campaign of learning, experimentation and demonstration is accelerating the U.S military’s ability to transform rapidly and efficiently by identifying common preparedness gaps and assessing who might be best suited to address them across the various services and allied nations.
Yang described the mutually beneficial process as “part of that partnership fabric, where we can mutually develop technologies while also conserving resources to avoid duplication of effort where possible.”
“If we have proper agreements and policies in place, then we can work on sharing those technologies to ensure we persistently modernize our forces and equipment together to deter and defeat potential future adversaries.”
By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures Command
SCUBAPRO Sunday – Operation Vengeance
Sunday, November 13th, 2022One of the biggest codebreaking achieved by Naval intelligence during WWII was on April 14, 1943, they learned that Adm. Isokoru Yamamoto was preparing a visit to the upper Solomon Islands to inspect Japanese bases. Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz immediately relayed the details to Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, who informed President Franklin D. Roosevelt. According to reports, the president’s response was “Get Yamamoto.” Whether or not the president actually said those terms, the order was given to assassinate the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Ironically, the object of American vengeance had repeatedly put his life on the line by speaking out against US wars. He saw how poor industrial Japan was in comparison to the United States and the United Kingdom because of his postings in America and England.
When asked how he thought a war between Japan and America would go, Yamamoto replied that he would “run wild for six months or a year, but after that I have absolutely no confidence.”
“It is a mistake to consider Americans as luxury-loving and weak,” Yamamoto said in a meeting with classmates from his hometown of Nagaoka on Sept. 18, 1941. Remember the American industry is much more mature than ours, and they have unlimited oil supplies, unlike us. Japan would never be able to defeat the United States. As a result, we should refrain from fighting the US.”
When his government decided to go to war, Yamamoto put his personal feelings aside and pledged to do everything in his power to win.
Yamamoto was playing chess with a member of his team, Capt. Yasuji Watanabe, when they learned over the radio about the assault on Pearl Harbor and Japan’s subsequent declaration of war. “That’s too bad, Watanabe,” he said. Tell the Emperor that the navy did not intend it this way from the start if I die before you.”
Operation Vengeance is a vengeance-seeking operation.
Adm. Yamamoto was killed when the Betty bomber was shot down over Bougainville on April 18, 1943.
Following that came an incredible run of Japanese victories. The Imperial Japanese Fleet was then defeated at Midway, nearly six months to the day after Pearl Harbor. Yamamoto saw the writing on the wall when the arduous Guadalcanal war ended in early 1943. “I sense that my life must be completed in the next hundred days,” he wrote in a letter to a friend in Marchs. He left for the south to oversee the next phase of the operation.
Operation I-Go was a joint Japanese navy-army aerial counter-offensive launched on April 1, 1943, to halt American advances in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. Yamamoto, now based in Rabaul, decided on April 13 that he wanted to inspect Japanese bases in the upper Solomons. Yamamoto halted the offensive on April 16, pending the completion of his inspection, after acknowledging without question exaggerated pilot reports of ship sinking’s and aircraft shootdowns.
Eighteen P-38s were chosen and fitted with special drop tanks (sixteen for the assault, two spares). While the others targeted the fighter escorts, a “killer” flight of four fighters led by Capt. Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr. would target the two Betty bombers containing Yamamoto and his staff.
Nimitz had to time his window of opportunity to intercept Yamamoto perfectly. Fortunately for him, his opponent was known for being punctual. Yamamoto’s path was outside the control of naval fighters, but it was within the range of Army Air Force P-38Gs that had recently been deployed to Guadalcanal.
Maj. John Mitchell USAAF, commander of Squadron 339, found himself assisting Vice Adm. Marc Mitscher and other senior commanders in preparing the assault on April 17. The intercept will take place over Bougainville Island. A 1,000-mile round trip was planned, with a 600-mile roundabout approach from the south. Eighteen P-38s were chosen and fitted with special drop tanks (sixteen for the assault, two spares). While the others targeted the fighter escorts, a “killer” flight of four fighters led by Capt. Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr. would target the two Betty bombers containing Yamamoto and his staff.
Operation Vengeance is a vengeance-seeking operation.
Any of the pilots who flew Adm. Yamamoto’s assassination flight, Operation Vengeance. From left to right: William Smith, Doug Canning, Besby F. Holmes, Rex Barber (historians believe he was the pilot who shot down Yamamoto), John William Mitchell, Louis Kittel, and Gordon Whittiker. Roger Ames, Lawrence Graebner, Julius Jacobsen; Eldon Stratton, Albert Long, and Everett Anglin; and unknown, crouching from left to right. Image from the National Archives
The P-38s of Operation Vengeance took off at 7:25 a.m. on April 18, the first anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. They arrived at the intercept point at 9:34 a.m. and saw their objective exactly on time.
While the other planes assaulted the other escorts, Lanphier and 1st Lt. Rex T. Barber of the killer flight split up to target the Bettys and immediate escorts. One P-38 and its pilot, 1st Lt. Raymond K. Hine, were killed when both bombers were shot down.
“That son of a bitch will not be dictating any peace terms in the White House,” Lanphier radioed shortly before noon, as the returning P-38s prepared to land at Henderson Field. Yamamoto was no longer alive. Lanphier’s comment was a misinterpretation of Yamamoto’s words, as he broke radio silence to say. Yamamoto was implying that a military victory over America could not be achieved by winning a single war, or even a series of battles.
The Navy Cross was awarded to any pilot who took part in the assault. The question of who shot down Yamamoto’s plane sparked a debate, with both Lanphier and Barber claiming responsibility. Barber was later identified as the perpetrator by historians.
Indigenous Airman Celebrates Being Among First to Receive Religious Hair Accommodation
Sunday, November 13th, 2022MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. (AFNS) —
For most, the days and hours leading up to their basic military training departure are filled with excitement and anticipation for what’s to come in the next four to six years. For others, the feelings are tainted with fear and anxiety.
For Connor Crawn, the day before he shipped off to boot camp was one of the worst in his life.
The 18-year-old graduated high school only six months earlier as the class of 2020, eager to enlist in the U.S. Air Force but curious about whether he could keep his hair long in accordance with his Kanien’kehà:ka faith.
When Crawn decided to speak to a recruiter his dark, neatly braided hair draped straight down the length of his spine.
For the Kanien’kehà:ka, Crawn explained, keeping the hair long reflects spiritual strength, protection and resilience. Certain styles, like braids, signify even greater strength.
His recruiter took the steps necessary to request a religious accommodation and Crawn went through military entrance processing successfully, but his BMT departure date continued to get pushed as he waited for an answer about his hair.
“I was at the point where I couldn’t wait any longer,” Crawn described of the hurry-up-and-wait process. “I had to get out of my situation.”
Crawn agreed to cut his hair if it meant getting an earlier departure date. He kept his hair long until the last minute, hoping approval would arrive at the last-minute to spare him from the trauma of severing his symbolic strength. He waited, fruitlessly, until the day before he left for BMT.
“My dad and I cut our braids together,” Crawn began, eyes saddening. “I wish I never had to go through that. I felt like a part of me died when I lost my braid.”
Now officially branded as an Airman, the next chapter in Crawn’s life began: BMT and technical training simply became two obstacles to overcome before the fight for accommodation resumed.
In July of 2021, Crawn was stationed at the 341st Missile Wing as part of the security forces group. Before he was even assigned a flight, his priority was visiting the base chapel to begin the request process all over again.
Capt. Trevor Wilson, one of the chaplains on duty at the time of Crawn’s visit, cemented himself as an ally and quickly went to work figuring out the requirements of a process that, just one month earlier, had been introduced to the Department of the Air Force.
The duo spent hours together during that first meeting, poring over instructions, regulations and guidelines for a reality Crawn hoped would soon come to fruition.
My dad and I cut our braids together. I wish I never had to go through that. I felt like a part of me died when I lost my braid.
Airman 1st Class Connor Crawn
According to the process for religious accommodation, as lined out in the DAF Instruction 52-201, the timeline from request to approval was supposed to take no longer than 60 days. Considering the overwhelming number of religious requests being vetted at that time due to COVID-19 pandemic, though, goalposts had to be moved and Crawn’s request would not be approved until October of 2022.
“I knew it was going to take longer than expected,” Crawn explained. “But as the time dragged on, my hope started to waver a little bit. After a year passed, people used to joke that it would be the end of my contract before I heard anything—and honestly, that’s what I was beginning to expect.”
Though the timeline dragged on like a heavy-burdened traveler, Crawn’s case was carefully corralled through coordination by Wilson.
“I know how hard his leadership and the wing worked to get his package up,” Wilson shared. “I had to ensure his request would not get lost or overlooked in the bulk of all that [COVID-19] paperwork. I regularly followed up and tracked his request, because part of my role as the chaplain is to be an advocate.”
Nearly halfway into his contract is when Crawn finally received the good news that he could grow his hair out in accordance with his faith. For him, this was not just a personal win, but a Department of the Air Force-wide win for all his native brothers.
With the approved accommodation, Crawn was authorized to abide by female standards in DAFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance.
“It was incredible,” he chuckled. “I mean, I thought I was dreaming for the next few days. I kept thinking I would wake up and learn it wasn’t real.”
Crawn’s excitement did not end with reception of the news; immediately after learning about the approved accommodation, the first thing he did was call his family to share. Then, he decided to share with the world.
“My first thought after calling my family was, ‘I gotta let other native men know that it’s possible,’” Crawn eagerly said, grin widening to meet the corners of his eyes. “I could not find a single person who received a religious accommodation like mine as I was going through the process, so I wanted to put the information out there. It wasn’t until I made a TikTok video about it that I began to hear from other people.”
Crawn’s video went viral, sparking an important conversation for U.S. military members and those interested in joining. His statement served as a spark of hope for a demographic who, previously, was uncertain that their organization would be true to their word.
Through DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force, the DAF maintains an environment in which members can realize their highest potential. For Crawn, this environment was established when he felt that the leadership around him was willing to fight for something he cared about deeply.
Our Airmen chose us once; the environment we create must encourage them to choose us again.”
Col. Barry Little
Wilson, spearhead for Crawn’s request, felt pride knowing other Airmen would be encouraged to use their voice to be a beacon of change.
“Crawn chose to speak up, to ask for something he believed in, to place trust in the process, and it worked,” Wilson enthused. “The Air Force cannot help if Airmen’s needs are not communicated, and if you share your concerns and requests professionally, you can often get the results you need.”
Col. Barry Little, 341st MW commander, praised Crawn’s dedication as an example of the direction that the total force needs to continue moving toward.
“There has never been a time where what our Airmen do for this country has been so important,” Little said. “Creating an environment of dignity and respect is critical to winning the strategic competition for talent. Our Airmen chose us once; the environment we create must encourage them to choose us again.”
Little’s message, targeted to leaders, is partnered by Crawn’s sentiments to fellow Airmen looking for motivation in times where they may feel defeated by bureaucracy.
“I think it’s all about the person and how much they fight from the start,” he encouraged. “I think that [attitude] really shows your leadership and the people around you how dedicated you are. I never gave up; I never shut up about it to anyone who asked.”
Two years into his career, Airman 1st Class Connor Crawn has some time before needing to decide which direction he prefers the next chapters of his life to go in. Currently, he serves as a convoy team leader with the 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron, and with a recent win in his back pocket, he is optimistic about a future in uniform.
“I might as well stay in, now that I’m able to grow my hair,” Crawn chuckled. “I’m definitely considering it. It’s incredible being able to express my heritage in uniform.”
For more information on diversity and inclusion efforts across the DAF, please visit here.
Story by SSgt Elora J. McCutcheon, 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
Some photos by A1C May A. Bowers
In Their Own Words – The 215 Gear Origin Story
Saturday, November 12th, 2022During a conversation with Eric at Soldier Systems, he had a great idea about giving some background as to how some of our products were originally designed. Sharing the Sea Story about the background, whilst sipping fine scotch. We will start this series off with how we started 215 GearTM . We go back to 2007, I was 10 years into my military service. My wife was working for Reebok, managing a team of field representatives. This was until Reebok merged with a larger company, with many programs being streamlined prior to the merger. This resulted in the decision for her to either relocate to the corporate office, or stay in Virginia without a job. I was always a gear guy, never being satisfied with what we were issued. For those in at that time frame, most of us were taking the standard field uniform and relocating pockets and adding Velcro. This was all prior to Crye Precision doing what is now the standard for a field uniform. I knew how to sew, but using industrial sewing machines and bartackers was foreign to me. Luckily I had a friend that went to Riggers school and had access to the paraloft. There, we were able to modify our gear. This knowledge would come into play later.
Faced with what to do with the current situation, I had the idea to start a company around making items that were not currently out there for the war fighter. If you were a startup in 2007, we hit a financial low. Banks were unwilling to make loans, the whole thing was a mess. 215 was started in a spare room over the garage, with one sewing machine. We still have that machine to this day, a constant reminder of the humble beginnings we had. We decided early on to do USA manufacturing, which was important to us. In my spare time, I would design, prototype and iterate products. I then turned to a contract sewing manufacturer to produce our first products. At the time, they had 4 major locations, down from a high of 12. With no loans available, we used personal credit cards to purchase raw materials for the products. Maxing credit cards and paying them, maxing and paying them. I’d like to take the opportunity to say, do not do this as a strategy. Obviously that was a huge gamble. After doing this for some time our bank finally gave us a line of credit to move forward with bigger purchases.
We quickly outgrew the spare room and garage, moving to our first industrial warehouse. We stayed there until 2011. Our manufacturing partner was continuing to downsize and it was now harder to quickly iterate our product line. By his time, it was time to decide the greater 215 destiny. We decide to go all in, moving into two large units in another industrial park. We purchased our own equipment and began hiring to move all production in-house. Funny enough, the week we got the keys and began moving, Hurricane Irene hit Virginia Beach. Additionally, I was in a cast from hip to ankle from knee reconstructive surgery. There is nothing like mopping up standing water in your new building. I invested heavily in laser cutting and computer controlled pattern sewing equipment. Knowing as a small company, anything we can do to stay productive and repeatable is key. We stayed there until 2015, when we purchased our own building and land. This would allow us to grow and expand the business, as we see fit. Fast forward to now, I retired mid 2021, 28 years of service. The recent focus has been on bringing metal CNC fabrication and Cerakote spraying into the mix. One of the best things about my military time was always learning new things and overcoming big challenges. There is something awe inspiring about taking a block of metal and murdering it violently with large machinery. I like to think of it as art therapy for the gunfighter.
215 has always been a family owned and operated business. None of this would be possible without my wife. Obviously someone had to run the company while I was training and deployed. We truly are humbled by the support and patronage of the people and units over the years. We have always prided ourselves with providing out of the box, timely solutions for the people doing the job. Our growth has only been because of the people reading this now.
– Jim V
Founder, 215 Gear
US, UK Explore Interoperable, Battlefield-Ready 3D Printing Capabilities
Saturday, November 12th, 2022
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Warfighters from all branches of service and allied nations will need to work together closely on future battlefields to outwit and outperform adversaries. As the U.S. military and its partners take strategic steps to expand interoperability in theater, they are also evaluating how to maximize operational dexterity — including through the clever use of advanced manufacturing.
Encompassing everything from 3D printing to robotics, advanced manufacturing harnesses innovative technologies to improve traditional processes. The military’s application of advanced manufacturing in operational environments offers warfighters the ability to fix issues and make repairs on location and on demand, without needing to wait hours or days for key parts to arrive.
At Project Convergence 22, a U.S.-hosted all-service and multinational experiment designed to improve future force interoperability and readiness, U.S. and U.K. forces are assessing how they can strengthen interforce support through collaborative advanced manufacturing activities.
“It’s enjoyable, the integration,” said British Army officer Maj. Alex Shand of the experience.
As part of PC22 experimentation, Shand and his colleagues were able to successfully print — for the first time ever — U.S. Army materiel replacement parts using a British Army 3D printer.
This functionality is important because it shows how a multinational partner could potentially assist the U.S. military in making rapid equipment repairs on the battlefield, Shand explained. The increased flexibility could prove beneficial if a nearby unit lacked a 3D printer, for example, or if supply chain disruptions were preventing the timely delivery of missing parts.
Aiding the ability of warfighters to execute on-the-ground repairs is the British Army’s development of extended reality goggles. The high-tech goggles can be worn by an individual tasked with making repairs and synchronized virtually with relevant subject matter experts. These experts can then view what the individual on the ground sees and offer detailed instructions on how to tackle complex repairs, including by sending files, drawing overlay pictures, or rendering 3D models.
While the technology is still in initial phases of development and has yet to be ruggedized for field use, its pairing with 3D printing capabilities and evaluation at PC22 shows promise for the future, offering what Shand described as “an understanding of the right mix of technologies and skills to conduct repair by repair on the battlefield as a joint force.”
By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures Command
