Patrick McNamara spent 22 years in the United States Army in a myriad of special operations units. When he worked in the premier special missions unit, he became an impeccable marksman, shooting with accurate, lethal results and tactical effectiveness.
McNamara has trained tactical applications of shooting to people of all levels of marksmanship, from varsity level soldiers, and police officers who work the streets to civilians with little to no time behind the trigger.
His military experience quickly taught him that there is more to tactical marksmanship than merely squeezing the trigger. Utilizing his years of experience, McNamara developed a training methodology that is safe, effective, and combat relevant and encourages a continuous thought process. This methodology teaches how to maintain safety at all times and choose targets that force accountability, as well as provides courses covering several categories, including individual, collective, online, and standards.
While serving as his Unit’s Marksmanship NCO, he developed his own marksmanship club with NRA, CMP, and USPSA affiliations. Mac ran monthly IPSC matches and ran semi annual military marksmanship championships to encourage marksmanship fundamentals and competitiveness throughout the Army. He retired from the Army’s premier hostage rescue unit as a Sergeant Major and is the author of T.A.P.S. (Tactical Application of Practical Shooting) and Sentinel.
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Army researchers collaborated with academic partners from the University of Central Florida to improve additive manufacturing. This partnership may help deliver extreme lightweight components to future Soldiers.
By optimizing the printing process for the additive manufacturing of a high-strength magnesium alloy and fabricating 24 micro-lattice structures, researchers characterized the compressive strength and failure modes, which will enable much lighter Army components.
“We used a magnesium alloy known as WE43, which has only been successfully 3D printed by a handful of researchers,” said Dr. Brandon McWilliams, the lead researcher for 3D printing metals at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory. “In this work, we optimized the process to achieve higher density than previously reported and used that to produce and characterize lattice structures made up of WE43.”
Magnesium Elektron WE43 is a high strength casting alloy. It can be used in temperatures of up to 300°C (572°F), according to AZoM, an online publication for the materials science community. “This alloy has good mechanical properties coupled with excellent corrosion resistance.”
Advanced additive manufacturing has the potential to deliver critical parts at the point of need, reducing the need for lengthy logistic chains. Also, the U.S. Army’s modernization strategy calls for lightening the load to help support future Soldiers.
The research team published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Materialia.
McWilliams said he believes joining advanced lightweight alloys with novel multi-scale structures through additive manufacturing will be a key aspect of modernizing Army weapon systems. There are many lightweight structural applications in the automotive, aerospace and biomedical industries.
“Current systems are too heavy, which increases burden to the Soldier, reduces fuel efficiency and degrades mission effectiveness,” he said. “It is my goal as an Army researcher to conduct research, which has the maximum chance of success of transition from basic and applied research stage to practical application in order to enable transformational overmatch.”
Partnering with academia and industry has been a priority with the laboratory since it introduced its Open Campus initiative.
“This was an exciting and rewarding collaboration that produced the technological accomplishment founded on fundamental understanding of materials and additive manufacturing,” said Prof. Yongho Sohn, lead researcher at University of Central Florida. “Technological vision with clear scientific objectives defined by Dr. McWilliams and his team was the key to our contribution.”
Army researchers will now evaluate the high strain rate and ballistic properties of these 3D-printed materials and look for demonstration applications, such as ultra-lightweight unmanned aircraft system and robotic vehicle components, he said.
By U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs
Posted in Army, Guest Post, Materials | Comments Off on Army Research Lab & University of Central Florida Optimize 3D Printing Process
During World War II, the Bataan Death March was a horrific forced march by the Japanese Imperial Army on American and Filipino prisoners of war. The 63-mile march from the southern end of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines began on April 9, 1942, with at least 72,000 POWs. According to some accounts, 75,000 soldiers were taken prisoner after the Bataan surrender; about 12,000 Americans and 63,000 Filipinos. The Bataan Death March resulted in an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 deaths due to the prisoners’ deplorable conditions and cruel treatment.
“This was the First Murder”
Captain William Dyess was a fighter pilot stationed on Luzon when the Japanese invaded. Captured when the American forces on Bataan surrendered, he joined the Death March and was interned by the Japanese. In April 1943, Captain Dyess was one of three prisoners able to escape from their captors. Captain Dyess eventually made his way back to America, where his story was published.
“The victim, an air force captain, was being searched by a three-star private. Standing by was a Jap commissioned officer, hand on the sword hilt. These men were nothing like the toothy, bespectacled runts whose photographs are familiar to most newspaper readers. They were cruel of face, stalwart, and tall.
‘’The private, a little squirt, was going through the captain’s pockets. All at once, he stopped and sucked in his breath with a hissing sound. He had found some Jap yen.
“He held these out, ducking his head and sucking in his breath to attract notice. The big Jap looked at the money. Without a word, he grabbed the captain by the shoulder and shoved him down to his knees. He pulled the sword out of the scabbard and raised it high over his head, holding it with both hands. The private skipped to one side.’
‘Before we could grasp what was happening, the black-faced giant had swung his sword. I remember how the sun flashed on it. There was a swish and a kind of chopping thud, like a cleaver going through beef’.
‘The captain’s head seemed to jump off his ‘shoulders. It hit the ground in front of him and went rolling crazily from side to side between the lines of prisoners.’
‘The body fell forward. I have seen wounds, but never such a gush of—blood as this. The heart continued to pump for a few seconds, and at each beat, there was another great spurt of blood. The white dust around our feet was turned into crimson mud. I saw the hands were opening and closing spasmodically. Then I looked away.’
‘When I looked again, the big Jap had put up his sword and was strolling off. The runt who had found the yen was putting them into his pocket. He helped himself to the captain’s possessions.’
“This was the first murder.”
Oriental Sun Treatment
As the prisoners were herded north, they collided with advancing Japanese troops moving to the south, forcing a brief halt to the march:
“Eventually, the road became so crowded we were marched into a clearing. For two hours, we had our first taste of the oriental sun treatment, which drains the stamina and weakens the spirit.
The Japs seated us on the scorching ground, exposed to the full glare of the sun. Many of the Americans and Filipinos had no covering to protect their heads. I was beside a small bush, but it cast no shade because the sun was almost directly above us. Many of the men around me were ill.
When I thought I could stand the penetrating heat no longer. I was determined to have a sip of the tepid water in my canteen. I had no more than unscrewed the top when the aluminum flask was snatched from my hands. The Jap who had crept up behind me poured the water into a horse’s nose-bag, then threw down the canteen. He walked on among the prisoners, taking away their water and pouring it into the bag. When he had enough, he gave it to his horse.”
Drop-outs
The parade of death continues its journey as its members inevitably succumb to the heat, the lack of food, and the lack of water:
“The hours dragged by and, as we knew, they must. The drop-outs began. It seemed that a great many of the prisoners reached the end of their endurance at about the same time. They went down by twos and threes. Usually, they made an effort to rise. I never can forget their groans and strangled breathing as they tried to get up. Some succeeded. Others lay lifeless where they had fallen.
I observed that the Jap guards paid no attention to these. I wondered why. The explanation wasn’t long in coming. There was a sharp crackle of pistol and rifle fire behind us.
Skulking along, a hundred yards behind our contingent, came a ‘clean-up squad’ of murdering Jap buzzards. Their helpless victims, sprawled darkly against the white of the road, were easy targets.
As members of the murder squad stooped over each huddled form, there would be an orange ‘flash in the darkness and a sharp report. The bodies were left where they lay, that other prisoners coming behind us might see them.
Our Japanese guards enjoyed the spectacle in silence for a time. Eventually, one of them who spoke English felt he should add a little spice to the entertainment.
‘Sleeper?’ he asked. ‘You won’t sleep? Just lie down on the road. You get good long sleep!’
On through the night, we were followed by orange flashes and thudding sounds.”
Arrival at San Fernando
Finally, after five days without food and little water, the dwindling column arrives at its destination:
“The sun still was high in the sky when we straggled into San Fernando, a city of 36,000 population, and were put in a barbed wire compound similar to the one at Orani. We were seated in rows for a continuation of the sun treatment. Conditions here were the worst yet.
The prison pen was jammed with sick, dying, and dead American and Filipino soldiers. They were sprawled amid the filth and maggots that covered the ground. Practically all had dysentery. Malaria and dengue fever appeared to be running unchecked. There were symptoms of other tropical diseases I didn’t even recognize.
Jap guards had shoved the worst cases beneath the rotted flooring of some dilapidated building. Many of these prisoners had already died. The others looked as though they couldn’t survive until morning.
There had been no burials for many hours.
After sunset Jap soldiers entered and inspected our rows.
Then the gate was opened again, and kitchen corpsmen entered with cans of rice. We held our mess kits and again passed lids to those who had none. Our spirits rose. We watched as the Japs ladled out generous helpings to the men nearest the gate.
Then, without explanation, the cans were dragged away, and the gate was closed. It was a repetition of the ghastly farce at Balanga. The fraud was much crueler this time because our need was vastly more significant. In our bewildered state, it took some time for the truth to sink in. When it did, we were too discouraged even to swear.”
References:
This eyewitness account appears in Dyess, William E., The Dyess Story (1943);
It’s Friday and this week is our second installment of our OEM Partner Series. We’ll take a look at an OEM company that FS has partnered with and the equipment they produce. Today we are checking out an all-American company, Tuff Possum Gear.
How has Tuff Possum grown over the years?
When we launched as a brand in the fall of 2017, it was just me, Jayberry, with a small sewing machine on the kitchen table and a few rolls of fabric, webbing, etc. We grew exponentially, until we reached some serious chokepoints in our growth towards the summer of 2019. We needed to scale our production and incorporate design elements involving things like laser cut laminates, but being self-funded meant those things were difficult to do in the timeframe and budget we had. So we started looking around for a manufacturing partner who would have the infrastructure to help catapult us forward.
There are options for private label manufacturing all around the world, how did you find us and why did you ultimately choose FirstSpear OEM manufacturing?
We first found FirstSpear through another OEM customer of theirs, Hill People Gear. I have used Hill People gear products for years, and I trust the judgement of the fine folks at HPG when it comes to human character. We talked to a number of industry folks, toured the factory in Fenton, Missouri, and were impressed by not just the dedication to quality and innovation, but the professionalism of the people as well.
Why was Made in the USA important to the brand?
For one, I know that FirstSpear and the wonderful men and women working there share the same ideologies as we do; namely the importance of life and liberty. Of the freedom to build and grow. To create value and be rewarded for it.
As such, I know that the employees are well taken care of and are working in a professional, healthy environment. I know that we can trust our manufacturing partners and that it is merely a few hours drive to visit the factory in person. It is important to me that I am supporting American jobs and a robust domestic manufacturing culture, when we are surrounded by a world that seems bent on becoming even more fragile and dependent on our nation’s enemies for our supply chain.
I also have a strong sense of gratitude for the land and the country that has given us so much. Despite its flaws, it has stood as a bastion for freedom and righteousness in a world of darkness. And it is truly a land of opportunity. A land that has been fertile ground for generations of our forefathers. American manufacturing is important to us as a way of giving back. Of supporting the industry, the grit and tenacity, the people, and the families that compose this great country.
Why was the Shackleton EDC Satchel created? Can you dive into the relationship between that and the Med Pouch?
The Shackleton EDC Satchel was the result of 8 years of filling the need for a compact shoulder bag to carry the tools that make life flow smoothly and solve problems when they arise, after the manner of the “possibles bags” of frontier trappers or the famous Indiana Jones, World War II era gas mask bag.
It needed to be clean and unassuming on the outside, with the right balance of organizational pockets and freedom of modular customization. Partnering with FirstSpear allowed us to take advantage of their 6/12 laser cut, velcro compatible laminates. We put a full width panel of it across the back of the Shackleton’s interior, allowing the customer to use any manner of PALS/MOLLE pouches, velcro hook backed pouches, as well as clip smaller items such as flashlights, pens, knives, etc. in the loops.
We believe in being prepared to protect the innocent and save a life if need be. This means not just having the tools to stop a threat, but having the tools to patch up an injured person, whether that is from a deadly force encounter or a motorcycle accident. The Med Pouch is the result of my need for a removable “pod” that would hold a solid selection of items to address massive hemorrhaging and airway on a trauma victim (ie. tourniquet, compressed gauze for wound packing, compact chest seals, NPA, gloves, etc.), and attach via velcro to the inside of the Shackleton EDC Satchel or any Velcro loop lined bag.
Always at hand and always ready to “rip” out and go to work. The Med Pouch was an instant hit and is still one of my favorite pieces of gear when paired with the Shackleton.
What sets your products apart from others on the market?
Customer involvement and feedback combined with our commitment to high standards of quality and design, make for a winning recipe. Rather than some corporate designer in an ivory tower, our gear is the result of “boots on ground” real world experience and needs.
As the main product designer and owner/operator of Tuff Possum Gear, I “keep my hands dirty.” Using gear, talking directly with the customers, and always on the lookout for ways to improve. That affects every aspect of our products from customer service to design to quality control and culture.
What’s your company’s motto and what can we expect from Tuff Possum in the future?
“Equipping you with trustworthy adventure gear, built for those who GO places and DO.”
We have traditionally been a soft goods company and had an absolutely amazing year in 2020, doubling in growth and launching many of our now signature pieces (many manufactured by FirstSpear). Looking back, it was really building out a foundation for this year. Now we are broadening our horizons and adding a host of new designs. You can expect not only a variety of new nylon goods, but also a selection of designs in the tools and hardware category, from pack hanging hooks to lockpicks and even a knife design or two.
Some things are top secret and must not get out to the public under any circumstances, but it just keeps happening – this time we are the bastards who leak Longhorn 4.1 before the official release.
Holosun is always working to improve their products to achieve the maximum in performance and fail-safety. In terms of high reliability and maximum runtime, the Holosun 510 BSW is an absolute game changer that will make the competition tremble!
The first official semi-autonomous robot dogs were delivered to Tyndall Air Force Base March 22 for integration into the 325th Security Forces Squadron.
The purpose of the Quad-legged Unmanned Ground Vehicles, or Q-UGVs, is to add an extra level of protection to the base. The robot dogs, designed by Ghost Robotics and Immersive Wisdom, are the first of their kind to be integrated onto a military installation and one of many innovation-based initiatives to begin at Tyndall AFB, coined the “Installation of the Future.”
“As a mobile sensor platform, the Q-UGVs will significantly increase situational awareness for defenders,” said Mark Shackley, Tyndall AFB Program Management Office security forces program manager. “They can patrol the remote areas of a base while defenders can continue to patrol and monitor other critical areas of an installation.”
Features applied to the robot dogs allow for easy navigation on difficult terrains. The robot dogs can operate in minus 40-degree to 131-degree conditions and have 14 sensors to create 360-degree awareness. They are also equipped with a crouch mode that lowers their center-of-gravity and a high-step mode that alters leg mobility, among other features.
Tyndall AFB’s Program Management Office, the 325th SFS, the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, Air Force Research Laboratory, communications and other organizations have been working since July 2020 to ensure the Q-UGVs are assembled properly before reaching Tyndall AFB. The installation is considered an ideal base to host the new robot dogs with its ongoing rebuild.
“Tyndall (AFB) is a perfect test base as it was deemed ‘The Installation of the Future,’” said Master Sgt. Krystoffer Miller, 325th SFS operations support superintendent. “Across the base, every squadron has been pushing the envelope of how we do things and expanding our optics of what is possible. One huge attraction piece of the robot dogs is that it’s highly mobile and with the amount of construction we will face over the next few years, it helps us maintain and increase our security posture.”
This new technology has the capability to revolutionize the way base security operates. Tyndall AFB is expected to set the benchmark for the rest of the Defense Department when it comes to Q-UGV usage.
“I can say that there is definitely a lot of interest in the capabilities of the technology,” Miller said. “I’m hopeful that other units will see some of the successes at Tyndall (AFB) and will continue to explore the use of non-conventional tactics.”
By Airman 1st Class Anabel Del Valle, 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
On 30 March 2021, the Army awarded a $49.9 million, five year contract to Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc. (Murfreesboro, TN) to acquire the MK22 Multi-role Adaptive Design (MRAD) rifle as the Army’s new sniper weapon system.
The Army will buy approximately 2,800 MK22 rifles from Barrett, the current maker of the Army’s M107 .50 Caliber Long Range Sniper Rifle.
The MK22 is part of the Army’s Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) Program which also includes the Leupold & Stevens (Beaverton, OR) Mark 5 HD scope and a sniper accessory kit.
The MK22 is a modular system that will be fielded with three separate calibers, the .338 Norma Magnum, .300 Norma Magnum and 7.62×51 NATO. Army snipers will be able to conduct a barrel change and select calibers based on their mission operating environment.
The PSR program will allow the Army an extreme range weapon systems that is lighter than current sniper rifles and includes features that will mask the sniper signature for improved survivability.
SOCOM previously awarded a contract to Barrett to purchase the MRAD as part of their Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) program.
