ITASCA, IL – July 24th, 2026 – Darley, a leading provider of defense, fire, and emergency services equipment, is pleased to announce the appointment of General (Ret) Joseph L. Votel to its Board of Directors. General Votel brings a distinguished record of military leadership, strategic expertise, and a lifelong commitment to serving the nation’s warfighters.

General Joseph L. Votel is a retired U.S. Army Four-Star officer and former Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), where he was responsible for U.S. and coalition military operations in the Middle East, the Levant, and Central and South Asia. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. His career included combat operations in Panama, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Notably, he led a 79-member coalition that successfully liberated Iraq and Syria from the Islamic State Caliphate. Prior to his assignment at CENTCOM, he served as Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).

Following his retirement from military service, General Votel served as President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). He currently serves on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards and advisory organizations, including AeroVironment, Minnesota Wire, DC Capital Partners, NtelSec, Insight Partners, and the Middle East Institute. He is also the Distinguished Chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Paul C. Darley, Chairman and CEO, commented, “We are so honored to have General Votel join our board.  His life of selfless service to our country, serving our warfighters in JSOC, SOCOM and CENTCOM will help us to better serve our Department of War customer base.”

General Votel stated, “I am really excited to join Darley and be a part of this legendary company that does such great work for our first responders and military.”

General Votel’s appointment reflects Darley’s ongoing commitment to building on the strength of its Board of Directors with experienced leaders who provide strategic guidance and oversight in support of the company’s long-term direction and continued success.

Learn more on our websites: www.darley.com and shop.darley.com.

NEWINGTON, N.H., (July 17, 2026) – SIG SAUER, an industry-leading manufacturer of cutting-edge firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, and advanced concepts, issued a statement today after the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on July 16, 2026, ordered the dismissal of a SIG SAUER P320 class action lawsuit in its entirety.

The Eighth Circuit Court ruled in Glasscock v. SIG SAUER, Inc. that a plaintiff must experience an actual defect on a product claim, rather than suggesting a theoretical defect could occur in the future and claiming damages. In its written decision, the court shows the plaintiff “admitted that he has had no issues (including inadvertent discharge) with his P320.”

The unanimous ruling by a panel of three federal judges determined that a hypothetical defect is insufficient for the lawsuit, clearly stating that mere ownership of a product is not satisfactory in the case. The outcome in Glasscock v. SIG SAUER, Inc. is significant because of the strong and unambiguous language by the Eighth Circuit Court highlighting the “wholly speculative” nature of the plaintiff’s claim.

“The Eighth Circuit’s ruling adds to our approximately 20 case dismissals involving the P320, including a previous class action lawsuit,” said Keith Gibson, an attorney at Littleton Joyce and counsel for SIG SAUER. “The P320 is among the most tested and proven handguns in the world, which is why we will continue to defend SIG SAUER’s products and the technology behind them.”

Similarly, a separate federal court denied class action certification in Ortiz v. SIG SAUER, Inc. in 2022. Multiple courts dismissed P320 cases after SIG SAUER demonstrated through repeated company and independent testing the firearm cannot discharge without a trigger pull. In addition, several plaintiffs decided to withdraw their P320 lawsuits after the evidence and independent investigations were presented.

In May 2026, two separate lawsuits were dismissed with prejudice in Massachusetts federal court and Colorado federal court. Nobody, including multiple experts retained by plaintiffs, has ever replicated a P320 pistol firing without a trigger pull.

In Massachusetts, the plaintiff voluntarily withdrew the case which claimed his issued P320 discharged in his hand without a trigger pull. His employer, the Cambridge Police Department, determined the plaintiff’s handling of the weapon violated numerous departmental rules and caused the gun to discharge in an enclosed van with other officers. In Colorado federal court, the plaintiff similarly withdrew the case after SIG SAUER showed again the P320 cannot discharge without a trigger pull.

The P320 is an innovative striker-fired pistol which has been selected as the handgun of choice following rigorous testing by the U.S. military and a number of other countries, including Canada, Switzerland, and Australia, as well as by elite law enforcement and federal agencies. It cannot under any circumstance discharge without a trigger pull – a fact which has repeatedly been verified through testing by SIG SAUER, handgun experts, and independent labs.