Chalk it up to an internet April Fools prank, but the murmurs now circulating that the Army has canceled the Camouflage Improvement Effort solicitation are FALSE. The solicitation has NOT been canceled. We still expect the solicitation to be released, even if it is not today for some reason.
MultiCam was developed by Crye Precision and is currently one of the most popular camouflage patterns on the market. It’s been adopted by numerous countries including the US, UK, and Australia. Consequently, we run across MultiCam knockoffs all of the time. Readers send them to us often asking if they are authentic or not. In fact, we received one yesterday that really caught our eye. Generally, copycat patterns are intended for the MilSim or consumer markets which are often more driven by price than performance. But this one was different. It was developed by the US Army and oddly enough, for much the same reasons. Intended as a cost savings measure and yet still be MultiCam compatible, we’re not too sure they have succeeded at either goal. Take a look, and you’ll see what we mean.
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Mystery Ranch celebrated the ribbon cutting for their new facility in Bozeman, Montana yesterday. On hand was Sen Max Baucus (Dem, MT).
If you happen to be in Bozeman today from 3-5 PM be sure to stop by 1750 Evergreen Drive for their grand opening!
Congrats guys!
Magnum USA is now the the official performance boot of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights. They will outfit the IndyCar tech staff and security team with Magnum footwear for all 17 events. Magnum also renewed its sponsorship deal with Panther Racing and their No. 4 National Guard IndyCar Driver, J.R. Hildebrand. They have been with Panther Racing since 2008.
“We’re extremely proud to support not only the IZOD IndyCar Series, but the Panther Racing team,†said Brett Weitl, Magnum USA’s marketing director. “It’s important for us to support our men and women in uniform, and aligning ourselves with the No. 4 National Guard car makes it the perfect fit.â€
We get a lot of queries from folks looking for work in the tactical industry and try to pass on good opportunities when we find out about them. Daniel Defense is on the lookout for some experienced candidates to fill a variety of roles in the company. Located in Black Creek, Georgia, they are just west of Savannah. It is a great area and they boast a new facility that is just a few years old. Benefits look good.
For those who are interested, visit danieldefense.com/careers.
Revision is showing us more and more that they have transcended beyond just an eyewear company and are reaching out into many additional areas of Soldier protection. Earlier this week, they announced a deal with B-Temia to fund development of their first dermoskeleton, aimed at helping soldiers suffering from musculoskeletal injuries.
Since the term “dermoskeleton” is foreign to most of us, we thought it would be best to explain exactly what it is that they are talking about. From the B-Temia website, “A dermoskeleton mechanism is an automated orthopaedic supporting brace fully integrated onto a given joint-segment structure of a user’s body without any interaction with the environment such as ground contacts using, for example, instrumented insoles.”
“Based in Canada and the United States as well as with a significant presence in Europe, Revision has proven to be a major player in the field of soldier protection and survivability. We are very proud to team up with a formidable industry player like Revision,” stated Stéphane Bédard, President and CEO of B-Temia.
Additionally, B-Temia Military, a subsidiary of B-Temia, has signed an international licensing agreement with Revision Military for the commercialization of its dermoskeletons. “We see musculoskeletal injuries and the associated non-deployment rates of soldiers caused by heavy load carriage as a costly and painful concern that military organizations around the world must address. The market potential for B-Temia’s dermoskeleton is tremendous. We are excited to add this innovative technology to our portfolio of purpose-built soldier equipment,” said Jonathan Blanshay, CEO of Revision.
According to a Fox News report, the company formerly known as Blackwater (now Xe) is getting a new boss in the name of Rear Admiral (USN, Ret) Bobby Inman. Oddly, the Fox News article says that the selection of Inman is a part of an “Image Makeover”. Well, we see how well that worked last time don’t we? But let’s be honest, I’m not really sure how hiring a 79 year old former Vice Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Director of the National Security Agency, and Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is going to improve their image. Oh, it might light a few fires under some asses to cut the grass down in Moyock when he makes the odd appearance, but all in all it is just another sign of the same kinds of decisions that got them where they are today; riding in the back of the train instead of driving it.
The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) announced today that five more industry leaders have joined its effort to better protect and equip American service members. As of March 1, 2011, Eye Safety Systems, Leading Technology Composites Inc., Smith Optics, Tactical Holdings (Wellco, Altama, and Massif Mountain Gear) as well as Wild Things Tactical have all joined the unified industry voice for operational readiness and warfighter safety.
The WPRC was founded in 2009 as an advocate for the development and fielding of top quality organizational clothing and individual equipment for American warfighters. The WPRC membership consists of small business and multi-national corporations with a shared commitment to US service members and a shared sense of purpose. Each WPRC member company is creating domestic manufacturing jobs, maintaining a critical supply chain and providing American warfighters with the equipment they need to execute missions safely and effectively. The WPRC has achieved success in its early stages by briefing key decision makers on critical issues of operational readiness. The WPRC and its expanding membership look forward to continuing their mission in the 112th Congress and beyond.
The WPRC membership roster is impressive to say the least and includes ADS Inc., Bates Footwear, Benchmade Knife Company, Bluewater Defense, Brookwood Companies Inc., Darn Tough, DuPont, Duro Textiles, Honeywell, Insight Technology, International Textile Group, Leading Technology Composites Inc., London Bridge Trading Company, Milliken, New Balance, Otis Technology Inc., Outdoor Research, Pelican, Polartec, Surefire, TenCate, Wiley X and W. L. Gore. For more information on the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition please visit www.warriorprotection.net.
