Blue Force Gear will be located in a meeting room right off the breeze way in the Embassy Suites Tampa for SOFIC 2015. They’ll have snacks, beer, and new products to show off during show hours, so give ’em a visit if you’re attending SOFIC. If all else fails, follow the coordinates.
Come see BDAT at SOFIC for free demo copies of FAC-US and the best swag at the show! Contact vpatterson@bdatech.com to see if they have any personal demo times still available. They went quick this year!
As always… Warfighters first!
Draper Kauffman Tribute
In a 3-part series to honor the Father of US Navy EOD and US Navy UDT/SEAL, Zero Point and Kopis Mobile will pay tribute to Admiral Draper Lawrence Kauffman by presenting a few key bullets from his remarkable career, unveiling a few custom designs attributed to his exploits, as well as working up donations to contribute to SOWF and EODWF. Don’t miss it – and visit their booth to find out more at SOFIC – Booth #1818.
Part 3 of 3: Zero Point and Kopis Mobile are shooting Silver Bullets @ SOFIC!
Stop by booth #1818 for your chance to win a pure silver bullet.
You can win a 1 ounce silver bullet from the hourly drawings with a special prize given at the last drawing each day. You don’t have to pay to participate in the drawings, but all donations are greatly appreciated and will go to both the SOWF & EODWF in honor of America’s first “Twin Pin”… Admiral Kauffman.
For the drawings, there are different donation levels and each level earns you a unique gift or more.
$1 – “Pea-Shooter” Level = A Sticker of your choosing AND one chance at hourly drawings
$5 – “Slingshot” Level = A Morale patch or Koozie of your choosing AND one chance at hourly drawings
$10 – “Gunfighter” Level = A ball cap and any one of the previous items AND two chances at hourly drawings
$20 – “Grenadier” Level = A Pin Up Girl T-Shirt and any one of the previous items AND three chances at hourly drawings
$50 – “The Bomb” Level = One each of the above and a 9mm (1oz) Silver Bullet AND unlimited chances at hourly drawings
End of Day Drawings
Also, take your chances to win a 1 oz Silver Bullet at the “Fire In The Hole” game within the booth.
$5 donation gets you (1) One toss and a Morale Patch or a Koozie or a “Fire In The Hole” Challenge Coin. If you fire it in the hole you get a 1 oz Silver Bullet.
$10 donation gets you (3) Three tosses and any two of the above. If you fire one in the hole you get a 1 oz Silver Bullet for each one you make in the hole. Making all (3) Three in a row earns you a 5 oz Silver Bullet or equal.
The term “Silver-Bullet” defined:
1. (noun) A quick solution to a difficult problem.
Come meet the B.O.M.B. SQUAD at booth #1818
SOFIC 2015 Tampa, Florida – SOFIC will be the official release venue for DEP Technologies, a subsidiary of PHOTONIS USA – provider of night vision imaging tubes, power tubes, digital imaging, and scientific detectors.
DEP will be the exclusive US distributor of the PHOTONIS INTENS™ night vision tubes which set the standard for 4G operational parameters such as minimum high FOM, extended bandwidth sensitivity and high light tolerance. DEP, USA will capitalize on the various aspects of the PHOTONIS INTENS™ tube attributes such as the 45% smaller 16mm format tube, and its high performance wide-band 18mm format image Intensifier tube.
Additionally DEP, USA will provide systems enhancement components to both currently fielded systems and emerging products.
DEP, USA and PHOTONIS Digital Imaging are located in Texas.
Draper Kauffman Tribute
In a 3-part series to honor the Father of US Navy EOD and US Navy UDT/SEAL, Zero Point and Kopis will pay tribute to Admiral Draper Lawrence Kauffman by presenting a few key bullets from his remarkable career, unveiling a few custom designs attributed to his exploits, as well as working up donations to contribute to SOWF and EODWF. Don’t miss it – and visit their booth to find out more at SOFIC – Booth #1818
Part 2 of 3: Meet Suzabelle
Suzabelle is the name Draper Kauffman gave the 500lb Japanese bomb he defused following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. No one (U.S. that is) had ever seen this type of ordnance before prior to Kauffman defusing and dismantling the bomb for intelligence. He was awarded his 1st Navy Cross for the operation.
Suzabelle, the Pin-Up Girl, was commissioned in honor of Kauffman’s remarkable exploits.
Zero Point & Kopis Mobile will have Suzabelle prominently displayed within their booth at SOFIC, #1818.
Draper Kauffman Tribute
In a 3-part series to honor the Father of US Navy EOD and US Navy UDT/SEAL, Zero Point and Kopis Mobile will pay tribute to Admiral Draper Lawrence Kauffman by presenting a few key bullets from his remarkable career, unveiling a few custom designs attributed to his exploits, as well as working up donations to contribute to SOWF and EODWF. Don’t miss it – and visit their booth to find out more at SOFIC – Booth #1818.
Part 1 of 3: Draper Kauffman Aug.4, 1911 – Aug.18, 1979 – America’s first Twin Pin (EOD/SEAL)
Draper Kauffman is well-known as US Navy’s Founding Frogman forming the Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU), early predecessor to Navy’s Special Warfare’s UDT/SEAL. However, less known but equally important is he is also credited as a Founding Father of US Navy EOD. This is a small tribute to a Naval Officer, Leader, Visionary, Patriot, and a true American Hero.
• Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933. Denied commission as a “regular” officer due to poor eyesight.
• Following his denied commission, Kauffman joined the United States Steamship Lines in an effort to assist in what he felt would be the inevitable war against Germany.
• 10 May 1940: volunteered as an ambulance driver for the French Army in a region of Alsace-Lorraine, just 10 miles from France’s “impenetrable” Maginot Line.
• 22 June 1940: captured by the Germans with his ambulance co-drivers and became a WWII POW. Repatriated several months later.
• Holder of the France’s Croix de Guerre.
• Late 1940, became a member of England’s Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. Volunteered for the Royal Navy Unexploded Bomb Department shortly afterwards.
• December 1941, one of the first to defuse a Japanese UXO. Awarded his first Navy Cross.
• 1942 Jan 04: LT Kauffman returns to Washington D.C. and established the US Navy Bomb Disposal School; 1942 Jan 23 First U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal class convened at Washington Navy Yard.
• 1944, Kauffman drew from the ranks of the US Navy Bomb Disposal School to begin what would be the predecessor of UDT/SEAL, Naval Combat Demolition Unit.
• Later in 1944 and ’45, Kauffman would conduct several combat demolition operations in the Pacific Theater, earning his second Navy Cross for actions specific to Saipan.
• Just prior to the surrender of the Japanese in Tokyo Bay, Kauffman led a team to ensure the bay was safe from possible kamikaze boat attacks during the surrender ceremony.
• 13 October 1945: the UDT veil of secrecy was lifted when a Saturday Evening Post article entitled “They Hit the Beach in Swim Trunks” was published.
• In 1946, 13 years after graduating Naval Academy, Kauffman finally became a Regular Naval Officer.
• 1946, Kauffman participated in some of the first Bikini Atoll nuclear tests.
• August 1946, organized and commanded the U.S. Navy Radiological Safety School.
• 1947, Finally became a Line Officer in the Regular Navy.
• 1948, Kauffman took command of his first Destroyer, the USS Gearing.
• 1960, Promoted to Admiral.
• 1970, Last tour of duty was as Commandant of the Ninth Naval District, Great Lakes Naval Training Center.
Multiple Sources: America’s First Frogman – Elizabeth Kauffman Bush, Wikipedia, Retired Naval Colleagues
