How do you protect yourself while traveling? Being on the road all of the time, this is an issue I struggle with and it’s only exacerbated while traveling overseas. Even some
of the most innocuous stuff like a first-aid kit and a pen knife can get you hemmed up.
Adam Holroyd of Spiritus Systems breaks down some options.
Imminent Threat Solutions is proud to introduce the ITS Lock Pinning Mat. This ultimate workspace tool is purpose built for the locksport enthusiast and offers a dedicated space for disassembling and rebuilding your locks. Made from a durable rubber, each features an anti-slip bottom to ensure your mat and contents stay put.
The four sections of the ITS Lock Pinning Mat provide the opportunity to sort lock contents, as well as change and manipulate components. The Upright Cylinder Channel holds the ITS Modular Lock (available separately as an add-on item) perfectly in an upright configuration and offers enough room to store the ITS Reverse-Grip Pinning Tweezers (available separately as an add-on item.) The Shear Line Check Box features a slight ramp that assists in guiding pins down to the built-in shear line. The opening to the right of the ramp allows keys to lay flat, so pins can be properly lined up with each cut in the key.
The Parts Garage is an open section that’s available to store items you’re actively working on, like security pins you may be swapping in, or small tools you may be using. Lastly, the Pin Stack Columns feature 28 individual Storage Cubbies to house the internal components of a lock separately (Cap, Spring, Driver Pin and Key Pin) so they don’t get mixed up. The columns can accommodate up to 7 full pin-stacks.
Imminent Threat Solutions provides indispensable skill-sets and products to explore your world and prevail against all threats.
For more information on ITS Security products, please visit store.itstactical.com/collections/security.
A fundamental FieldCraft skill is using a map and compass.
Brunton manufactures a wide variety of professional and recreational compasses. They also offer this set of Backcountry Use Quick Reference Cards as an aide memoire.
The eight waterproof cards include:
1 Map Slope Indicator Scale (works with both metric and standard map scales)
2 How to Orient a map to true north
3 Taking a map bearing
4 Sighting a field bearing
5 Travel a compass bearing
6 Triangulating a location
7 How to use Romer Scales
8 Suggestions when you are lost
9 Water tips
10 Common knots
11 Calculating hike times
12 Metric and Standard Topo Buddy scale cards
www.brunton.com/products/quick-reference-card-1
The Jerome fire department is seeking teams to compete in their Rope Rescue Competition, November 4-5 2022 in Jerome, Arizona. ?
Contact Dan via email at [email protected].
WILL ROGERS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Okla. —
The 137th Combat Training Flight (CTF) taught 33 students land navigation, radio communication and radio programming skills during Mission Sustainment Team (MST) training held at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City, Feb. 7-10, 2022.
The students, from squadrons around the base, were divided into two teams and learned from four 137th CTF instructors throughout the week. The MST members worked with specialized equipment and learned how to read maps, find a grid coordinate, and use compasses to navigate over terrain.
“With this training we are taking a skill set we have built specifically for joint terminal attack controller qualification and are transferring that to the rest of the force,” said Maj. Jeffrey Hansen, 137th CTF director of operations. “Using our instructors’ teaching experience means we are more effectively tailoring the classes to the students, who range from tactical backgrounds like security forces members to technical backgrounds like civil engineers.”
Learning skills outside of regular training will ensure long-term mission sustainment in austere locations, making Airmen more capable to operate in diverse deployed environments.
“It was good going back to basics as far as land navigation, moving as a team with a weapon and pulling security,” said Tech. Sgt. Justin Davis, 137th CTF joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) qualification course manager. “These skills — for our Air Force specialty — are some of the first we learn because they are how we get to work. It was interesting finding the cutoff of what we needed to teach these students to help them understand basic land navigation and radio operation without getting into the weeds of the specific skills we instruct that help a JTAC drop bombs.”
One day of training consisted of land navigation skill development in the field. Instructors set up points and gave students a grid location. Students then plotted a trail to find and report those points using maps, compasses and protractors. Once they reported their first checkpoint, the Airmen were given the location for the next one.
“All of the skills we learned were brand new to me, so it was difficult to learn it all in the span of a week,” said Senior Airman Andrea Kuzilik, a services specialist with the 137th Special Operations Force Support Squadron. “The instructors were great, and super hands-on. It definitely got better the more we ran through it, and the field day really helped put everything together.”
This exercise tested students’ radio programming and communication skills in addition to navigation. Students also learned how to move in a formation, react as a team to a direct contact with an adversary, and use night vision goggles to move in the dark and drive a Humvee.
“It was good to see the different Air Force specialties come together for a common purpose during the training,” said Davis. “I think we as instructors are also excited to improve and streamline the course with each training iteration, especially because we saw a successful end result with this initial class using these skills in a practical setting versus a classroom setting.”
By TSgt Brigette Waltermire, 137th Special Operations Wing
No GPS? No problem. Electronic Countermeasures in effect? No problem.
“If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn’t plan your mission properly.” –David Hackworth
Taking updates from the civilian-oriented High-Viz Quadrant Telemeter, Wndsn has released the latest version of their NATO-MIL Quadrant Telemeter.
Updates and Improvements
• A 150 MIL scale graded in 1 MIL increments (previously 130 MIL scale with 2 MIL increments)
• Removal of civilian features like the Obliquity Arc and the Shadow Square
• A MIL scale inside the degree arc graded in 25 and 100 MIL
• A dot grid inside the Quadrant allowing for more accurate string operations
• A coordinate scale for maps using a 1:25k scale to determine a position on a UTM grid by way of northing and easting.
Comes with manual.
store.wndsn.com/products/wndsn-pocket-quadrant-telemeter-nato-mil
I’ve followed True North Tradecraft for quite awhile on Instagram so it was a pleasure to finally meet Boris at Operator Expo.
True North Tradecraft teaches Personal Security Tradecraft from a Canadian Perspective and provides products to support that goal.
One of the items on their pretty sizable catalog is the OSS Lock Pick Set (Camp-X Canadian Custom Edition). For those of you unfamiliar, Camp X-ray was a training facility for the British Special Operations Executive and the SOE is who provided the American Office of Strategic Services with their initial training.
The kit consists of:
• Stainless & Spring Steel
• Tension Tool
• Razor Saw
• #3E Small Diamond
• #8 Short Hook
• #6E Euro Wave Jiggler
Known for their specialty tube-packed survival, first-aid, and outdoor living kits, VSSL has added a new twist, the Fire Striker Tin.
Packed in a twist off lid tin, the kit includes five waterproof Tinder Quick fire starting tabs, a Tethered Ferrocerium Rod and a Ceramic Striker in protective housing.
www.vsslgear.com/products/fire-striker
