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Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

SENTRY Products Group Expands Special Operations Division

Wednesday, May 26th, 2021

Will Dewilde, retired Command Master Chief U.S. Navy SEAL joins SENTRY Products to lead expanding the Special Operations Division focused on military and law enforcement customers.

Virginia Beach, Va. (May 2021) – SENTRY Products Group™, a leading manufacturer and distributor of products focused on protection, storage, and transportation of outdoor, military, and law enforcement equipment, is proud to announce the expansion of its Special Operations Division and the hiring of retired Navy SEAL Command Master Chief, Will Dewilde.

The Special Operations Divisions (SOD) focuses on building relationships and supporting the development and distribution of SENTRY products across the military and law enforcement channels. “I had worked directly with Will both as a US Navy SEAL and after he had joined the private sector, it was clear that his exceptional leadership skills along with his ability to forge relationships throughout the SOF community made him a logical choice to lead the expanding SOD team” Mike Noell, Founder and CEO of SENTRY Products Group, explained. “We are excited to have him on board as this role is critical to translating the needs of the end user to our product development and production teams. Our endpoint vision is to simple; to create and supply the best, to the best.”

Command Master Chief Dewilde retired from the United States Navy in 2017 after serving more than 30 years in various operational and strategic leadership roles across USSOCOM. He has completed 17 overseas deployments and has planned and led numerous sensitive national combat and crisis response missions worldwide. His operational assignments and executive level leadership tours include the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGROUP), SEAL Team Two, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Naval Special Warfare Center and Naval Special Warfare Group Two. He has been awarded the Silver Star and four Bronze Stars for Valor along with many other medals and various unit and campaign awards. Prior to joining SENTRY, he served as Vice President of Operations for The Honor Foundation (THF), a nationwide educational institution assisting U.S. Special Operations service members in their career transitions.

Dewilde added, “It’s a privilege to be able to continue to serve the military and law enforcement communities as part of a team that is dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and distributing the very best and most innovative products in the industry. I really embrace SENTRY’s vision of ‘Live to Protect’ it represents the passion of our people, the products we create and sums up what we bring to the customer through the SOD Division.”

Over the next 18 months SENTRY will scale the SOD division with representatives in locations across the US and International. If you are interested in acquiring SENTRY products, or becoming a dealer we can be reached at info@sentryltp.com.

5.11 Announces New Physical Training-Ready (PT-R) Line

Thursday, May 20th, 2021

New products offer on-the-go fitness and training solutions
IRVINE, Calif. (May 20, 2021) – 5.11, Inc., the global innovator of purpose-built apparel, footwear, and gear today announced the launch of its new Physical Training-Ready (PT-R) product line, created to offer versatile solutions for fitness training. The new PT-R lineup includes weight kits and technical apparel that are all designed to give users the freedom to train anywhere and anytime, even when a gym is not available.

“Now, more than ever, people want the freedom to train when and where it works best for them, and they need dependable gear that will allow them to achieve that,” said Matt Page, Vice President of Global Product for 5.11. “We worked with some of our most demanding end users to develop our PT-R line to meet the evolving needs of fitness and training enthusiasts.”

“5.11’s mantra, Always Be Ready, expands beyond apparel, gear and mentality – it also pertains in large part to your training,” said 5.11’s Chief Marketing Officer, Debra Radcliff. “Our new PT-R line provides our customers with the freedom to meet their training needs anytime, anywhere.”

Included in the new product offering is the PT-R Weight Kit 50 and PT-R Weight Kit 100. Designed to deliver a portable solution for training when a gym is not available, each kit includes two heavy-duty PT-R liner bags that can be filled with sand or other weighted material. The liners can then be used separately or placed together in larger PT-R bags for weighted training.

The PT-R Weight 50 Kit (MSRP: $149.99) holds approximately 25 pounds of sand or material in each liner bag and up 50 pounds total when placed together in the larger bag. The PT-R Weight 100 Kit (MSRP: $169.99) holds 50 pounds in each liner bag and 100 pounds total. When empty, the bags are lightweight and travel-friendly.

5.11 PT-R Weight Kits and Apparel in Use
5.11 offers a complete fitness solution with its debut of new technical PT-R apparel. Many of the items feature moisture-wicking and anti-microbial technology, athletic fits and other design features to meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts.  Some key styles for Spring 2021 include the Charge Short Sleeve and Charge Long Sleeve Shirt ($34.99, $44.99), No Mercy Short Sleeve Shirt ($24.99), Zone Full Zip Hoodie ($49.99), Motion PT-R Short in 5.5” and 7.5” ($44.99, $49.99), Epos Short ($39.99) and Goal PT-R Jogger ($59.99).

The PT-R Weight Kits and apparel items are available now with additional new PT-R collection products arriving this summer. To learn more or to shop the PT-R lineup visit www.511tactical.com/pt-r.

Atlas Devices – Enemy of Vertical: TERRAIN

Sunday, May 16th, 2021

Atlas Devices has launched a blog series. Their first entry is “Enemy of Vertical: TERRAIN” which takes look at the types of challenges facing electrical linemen.

SIG SAUER Academy to Host Introduction to Pistol and PCC for Women with Team SIG’s Lena Miculek

Wednesday, May 12th, 2021

NEWINGTON, N.H., (May 12, 2021) – SIG SAUER Academy, the leading provider of the highest quality firearms instruction and tactical training in the world, is pleased to announce the addition of Introduction to Pistol and PCC for Females with Lena Miculek to the upcoming course schedule.

This course is a one-day women’s specific introductory course to pistol and pistol caliber carbine (PCC) taught by the top 3-Gun competitor, Team SIG’s Lena Miculek.  In this course, Lena will boil down the most crucial things she has learned as a female competitive shooter including experience, technique, and mindset.  The course will focus on building a solid foundation of pistol and PCC fundamentals and students will learn personalized shooting techniques to fit your body and play to your strengths, effective training and practice techniques at home and on the range, and proper gear setup. 

Lena Miculek is a third-generation professional competitive shooter and regarded as the top female 3-Gun competitor and PCC specialist in the world.  At the age of 17 Lena won her first World Champion Title and has since earned more than 80 major wins and 8 world titles in 5 shooting disciplines.  Lena is now focused on training primarily in PCC, teaches, and is actively working to introduce and increase female participation in the professional shooting sports.  She was recently named a “40 under 40” by SHOT Business magazine, earned the prestigious Gundies “Most Influential Female” award, and is the co-creator of the Miculek YouTube channel with over 1.2 million subscribers.

Introduction to Pistol and PCC for Women with Lena Miculek is being offered on Friday, June 28, 2021.  To register and review the course outline, or review the comprehensive course offering for SIG SAUER Academy visit sigsaueracademy.com.

Construction of SIG SAUER Experience Center Begins in Epping, New Hampshire

Friday, May 7th, 2021

NEWINGTON, N.H., (May 7, 2021) – SIG SAUER, Inc., is pleased to announce the official commencement of the construction of the SIG SAUER Experience Center on the grounds of the SIG SAUER Academy in Epping, New Hampshire.

Today, Ron Cohen, President of SIG SAUER, Inc. was joined by Governor Chris Sununu and other local and state dignitaries, for the official groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of the SIG SAUER Experience Center, a state-of-the-art 40,500 square foot facility on the grounds of the SIG SAUER Academy in Epping, New Hampshire.

“SIG SAUER is growing, and we are excited to officially break ground for the SIG SAUER Experience to mark the beginning of another phase of our evolution,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc.  “This facility will attract visitors to the New England region from all over the world and create new jobs, and we view this endeavor as a true partnership with our state and local leaders that have worked hard to foster an environment where SIG can grow and thrive and are one of the secrets to our continued success and growth here in New Hampshire.”

The SIG SAUER Experience Center will feature the SIG SAUER flagship retail showroom, state-of-the-art indoor shooting ranges, and a high-tech, interactive SIG SAUER museum depicting the history of SIG SAUER, and a one-of-a-kind educational experience for SIG SAUER products, a multi-purpose meeting space and conference rooms.

“The continued expansion of SIG SAUER’s New Hampshire operations with this new construction in Epping is another welcome addition by SIG SAUER to our growing economy,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “SIG SAUER is one of New Hampshire’s largest employers providing a diverse mix of high-tech manufacturing jobs to our workforce, and I am glad to partner with them as they continue to firmly plant their roots right here in the Granite State.”

Design-Build services are being provided by North Branch Construction and architectural design by Cowan Goudreau Architects both of Concord, NH.  Civil engineering services are being provided by T.F. Moran, Inc. of Bedford, NH.

‘Service. Strength. Sacrifice’: Special Tactics Training Complex Dedicated to Fallen STO

Friday, May 7th, 2021

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla.— In a split second while on a mission in 2015, U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Roland made the last leadership decision he would he would ever make. Without hesitation, he chose to protect his team and give them the best shot at overcoming an insider attack in Afghanistan, sacrificing his life in the process.

To honor the fallen Special Tactics Officer’s actions and courageous leadership, the 24th Special Operations Wing along with friends and family hosted a dedication ceremony in Roland’s honor May 6, 2021 at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

“Today I have the privilege of dedicating the Roland Field Leadership Training Complex,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Matthew Allen, commander of the 24th SOW. “It’s particularly meaningful to dedicate this training site to Matt as he spent years of his life honing his leadership expertise.”

The wing chose to dedicate one of the Special Tactics Training Squadron facilities used for training and assessing Special Tactics Officers just like Roland.

“It means everything to be a part of his legacy,” said one of the young STOs attending the ceremony and finishing the training pipeline. “I think he embodies a lot of what a lot of people in our position are trying to do and why we joined. Guys like him paved the way for us and have shown us an example of who we should strive to be like. We’re honored to be walking in his footsteps and everyone who came before us.”

In the audience were also several distinguished guests, friends and family members of Matthew Roland including his sister, nieces, fiancé, mother and his father, U.S. Air Force, retired, Col. Mark Roland.

“Matthew was a patriot, he believed in his nation and was dedicated to service,” said Mark. “He loved serving as a STO and leading his team. This complex is a testament that he was good at what he did and respected for how he did it.”

Matthew Roland graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2010 and then entered the rigorous Special Tactics Officer training pipeline to earn the coveted red beret. His last assignment was at the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Members of the fallen Airman’s former squadron watched as the Roland family unveiled the new sign to the Roland Field Leadership Training Complex followed by the Special Tactics tradition of memorial pushups.

“He never quit, he never gave up. Be strong in the face of adversity,” said Mark. “To us, this complex dedicated to selecting and training Special Tactics Officers represents three things that Matthew valued…service, strength and sacrifice.”

As a Special Tactics Officer, Roland was a qualified battlefield commander prepared to lead reconnaissance, strike and recovery missions, as well as a military static-line and free fall jumper, an Air Force combat scuba diver, and a joint terminal attack controller. For his actions during his deployment, Roland was posthumously awarded the nation’s third highest honor for valor, the Silver Star medal, in June of 2016.

“At his core, [Matthew] was concerned with loving and protecting his family, being a leader in our Air Force and living out his warrior ethos,” said Allen. “If there was a hardship, he’d endure it. If there was a burden, he’d help lift it. If there was a challenge…he’d meet it.”

For future Special Tactics leaders, the complex will forever stand as inspiration to the selfless leadership and determination Roland displayed throughout his time in service.

Special Tactics is the Air Force’s most highly decorated community since the Vietnam War specializing in global access, precision strike, personnel recovery and battlefield surgery. Since 9/11, Special Tactics Airmen have received one Medal of Honor, 12 Air Force Crosses and 50 Silver Star Medals.

Photos by SrA Miranda Mahoney and A1C Amanda Flower-Raschella, 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

Mike Pannone Discusses the Benefits of a Pistol Caliber Short Rifle (PCSR)

Thursday, May 6th, 2021

Mike Pannone, Director of Training, B&T USA examines the features and advantages of a Pistol Caliber Short Rifle (PCSR), or submachine gun based system, such as B&T’s APC9 PRO, for law enforcement and military applications occurring within confined spaces, or within spaces where size savings are important.

About Mike Pannone/CTT Solutions

Mike is a former operational member of U.S. Marine Reconnaissance, Army Special Forces (Green Beret), 1st SFOD-D (Delta) and the Asymmetric Warfare Group. He is an active USPSA pistol shooter holding a Master class ranking in Limited, Limited-10 and Production divisions. Mike has participated in stabilization, combat and high-risk protection operations in support of U.S. policies throughout the world as both an active duty military member, and a civilian contractor. Mike also worked as the primary firearms instructor for the Federal Air Marshal program in Atlantic City, as well as the head in-service instructor for the Seattle field office. He has spent countless hours on the range and in the classroom with military units, LEO and operational personnel sharing his vast combat and practical experience to increase proficiency and organizational success.

10th SFG(A)’s Winter Warfare Detachment Introduces New Winter Training

Saturday, May 1st, 2021

FORT CARSON, Colo. — The Winter Warfare Detachment (WWD) at 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) introduced a new training course this year to expand on the unit’s winter operational capabilities. The development of this knowledge and skillset is essential to ensuring success in arctic missions.

The Winter Warfare Course (WWC) is designed to train, evaluate and certify Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alphas (SFOD-As) within 10th SFG(A). The training covered backcountry mobility, avalanche awareness and preparedness, winter survival, snowmobile operations and advanced riding techniques, and special operations small unit tactics on skis and snowmobiles.

“The course itself has been a natural progression for moving 10th Group forward. I believe that it is paramount that we continue to develop, expand and modernize our capabilities to operate in austere winter environments. Conducting ever-improving training in this spectrum will ensure that 10th SFG(A) remains the tip of the spear for winter warfighting capability,” said the WWD’s NCO in charge (NCOIC). “The Winter Warfare Detachment, our initial mission was to expand the expertise, knowledge and capability of cold weather training and operations within 10th Group.”

To facilitate the end state, the WWD initiated the Winter Mobility Instructor Course, now known as the Cold Weather Instructor Course (CWTIC). This course is designed to validate instructors who become CWT trainers, planners and facilitators at the battalion level.

“The CWTIC is designed to develop professional instructors for units using a standardized certifying course,” said the NCOIC. “They come to our course to be validated as cold weather training instructors and return to their units as capable instructors and leaders for their units’ CWT events.”

To increase 10th SFG(A)’s capabilities and further the arctic mission, the detachment implemented the WWC. Unlike the instructor course, the WWC is designed as a validation and training exercise for SFOD-As deploying to high north and arctic regions. It ensures that teams are operationally capable in these extreme cold weather environments, and are prepared for joint training exercises with their allies in the high north region.

The success of the WWC emphasizes the development, expansion and modernization of 10th SFG(A)’s capabilities to operate in austere winter environments. In the harsh climate of the high north and arctic regions, the ability to shoot, move and communicate becomes even more challenging. The WWC prepares Green Berets and Paratroopers for these operations, and focuses on the critical tasks needed in order to succeed.

“We need to maintain our expertise and our capability, and expand to ensure we are the best in operating in cold weather and high north regions, because that is our operational area. Our success depends on us having this expertise.”

10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Public Affairs Office

Editor’s note: The full names and identifications of those serving in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) are withheld due to safety and security of the Soldiers and their Families.