Visit GORE-TEX at AUSA

Happy Easter!

April 4th, 2021

Military Kid Announced as Host of MCEC Podcast for Month of the Military Child

April 4th, 2021

HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas — The Military Child Education Coalition® announced today a military-connected high school senior from North Carolina has been named host of the nonprofit’s weekly podcast series throughout April in recognition of the Month of the Military Child.

Tatihana L., a senior from Swansboro High School in N.C., was chosen from more than 500 MCEC® Student to Student® programs to lead the MCEC Podcast series. Tatihana is the daughter of a U.S. Army Soldier and currently serves as her school’s S2S™ president.

“We are so proud to have Tatihana as our host as we celebrate the Month of the Military Child,” said Dr. Becky Porter, MCEC president and CEO. “This young lady represents everything that is great about being a military-connected student, and her leadership has made such a huge impact on her fellow students, the Onslow County School system, and the local community in North Carolina.”

This past November, the Swansboro High School S2S team was named the MCEC National High School S2S Team of the Year during the organization’s virtual Education Summit.

The podcast series begins April 1 with Tatihana sharing her story of what life is like as a military-connected student, dealing with reunifications and PTSD, and the value of S2S for students and the local community. Two of the featured interviews include:

• Zeke McCarley – As one of five children, Zeke shares his story of what it’s like to be a military kid and how he’s gained independence through determination. 

• U.S. Army 1st Lt. Simone Askew – Askew shares her story of making history during her time at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. as the first woman of color to earn the highest rank of First Captain.

Other interviews are planned for the month, and additional promotion will follow on the MCEC official website at MilitaryChild.org and the nonprofit’s social media accounts at Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

MCEC Podcast Program Manager Tara Gleason and the MCEC Student Achievement Program Manager, Debra Longley, presented the concept of having a student lead the podcast series several months ago. Their goal was to recognize a leader from the S2S program, which includes students from across the U.S. and Europe, to serve as a spokesperson and showcase the impact military-connected students have on their local communities.

As part of her role, Tatihana is participating in all aspects of the podcast including: preparation, research, generating questions, leading all interviews, and supporting portions of the editing process.

All podcasts are posted to the official MCEC Facebook page every Friday and available for download on Podbean and iTunes.

Sneak Peek – True Velocity Ammunition Consumer Sales

April 3rd, 2021

True Velocity is teasing commercial sales of their revolutionary composite cased ammunition, currently under evaluation by the US Army as part of General Dynamics’ Next Generation Squad Weapons candidate systems.

Their powder loads are measured to the hundredth of a grain, resulting in SINGLE-DIGIT standard deviation.

US Army Authorizes Optional Wear of Insignia and Accoutrements on the Class B Army Green Service Uniform and Tropical Dress Variations

April 3rd, 2021

This week, the Army released ALARACT 029/2021, allowing the optional wear of insignia and accoutrements on the Class B Army Green Service Uniform.

The Tropical Dress Variation is primarily intended for Soldiers in hot climates and serves as the alternative for the Class A uniform. Local commanders will determine when their Soldiers wear this uniform variant.

Refer to ALARACT 029/2021for specific guidance and utilize DA PAM 670-1 (26 JAN 2021) for specifics on authorized items and composition of the uniform.

Read the slides here.

Queen Of The Mile

April 3rd, 2021

“Queen of the Mile” is a new documentary-style series created by firearms journalist Sean Utley.

The premise is that five amateur female shooters get the opportunity to participate in three days of training from a former Marine Scout Sniper before taking a shot at a target a mile out. Along the way, the competitors are faced with challenges which offer additional attempts at the target. The hitch is that they only have those three days to complete everything.

The series is presented on the Precision 4 Life channel.

New Bundeswehr Air Defense System: Rheinmetall, Diehl and Hensoldt are Lining Up Together

April 3rd, 2021

Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH of Bremen, Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG of Überlingen and Hensoldt Sensors GmbH of Taufkirchen have signed a joint agreement to cooperate in a special partnership known as an “Arbeitsgemeinschaft”, or ARGE. Under the framework of ARGE NNbS, the three companies will submit a tender for the future German short-range and very short- range air defence system, the LVS NNbS.

The NNbS project bridges a current capability gap when it comes to protecting ground troops during deployed operations as well as securing tactical operation centres and other assets against short- and very short-range aerial threats.

The three companies aim to provide a national, low-risk solution that will be quickly available thanks to the use of commercially available systems and system components. The conceptual system design of ARGE NNbS relies primarily on proven systems and subsystems, including integration of components already in use by the Bundeswehr.

A further advantage of ARGE NNbS is comprehensive logistical support in Germany for the short-range and very short-range air defence system.

Thanks to the complementary core competences of the three national bidders, the ARGE possesses the prerequisites, qualifications and expertise to meet all of the customer’s needs.

Rheinmetall’s Electronic Solutions and Vehicle Systems divisions bring expert technological knowledge and years of experience in developing and supplying defence systems, especially in the fields of vehicles, communication and integration.

Diehl Defence specializes in the development and manufacture of guided missiles. It has established itself in the international marketplace with modern system solutions for ground-based air defence.

As a supplier of key national technologies, Hensoldt will be contributing its expertise as well as battle-tested products such as radars. The company is noted for its comprehensive product commonalities, including product family concepts, especially in the spheres of airspace surveillance and target classification and identification.

The Eclipse Belt: AXL Advanced’s Next Generation Micro Battle Belt

April 2nd, 2021

The Eclipse Belt is an ultra-lightweight, rigid micro battle belt that offers modular buckle type and location. Due to it’s advanced construction techniques and materials, it is under 5 ounces (Medium, G-Hook) unloaded?

The Eclipse Belt comes standard with a G-Hook attachment, with Austrialpin 1″ Cobra and 1″ Raptor Buckles available as an option.

The position of the running end of the buckle is changeable along the belt, allowing 1.5″ gross sizing adjustments. This allows the user to size their belt down significantly for seasonal clothing changes.

The inherent negative space of the Eclipse allows new and advanced attachment hardware designs, while maintaining compatibility with traditional MOLLE pouches.

www.axladvanced.com/Eclipse

Buck Knives Expands Sales and Marketing Team

April 2nd, 2021

New Positons Set to Strengthen Aggressive Plans
In creation of newly formed Regional Sales Management roles, Buck Knives is pleased to announce Connor Slepikas and Anthony (Tony) Tekansik have joined the company to further strengthen aggressive growth plans. Under Vice President of Sales, Mike Silverberg, Slepikas and Tekansik will remotely oversee sales activities for the Western and Eastern United States and Canada.

“The addition of these talented individuals is both strategic and necessary. As Buck Knives evolves in its effort to service an expansive dealer base and exceptionally broad product line, our field based Regional Managers will provide enhanced communications and value to our retail partners.  Our new structure is a direct response to our customers’ needs for responsive data based support at the local level,” said Silverberg. “Connor and Tony exemplify Buck’s mission, values, and authentic hands-on approach to achieving excellence in customer satisfaction.”

Slepikas, most recently with Leatherman Tool Group, brings six years of practical field based experience managing retail sales channels, conducting clinical training sessions, and executing promotional and merchandising programs. An avid outdoorsman with a respect for high quality gear, the Buck Knives lifestyle fits closely with his passions for hunting turkey and following his bird dog in the upland prairies. Slepikas will be responsible for territories in the Eastern USA and will work closely with Buck’s sales agents, marketing and product teams, driving awareness for the Buck brand and value proposition. Slepikas holds a BS in Recreation and Sport Management from the University of Arkansas.

With over 10 years of direct sales experience, primarily in sport optics with Pentax and Leica, Tekansik will be responsible for the Western USA territories. Growing up in Colorado, he used Buck products in his backyard of the Rocky Mountains and is excited to clinic the attributes of Buck Knives with retail partners. He will support established representatives in the West, executing strategic plans designed to maximize the sales of new and core products. Tekansik holds a BA from Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado.

In addition to these key roles, Buck Knives has also grown their Sales and Marketing support team by welcoming Katie Swanson as Graphic Design Coordinator, Debbie Bobshosky as Sales Coordinator, and Whitney Wienholz as Marketing/Ecommerce Administrator.

Swanson joins the Buck team as an accomplished Graphic Designer. She has over three years of marketing, digital marketing, social media, and media/design experience. She will be working with Buck’s Marketing team to design promotional materials, print and digital content. Swanson holds a BA in Graphic Design from Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho.

With over 11 years of experience working for Buck’s west coast representative group, J. Harding & Associates, Bobshosky serves as Buck’s Sales Coordinator. She will support inside/outside sales in a direct and indirect capacity, working across several departments, communicating with customers, and facilitating the needs of sales reps and management to keep projects and initiatives on track.

Wienholz, a recent college graduate, is the new Marketing/Ecommerce Administrator. Wienholz will be responsible for directing and applying available resources to support the Director of Marketing, Marketing Manager, and the expanding Ecommerce division. She also will collaborate cross departmentally to assist in the implementation and production of marketing collateral and public relations projects. Wienholz holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Whitworth University in Washington.

“As we continue to align with today’s market and customer needs, these new members are essential to help facilitate our day to day operations and ensure we maximize customer experience across all areas of our business.  We look forward to what this robust group of talented individuals will bring to Buck Knives,” said Silverberg.