FirstSpear

MSR Distribution Welcomes New Buyer, Christopher Thomas

April 4th, 2022

MSR Distribution announced that Christopher Thomas has joined their team as Buyer. Christopher has several years’ experience in the defense industry specializing in retail and distribution channels. He is a recent transplant from the Mid-West and now call Las Vegas home.

Says Christopher: “In my experience, I have grown to understand that this market is more than just competitive. My philosophy is to do my best to treat our vendors with the respect I expect as a customer …. I buy with care and manage each brand we bring on as if they were my own.”

Ross Botha, General Manager at MSR, told us: “We are very excited to have Christopher onboard, extensive experience in retail and distribution spheres makes him an asset; not only to MSR, but to our vendors and employees too. He understands the product lines and what it takes to get those into the hands of our customers.”

MSR Distribution is a wholesale distributor that sells hard-to-find and highly sought-after products to licensed retailers and specific qualified entities. Every year, countless dealers trust MSR Distribution to help them grow their businesses by providing great products with reliable margins. Chris will form an integral part of forging sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with vendors. He will play a critical role in developing the MSR vendor experience and sculpting future relationships with them.

www.msrdistribution.com

Kimber Donates Handguns and Rifles to Ukraine

April 4th, 2022

TROY, AL, March 30, 2022 — Kimber Mfg., Inc. donated 200 handguns and 20 rifles to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of Ukraine, to bolster their capabilities in this time of conflict.

Throughout this conflict, the Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their courage and determination, which inspired the Kimber team to find a way to help. Kimber answered by providing 200 R7 Mako 9mm subcompact pistols with 800 extra 13-round magazines, 10 Advanced Tactical rifles in .308 Win., and 10 bolt-action rifles in .308 Win. Each rifle contains 2 magazines and a matched replacement firing pin assembly.

Mission First Tactical (MFT) donated holsters for the R7 Mako pistols and Tactical Rifle Cases. In addition, MFT also donated 3,300 AR-15 magazines and 1,000 AR-10 magazines.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc. (Leupold) donated 20 Mark 4 LR/T 3.5-10×40 rifle scopes, which were paired and installed on each of the 20 Kimber rifles.

“The people of Ukraine are enduring tremendous hardships and are in need of support from around the world,” said Leslie Edelman, Kimber owner and CEO. “Kimber is honored to play a part in providing this much-needed assistance with the donation of these firearms and accessories. Our hearts and prayers go out to the courageous people who will be using them to defend their freedom and nation.”

Premier Body Armor Thermal Regulation Technology in Multiple Armor Systems

April 4th, 2022

GASTONIA, N.C. – April 4, 2022 – Premier Body Armor’s partnership brings unprecedented thermal regulation technology to several armor products. Eclipsys is available in multiple configurations for a wide variety of uses. Eclipsys™ thermal-regulating properties is revolutionizing the body armor industry and Premier Body Armor offers several popular setups.

The full lineup debuted earlier this year at SHOT, and multiple product lines sold out fast. Integration options for Premier Body Armor’s STRATIS rifle rated plates, Every Day Armor T-Shirt, soft armor vests and more are in stock or currently being re-stocked for quick delivery.

The full lineup debuted earlier this year at SHOT, and multiple product lines are currently sold out. The fact that it can be incorporated into any system, is affordable and the performance is unparalleled (reducing heat up to 200%) means options for plates and everyday shirt armor are awaiting re-stocking.  

“We haven’t even seen warmer temperatures yet, and people are already seeing how game-changing this really is—especially those who wear armor every day,” said Alex Stewart, President of Premier Body Armor. “Body Armor is very insulative, and until now, there were no thermal regulating options. Eclipsys changes this in a big way and we’re excited about what we’re seeing.

“We are pleased to be making a difference in the lives of our customers. One recent Law enforcement officer left the following review: ‘I used to take my vest off at the end of the day and my shirt was drenched. Now with this attached to my vest, my undershirt is dry.’ We continue to get regular and positive feedback from other happy customers as well.”

Eclipsys utilizes passive cooling which means there are no batteries or wires to break, replace or worry about when it matters most. It is non-flammable, non-toxic and razor thin at 0.42 mm thick (three sheets of paper). All of these features and qualities put Eclipsys in a league of its own. Premier Body Armor is proud to offer it with some of the company’s most popular and heralded products including the Elite Executive Vest and the Discreet Executive Vest. 

More information on Eclipsys is available here and interested parties can request an editorial sample by contacting Tim Brandt at the address below.

Media Contact: Tim Brandt, Murray Road Agency 
E-Mail: tim.brandt@murrayroadagency.com

 

High Speed Gear’s Medical Monday Features Tourniquet TACOs

April 4th, 2022

SWANSBORO, N.C. –April 4, 2022 – Whether you are a service member training in the field, forward deployed, a law enforcement officer or training on your own, tourniquet (TQ) pouches are essential items to carry. High Speed Gear® offers TQ pouches so you can access your life-saving equipment rapidly.

As tactical gear companies, both High Speed Gear® and Comp-Tac® Holsters take their mission seriously and that is to be able to provide those who serve our country with gear that they can rely on every day. Taking preventive steps by carrying a TQ can change the outcome of emergencies.

In 2019, the Tourniquet TACO® was designed at High Speed Gear® headquarters to have the adjustability of the TACO®, in a tourniquet pouch form. The design was intended so users can deploy various windlass-style tourniquets quickly for intense pressure scenarios. However, it can be used with or without the pull tab for an open-top pouch, much like the Kydex® Tourniquet TACO®.

Shortly after the Tourniquet TACO® was released, Comp-Tac Holsters™ (a division of High Speed Gear®) released two different Kydex® Tourniquet TACOs®, for those that enjoy the “hard shell” TACO® pouches. These function much like the original Tourniquet TACO®, allowing the use of SAM® XT, C-A-T®, SOF® TT, and SOF® TT Wide tourniquets in just one pouch.

Please click here for more information on these tourniquet pouches.

Belgium Adopts New Operational Clothing System

April 4th, 2022

Starting this November Belgian troops will begin to receive new clothing in the MultiCam camouflage pattern. Uniforms will be in the Crye Precision G4 cut in both men’s and women’s sizing.


Photo from Belgium Directorate of Military Resources

The initial package going out includes the following items from the Crye catalog:

The “Belgian Defence Clothing System” includes everything from the skin out including wool underwear, insulating and shell layers as well as eventually new helmets, armor, and load carriage. There is also a CBRN (Chemical, Bacteriological, Radioactive, Nuclear) equipment element of the program.

In order to address sustainability, any chemical finishes and membranes are avoided where possible. There is also an agreement to collect the currently issued uniforms and process them in an ecological way in order to “give them a second life.”

In addition Crye Precision, two Belgian companies, Sioen Apparel and SEYNTEX make up the SSC Consortium and will supply the program for the next 15 years which currently has a total budget of 410 million euros.

Stuff I Like – Wildfire GORE-TEX Men’s Shoes

April 4th, 2022

I got a pair of these when Salewa first introduced the Black color. I’ve just bought my third pair on a whim when I saw them in stock at Tidewater Tactical because I was worried they’d stop making them. Much to my relief, I see that Salewa continues to offer this model and color scheme.

You’ll often see me wearing them at trade shows, particulary if it’s wet outside. That’s a pretty good testament to their comfort if I’m willing to walk around all day on concrete in them.

The Wildfire features a GORE-TEX Extended Comfort lining and POMOCA Speed MTN sole which is pretty grippy. Additionally, there is an edging zone at the toe along with lacing down to the toe so you can get by pretty well in a simple climb.

www.salewa.com

AFSOC Civilian Development Program Revamp

April 4th, 2022

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —  

In alignment with Air Force Special Operations Command Strategic Guidance, the AFSOC Civilian Development (CivDev) Program was launched to deliberately develop our civilian workforce in order to meet the ever-increasing challenges and develop the Airmen we need. 

The AFSOC Civilian Development Program, includes a foundational plan, a variety of civilian development opportunities, career broadening initiatives, and annual civilian developmental education programs.  

“As our organization evolves, so must our civilian workforce,” said Jodie James,  deputy strategic advisor of civilian development for AFSOC. “It is our intent to develop our civilians through world-class programs that help our civilians reach their full potential. In order to do this, we must first start with a developmental foundation.” 

On Apr. 1, 2021, the AFSOC Civilian Human Capital Foundational Plan was signed identifying three elements for implementation. The first is to create and maintain an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for all AFSOC civilians within 45 days of arrival and to be reviewed annually. The second is to complete the MyVector Air Force Competencies Assessment within 30 days of arrival and every year thereafter. Lastly, all civilians need to be assigned a mentor they can go to for advice and guidance. 

This policy identifies the cardinal plan to provide the strong foundation we need to build on for future deliberate development initiatives.  

“We’re not going to get to the ‘AFSOC We Need’ without developing our civilians who provide AFSOC with an adaptive and expert workforce,” said Donald Plater, executive director of AFSOC. “They are vital to our culture and must have the same attention our enlisted and officer Air Commandos get.”  

In addition to the AFSOC Civilian Development foundational plan, AFSOC has invested in a variety of development opportunities for civilians looking to enhance their careers, hone their leadership skills, or just continue the journey of life-long learning. 

For the most up-to-date information regarding civilian development opportunities, please visit the CAC-enabled AFSOC CivDev Sharepoint at usaf.dps.mil/sites/AFSOC-A1/A1D/CivilianDevelopment/SitePages/Home

By Capt Savannah Stephens, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Kit Badger Covers The 8th Annual SOC-F Fundraiser

April 3rd, 2022

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to attend a SOC-F fundraiser, Kit Badger takes you beyond the velvet rope.