GORE-TEX Military Fabrics

Unico Combat Waterproof by Naglev

July 13th, 2020

Founded by the members of the Italian Morlin family, who have made footwear for six generations and revitalized the Garmont brand in the 90s, but left to try something new and sustainable. In fact, the company’s name is an acronym, Natural Glocal Evolution, with “glocal” denoting global and local working together.

First off, although the Unico is named a combat boot, the name is derived more from the styling than its intended use. That being said, it doesn’t mean well dressed commandos won’t be wearing these later this year. I suspect they will.

The design is very straight forward and they are only available in Black with natural accents. This high leg shoe is the result of the successful Unico which is a low top trail shoe.

It features an outer shell made of Kevlar and an inner wool sock. Due to this construction, expect a glove-like fit. The outer shell is made of a single piece of indestructible Kevlar forming a sandwich which incorporates the cable lacing, the padding and the stiffner. This also features a TPU rand.

Inside there’s the wool I mentioned, along with lycra and eco membrane for waterproofness.

The sole is natural rubber and the pattern reminds me a bit of the old Bomba sole. The footbed is crafted from leather and coconut fibers and there’s a dual-density EVA midsole. If they’re anything like the low top variant, they’re going to have a very stiff sole, akin to an approach shoe.

They utilize Men’s Euro sizing, 40-47 with half sizes. Shipping in October.

www.naglev.com/product-men-unico-combat-waterproof

TacJobs – Quality Assurance Manager at FirstSpear

July 13th, 2020

FirstSpear, LLC is currently seeking a Quality Assurance Manager for our growing company in the St. Louis, MO area. This position is responsible to assure quality throughout the organization through a documented and managed system of policies, procedures, tracking and reporting mechanisms. This position reports directly to the Vice President of Business Administration.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Document and manage the company’s Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with ISO 9001:2015; conduct and manage internal audits to monitor compliance

• Develop, implement, and manage systems to ensure products satisfy specifications for form, fit, function, quality, and reliability

• Develop and implement statistical process controls to identify quality issues for corrective and preventative action

• Manage the preparation, implementation and post-implementation monitoring of corrective and preventative action activities

• Develop, implement, and monitor systems used to track quality throughout the organization; ensure appropriate record keeping and retention policies are in place and monitor for compliance

• Collect, analyze, and summarize quality trends and data, compile information into reports, present information to stakeholders and make recommendations for action

• Support interactions with customers and users on matters related to quality; prepare and manage responses to customer requests for information related to the quality systems

• Support the Operations and Program Management departments in fulfillment of contract and program deliverables related to quality

• Interact with functional counterparts at customer and vendor organizations

• Understand customer needs, expectations, and requirements to ensure quality controls are sufficient and effective

• Review feedback from users and customers for quality related issues and trends; make recommendations to key stakeholders for corrective and preventative action

• Audit compliance with federal, state, local, and organizational laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies

• Review and audit vendor and subcontractor QMS for acceptance and ongoing compliance

• Lend expertise to the product design, development, and engineering teams to ensure manufacturing specifications, quality standards and production lot testing requirements are appropriately documented

• Identify areas for improvement and implement best practices to promote continuous improvement throughout the organization

• Perform other duties as assigned

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Prior experience documenting and managing a QMS in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 or equivalent

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or other relevant discipline, or minimum of eight years of relevant experience.

• Minimum of five years of experience in a similar role in a manufacturing environment; direct experience in soft goods manufacturing using textile materials highly valued

• Excellent communications skills with a demonstrated proficiency of general business acumen

• Competency reading, reviewing, interpreting, and understanding technical materials, including engineering drawings, specifications, published standards and test methods

• Strong analytical skills with a data driven mindset

• Knowledge of and experience using Lean, Six Sigma, 5S and other similar disciplines is beneficial

• Reputable good character and practices the highest ethics

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and changing priorities

• Proven organizational, decision-making and time management skills

• Proficient with Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office programs

Work Environment and Travel

• This position works in an office and manufacturing setting and routinely uses standard office equipment and tools customary for the position

• Occasional overnight travel expected

Benefits

• 401(k)

• 401(k) Matching

• Dental Insurance

• Employee Discount

• Health Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Paid Time Off

• Retirement Plan

• Vision Insurance

Why work with us? Great culture!

We are a vibrant, growing company proudly supplying elite military and law enforcement professionals with the most advanced tactical gear and personal protective equipment available. Looking for hardworking individuals who are team-oriented, yet strong and independent thinkers to join our mission supporting the men and women of law enforcement and the armed services who risk everything to protect our lives and our liberty. Interested candidates with prior military or law enforcement experience are encouraged to apply. We offer a great culture, competitive wages, 401K, full medical/dental benefits and PTO.

How to Apply

• Indeed
www.indeed.com/job/quality-assurance-manager

• Ziprecruiter
www.ziprecruiter.com/jobs/firstspear-llc-58ffb353/quality-assurance-manager

• Email Resume

hr@first-spear.com

Want to know more?

Check out our websites:

www.first-spear.com

www.first-spear.tech

www.first-spear.tv

FirstSpear, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. The organization considers applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

MATBOCK Monday Ghost Material

July 13th, 2020

Good morning and Happy MATBOCK Monday!

Ghost Heavy

– 750 lbs/in Tensile Strength
– 450 lbs Tear Strength
– Used in R-LIFT, J-LIFT, D-LIFT and Cobra Sled

Ghost

– 460 lbs/in Tensile Strength
– 250 lbs Tear Strength
– Used in all laser cut MOLLE Panels and areas of increased strength requirement

Ghost Light

– 264 lbs/in Tensile Strength
– 110 lbs Tear Strength
– Used for backpacks and lower strength requirements for lighter products that outperform all others on the market

Tune in on Monday at 4:30 PM EST as we go live to show you our Ghost material!

www.matbock.com

Wait A Second, Did You Say Tigerstripe?

July 13th, 2020

Platatac has added two new colors to their extensive line of Giggle Bush Hats: Olive and Tigerstripe.

Essentially a short-brimmed boonie, the GBH-R features an internal hi-vis panel/pocket, Velcro loop square on the crown for IFF, and elastic shock cord adjustment.

Get yours at www.platatac.com/catalogue/caps/platatac-gbh-r-hat

IWOM Convertible All-Purpose Jacket 2.0 on Kickstarter

July 12th, 2020

Currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the IWOM Convertible All-Purpose Jacket 2.0 can be carried in a fanny pack and once deployed, worn as an anorak or with the waist dropped to its full length slow the knees, used as a cagoule.

While the project claims that the IWOM is made from a waterproof breathable fabric, they don’t go into any further detail as to whether it is coated or laminate. Seams are sealed.

Offered in a variety of colors in Small – 3XLarge. While the Kickstarter project closes at the end of July, they are shooting for a December delivery.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/iwomouterwear/iwom-convertible-all-purpose-jacket-20

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Self Adjusting Fin Straps

July 12th, 2020

Self-adjusting fin straps are one of the best ways to don and doff your fins. It also makes it easier to use different size booties. Steel spring straps are a relatively new product for fins. It was invented by cave divers that didn’t want their rubber straps breaking on them in the middle of a cave. So, they took screen door springs and made fin straps out of them. Typical rubber straps have a good chance of breaking at some point. If you are lucky, it will happen as you are putting them on before a dive, not in the middle of one. While you should always try and carry a spare strap on you, replacing a strap can be a pain in the middle of a dive.

The spring strap helps avoid most of these problems. Available for many open heel fins, spring straps permanently mount to the fin. The spring straps typically attach using rust-resistant metal hardware. SCUBAPRO Steel Spring Straps are available for SCUBAPRO Jet fins, Twin Jet Max, Veloce fins, and the Seawing Nova fins. They are made from a High-grade marine steel. These straps can replace the traditional fin strap with the added benefits of being easier to don and doff, and they will compensate at depth for the pressure underwater.  The flexible nature of the spring strap tightens as you descend to compensate for the crush on your boots, meaning your fins stay on at the exact tension you set them to at the surface. They are also a lot less likely to break when entering the water from a helicopter. The Steel Spring hele strap for the SCUBAPRO Jet fin has been added to 2020 Naval Aircrew Systems State of the Art Catalog. This allows SAR swimmers the ability to start using the Spring heels on their fins.

Spring straps are strong springs with a rubber or nylon heel cover for comfort. Instead of having to adjust the tension every time you put them on like with traditional straps, you simply stretch the spring over your heel.

This decreases your time and energy spent putting on and taking off your fins before and after a dive. Several models of fins now come with spring straps pre-installed, but they can also be added to many fin models.

The other type of self-adjusting straps is made from quality marine-grade bungee designed for years of reliable use. Marine grade bungee is design and construction, making it ideal for prolonged exposure to moisture, sunlight/UV radiation, and the general wear and tear that fins regularly go through. A denier Dacron polyester cover is thick and long-lasting, repelling water and resisting abrasion better than nylon. Made from a top-quality first extruded latex rubber, this bungee has a consistent 100% stretch and high modulus that won’t lose its elasticity as many others do. Bungee straps are depth compensating as they compress when your neoprene boots get thinner due to increased water pressure. Like the steel spring, the bungee is self-adjusting at depth. Upon ascent, they decompress keeping fin straps comfortable throughout the dive. Straps have a large rubber finger loop to aid in donning and doffing. Marine bungee is highly reliable and has a very low percentage of breaking. All this being said, I know you can break it if you “test it” to try and prove me wrong. They come standard on the SCUBAPRO Go (Barefoot fin) and GO Sport fins (Boot fin).

Black Diamond Equipment – FLUX Merino T-Shirt

July 12th, 2020

Black Diamond’s Flux Merino Wool T-Shirt is now available in Tundra, a green color.

It’s made from their Nuyarn merino wool technology, which dries five times faster than standard merino, while providing 35% more stretch, all with merino wool’s natural odor-resistant qualities.

www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en/mens-shirts-hoodys/flux-merino-mens

First Munitions Squadron in AFSOC History

July 12th, 2020

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla —

Formerly with the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, the munitions flight distinguished themselves as a new squadron in the 1st Special Operations Wing.

The 1st Special Operations Munitions Squadron activated July 8, 2020, and is the first munitions squadron in Air Force Special Operations Command history.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Clayton Seiler, commander of the 1st SOMUNS, assumed command after serving as the 7th Munitions Squadron commander at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

“Our role is to provide the best munitions support to our warfighters in the most efficient, effective and professional manner,” said Seiler.

1st SOMUNS Air Commandos build, collect, package and distribute munitions to the 1st SOW’s inventory aircraft, directly maintaining the readiness and lethality of the wing.

“There is a recognition for munitions being a unique skill set required for our mission,” said Seiler. “It also allows us to be a right sized squadron to focus on our Airmen and their families.”

The 1st SOMUNS is composed of four flights with more than 250 personnel, creating a separate squadron allowing focused leadership capable of being there for every Airman and their families.

“My family does so much to support what I’m doing here so I can focus and support our squadron needs,” said Seiler. “They’re my rock.”

Similar to Seiler’s family supporting him, he wants to create the same type of support within his squadron.

“We can make this squadron a culture and climate people want to be a part of,” said Seiler. “This is a great opportunity for everyone to make this squadron what they want it to be.”

Seiler’s first priority is to understand his Airmen, talk to his leadership team and build the squadron together.

“Our role is to support warfighters and ensure we provide them with everything needed to complete the mission,” said Seiler.

1st SOW aircraft are lethal because of the combat capability provided by the 1st SOMUNS.

“Without munitions, we would just have a fleet of airliners,” said Seiler.

By Airman 1st Class Blake Wiles, 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs