SCUBAPRO’s Go Sport Fins have won SCUBALab’s Testers Choice Award.
The GO Sport fin features a “boot-fit” design, and features a self-adjusting bungee heel strap. Additionally, the fun provides mounting points to attach skegs that minimize sideslip and maximize stability.
Available in black, blue, turquoise, white and yellow.
Project could deliver more than 576,000 face masks to Air Force bases across the country
DURHAM, N.C., May 6, 2020 – LCI, one of the largest employers of people who are blind in America, has been tasked with distributing over 576,000 face masks to the US Air Force as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six other non-profits are responsible for manufacturing the face masks.
“Employees who are blind are continuously working in our manufacturing centers to deliver quality products that will help to lessen the burden on our essential employees and ease fears in our community, around the corner and across the nation,” said LCI President, Jeffrey Hawting. “The LCI team is extremely proud to take part in delivering materials that will go directly to the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.”
LCI is responsible for the purchase, storage, and delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the US Air Force and has partnered with six additional non-profits for the production of the masks. Blind Industries and Services of Maryland in Halethorpe, Md., Industries of the Blind in Greensboro, N.C., IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem, N.C, Alphapointe in Kansas City, Mo., Southeastern Kentucky Rehabilitation Industries, Inc. (SEKRI) in Corbin, Ky. and Puerto Rico Industries for the Blind in Mayagüez, P.R. are responsible for the production of the masks.
National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, will coordinate the project, which will help create and sustain U.S.-based jobs for people who are blind. More than 576,000 masks could be produced by people who are blind for the U.S. Air Force.
Headquartered in Durham, N.C., LCI has been deemed an essential workplace since the onset of the stay-at-home order in North Carolina. LCI Employees, blind and sighted, have continued to produce essential products in their manufacturing and distribution centers such make-to-order medical kits, plastic flatware, facial tissue and kitting of Federal Medical Stations in efforts to alleviate and support the pandemic relief efforts. LCI regularly produces products for the military under the AbilityOne® such as mattresses, locks, shredders, chemical light sticks, and a broad variety of essential office and breakroom products.
“When NIB reached out to us about supplying masks for the bases, we were honored to answer the call,” said DuWayne Gilbertson, vice president, business development at LCI. “As our country navigates its way through unchartered territory in the face of COVID-19, we feel it’s extremely important to help protect those who protect us and keep us safe every day.”
The first shipment of the personal protective equipment is scheduled to reach Air Force bases in mid-May.
FORT PICKETT, Va. – The sky above this installation was once again filled with paratroopers dropping from aircraft as the Quartermaster School resumed airborne operations April 22.
The Virginia National Guard base – a 45-minute drive west of Fort Lee – is where the QMS Aerial Delivery and Field Services Department conducts airborne operations for parachute riggers.
Staff Sgt. Raymond Debusshere, an instructor, said his department last conducted jump training March 12. It has since undergone a thorough review and reassessment to determine how to best conduct such operations without putting paratroopers at risk for contracting COVID-19.
“We’ve added various safety precautions,” said the jumpmaster from a hangar skirting Pickett’s massive airfield. “We are practicing spacing, and every jumper out here has a face mask. In addition, we’re using hand sanitizer before and after every JMPI. We also added lifts (flights) to maintain spacing on the aircraft.”
JMPI, or Jumpmaster Personnel Inspections, is a safety process ensuring every paratrooper is prepared for the operation prior to boarding the aircraft. Jumpmasters meticulously check straps and equipment placement to ensure they’re secure and not likely to cause injury. With all the precautions taken, the operation took longer than usual, Debusshere admitted. “(It) added a lot to the process, but it was crucial and it worked out well.”
The QM School is one of the few Army entities outside of operational units that has resumed airborne operations. Not surprisingly, the task of securing aircraft through normal channels for the mission proved to be a challenge because the coronavirus pandemic has shifted air support functions across the Department of Defense.
“It was an undertaking calling different units and trying to get them to come in,” said ADFSD’s Kenneth Pygatt, airborne operations coordinator. “Some units have been willing, but their commands (are being highly selective in the approval of flights). It has been a task to bring it all together, but we got it done.”
There are no aircraft assets assigned to Fort Lee, thus, airborne operations must be coordinated through aviation units spanning the entire region. Active duty Marine aviators from Cherry Point, N.C., supported the April 22 drop. There are roughly 20 different aviation units that support the rigger course, Pygatt said.
Despite all that has taken place to resume training, parachute rigger students seemed oblivious to the changes. Many of them were in the first few weeks of the 92-Romeo course when the pandemic-necessitated measures such as social distancing became the “new normal.” It was apparent at the airfield they had become accustomed to it. They were focused on the day’s mission – jumping a parachute they packed themselves to demonstrate confidence in their abilities. It has always been a course graduation requirement. All of that seemed to overshadow even the pandemic precautions.
“I’m just excited to jump,” said a masked Pvt. Angelica Gonzalez while waiting for her lift. “It has been a while since I’ve been up there (all students complete the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Ga., before coming to Fort Lee), so it’s a refreshing moment for me.”
The Charlie Company, 262nd QM Battalion Soldier was one of 28 rigger students making their culmination jump. Numerous NCOs and officers also participated to keep their airborne-qualification status current.
More than 600 Parachute Rigger Course students graduate from ADFSD annually. The Fort Lee training is 14 weeks long.
By Terrance Bell
Aaron began his career in the United States Army (11M) in 1999, serving 3 years active duty and an additional 4 in the National Guard (11M). During his time in the military he served as a rifleman, squad automatic rifleman and designated marksman; receiving training in small unit tactics, close quarters combat and ballistic and mechanical breaching. After leaving active duty, Aaron worked as a private security contractor both CONUS and OCONUS; conducting convoy security, close protection details, static security and relief security during natural disasters. Aaron joined the ranks of federal law enforcement in 2009 with the Department of Defense; serving as a patrol officer. Within a year, Aaron assumed the position of In-Service training officer. Aaron held the collateral duty of Special Reaction Team member in 2009 and was promoted to Special Reaction Team Leader in 2011. Aaron was responsible for Special Reaction Team training and qualifications as well as instruction and control of the SRT Sniper Section. Aaron is a member of the National Tactical Officers Association and the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors.
Where the SOF community convenes virtually
vSOFIC will provide a virtual platform for U.S. Special Operations Command leadership to share emerging requirements, challenges, trends, and capability gaps, and for industry to respond by describing existing and emerging capabilities.
• Attend sessions with USSOCOM’s Commander, General Richard Clarke; Mr. James H. Smith, Acquisition Executive, USSOCOM; Component Commanders; Program Executive Officers; and a variety of acquisition experts.
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• vSOFIC will offer PEO one-on-one sessions, as available.
Conference registration includes the following:
• Educational sessions Monday – Friday
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For registration questions, please contact the following:
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• Phone: 847-996-5829 (international registrants)
Rheinmetall has been awarded a supplementary procurement order by the Bundeswehr to supply four Route Clearance Systems. The order is worth a figure in the lower two-digit million-euro range. Signed in December 2019, the contract is set to run for approximately four years.
Under the contract, Rheinmetall will be turning five Fuchs/Fox 1A8 wheeled armoured transport vehicles into operator team vehicles, and converting four Wiesel/Weasel 1 airmobile weapons carriers into tracked detector platforms. The scope of delivery also encompasses seven reserve dual sensors with transport and storage racks, together with logistical support. The dual sensor, a key component of the Route Clearance System, is a new version purged of obsolescent elements.
It was in 2011 that Rheinmetall first supplied the Bundes¬wehr with seven Route Clearance Systems as part of the Heavy Explosives and Ordnance Demolition Platoon. A complete system consists of five vehicles configured for the following tasks: detection and clearance of landmines and improvised explosive devices, command, and transport.
The remotely controlled Wiesel/Weasel features a newly developed, integrated dual sensor with ground-penetrating radar as well as a metal detector. Its task in the so called DEU Route Clearance System is to detect landmines and IEDs on sections of road as well as in off-road terrain.
Equipped with operator consoles for controlling the vehicles and systems for evaluating the dual sensor signals, the Fuchs/Fox 1A8 armoured transport vehicle serves as a mobile, highly protected command post.
Ordered separately, the ordnance verification vehicle is tasked with remotely controlled inspection of suspicious objects. An integrated video system lets operators onboard the Fuchs/Fox command vehicle monitor the situation on the ground at all times.
The vehicles of the DEU Route Clearance System are transported using Multi FSA trucks made by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV).
Cascadia 4×4’s Vehicle Specific Solar System is a hood mounted solar panel configured to fit different hood contours.
When exposed to daylight the VSS system provides power to your battery. According to the manufacturer, “This gives you the ability to run 12V accessories like fridges, phone/laptop chargers, lights, power inverters etc. without the need to start your engine and without fear of draining your battery and leaving you stranded.” Producing 85 watts, it can also be used to recharge a drained battery.
One of the things I was concerned about was glare from the mounted panel, but they say that due to it’s light absorbing properties the solar panel creates a surface with very low reflectivity across the hood of the vehicle.
So far, they are available for the Jeep Wrangler and Ford F-150.
Appalachian Gear Company’s All-Alpaca Sleeping Bag Liner offers nest-to-skin comfort whether you’re using it as a liner, or on its own. You can expect 14-18 extra degrees of comfort if used in conjunction with your sleeping bag.
The fabric is 100% Peruvian Alpaca yarn, knitted at their facility in North Carolina and sewn in various small sewing houses across the Southeast.
It weighs 14 oz and is 60″ – 62″ long, but it will easily stretch to over 75″. Available in Grey or with stripes.
appalachiangearcompany.com/collections/accessories/products/all-paca™-sleeping-bag-liner
