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SecDef Issues Facemask Guidance – SSD Calls On Industry To Fill Gap

April 7th, 2020

On Sunday the Secretary of Defense Mark Esper issued guidance on the wear of face masks to protect personnel from the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or work centers (this does not include in a Service member’s or Service family member’s personal residence on a military installation)…

The memorandum applies to the following groups:
-Military Personnel
-DoD Civilian Employees
-Family Members
-DoD Contractors
-All other individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities

Read the full release here.

“Effective immediately, to the extent practical, all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities will wear cloth face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or work centers (this does not include in a Service member’s or Service family member’s personal residence on a military installation),” according to the memo. This includes all:

All-in-all, an understandable move, until Sec Esper mentions that the Department will not issue masks and directs service members to make their own.

This is unacceptable. This is a force protection issue and should be taken seriously and rectified with the utmost urgency.

While I know that many in our industry have pivoted their efforts to manufacturing PPE for the medical community, I encourage you to liaise with military organizations in order to provide masks to our military personnel, civilians who contribute to our national defense, and their families.

In compliance with CDC guidance, these do not need to be N95 masks for medical use, but we do need to cover their faces to help staunch the spread of the virus amongst those whose duties to not allow social distancing.

The Navy has stated it plans to procure masks but has issued interim guidance to wear medical or construction masks or alternatively, bandanas and scarves.

Hopefully, other organizational commanders will have the foresight to purchase PPE for their personnel. But regardless of whether or not military leaders decide to protect their personnel, please consider donations to our troops.

Like many of you, this is personal to me. Some of my children currently serve in uniform and others work in the defense industrial base.

Eric M Graves

Editor

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic | Comments Off on SecDef Issues Facemask Guidance – SSD Calls On Industry To Fill Gap

Edgar Brothers Appointed UK Distributer for SAFRAN Electronics and Defence (Portable Optronics)

April 7th, 2020

Edgar Brothers has announced its appointment as UK distributor for SAFRAN Electronics and Defence (Portable Optronics). The new arrangements, which commenced in spring 2020, will allow British stakeholders who require absolute precision and world-class products to enjoy the benefits of SAFRAN’s premium selection of Multifunctional Thermal Imagers & Handheld Optronics and Laser Rangefinders.

Developed by SAFRAN Electronics and Defence & SAFRAN Vectronix’s highly skilled team and manufactured to world-renowned French & Swiss standards of precision and quality, benefiting from both military and civilian engineering experience. Products include Rangefinder Binoculars (VECTOR Family), Monocular & Binocular Multifunctional Thermal Imagers – Target Observation & Location (JIM COMPACT & MOSKITO TI) and the world famous line of Pocket Laser Range Finders (PLRF Family).

“We’re delighted to be working with Safran as UK distributor,” said Mike Newman Edgar Brothers Sales Director. “Their products have a deservedly high reputation for quality and accuracy and we know they will be extremely popular with the UK market.”

For more information on SAFRAN Electronics & Defence Visit www.safran-electronics-defence.com

For more information on SAFRAN Vectronix AG Vectronix, visit www.safran-vectronix.com

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, International, Optics, Press Release | Comments Off on Edgar Brothers Appointed UK Distributer for SAFRAN Electronics and Defence (Portable Optronics)

XGO Neck Gaiters – In Stock

April 6th, 2020

XGO Neck Gaiters, performance and FR, are readily available online now. Head over to proxgo.com to grab yours! They are a great way to provide additional cover to your mouth and nose. Use the code GAITER25 to take 25% off!

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing | Comments Off on XGO Neck Gaiters – In Stock

Army Property Has 500,000 KN95 Masks For Government Customers

April 6th, 2020

The title of the post pretty much sums it up. Here is a
brochure.

They are currently only selling to government agencies.

Contact:
Cliff Vaughan
Vice President
Business Development/Government Sales
ArmyProperty.com / Inventory Management Solutions
An 8(a) Certified, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
3777 Plaza Drive; Ann Arbor, MI 48108
cliff.vaughan@armyproperty.com
www.armyproperty.com

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Medical | Comments Off on Army Property Has 500,000 KN95 Masks For Government Customers

Calling Veteran SOF Medical Personnel To Staff Field Hospital in New York City

April 6th, 2020

Dic Roush from the Guardian Angel community has put out a call for 300 SOF Medical Providers and LE Tactical /civilian NREMTs to come to New York City and man a 200 bed field hospital which will be under the auspices of NY Presbyterian Hospital named the Ryan Larkin NY Presbyterian Field Hospital in memory of USN SEAL Ryan Larkin.

REQUEST FOR SOF MEDICAL PROVIDERS

SOF Friends and Other Military and Civilian Medical Providers and Medics,

New York City is past the breaking point. The hospitals are truly overwhelmed. Besides the 5,000 beds or so being put in and around the city as field hospitals in field conditions, the major hospitals themselves are understaffed. At this point we are putting together teams of docs, other providers, Nurses and SOF medics.

Our first mission is to staff a 200 bed field hospital which will be under the auspices of NY Presbyterian Hospital which is comprised of Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center. COL (Ret) Melissa Givens, M.D. will be the Medical Director. After that we will support other hospitals in need of help of which there are several.

The hospital will be named the Ryan Larkin NY Presbyterian Field Hospital in memory of USN SEAL Ryan Larkin.

Please be healthy and have no underlying medical conditions that put you at high risk.

Please fill out this form.

Also email Bryan Walsh at bryan@pjmed.com with your name, contact info, credentials, and what role you can play. He will begin to put together info on travel and lodging.

Please share this widely. We welcome civilian colleagues who are capable medical professionals and willing to work in field condition.

Thanks for your service and consideration,
That Others May Live

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Medical, SOF, Veterans | Comments Off on Calling Veteran SOF Medical Personnel To Staff Field Hospital in New York City

Arc’teryx LEAF Special Operations Care Fund Support

April 6th, 2020

NORTH VANCOUVER, Canada, April 6, 2020

In late February of 2020, Arc’teryx LEAF teamed up with SOC-F to deliver an ice climbing experience to a group of Veterans from the US Special Operations community.

“For over 15 years, we have been making apparel and gear for the most demanding military and law enforcement end-users on the planet, it was time for us to find a way to give back”, said Stephen Church, LEAF Business Unit Director. “We were inspired by the exceptional work done by SOC-F who has been a driving force in getting help to families in need. We reached out and asked them what we could do together.”

This led to the creation of SOC-F/Arc’teryx LEAF Ice Climbing Experience. The event took place in Bozeman, Montana, where the group was hosted by the Station Foundation. Their purpose is to help navigate the complex terrain of reintegration into civilian life.

Arc’teryx LEAF is planning to expand upon this concept in different regions of the world, with organizations who support Veterans. The objective is to bring the outdoors to those who stand to benefit from it the most.

To support the Special Operations Care Fund: soc-f.org

Posted in Advertiser, Arc'teryx, Charity, Press Release | Comments Off on Arc’teryx LEAF Special Operations Care Fund Support

Forward Thinking Solutions Shares 3D Printer File For Valve Cover for 3M Masks

April 6th, 2020

We received this note from? Forward Thinking Solutions regarding their 3D Printer File For Valve Covers for 3M Masks.

The Cover-Inhalation Port, Gen 4 (CIP-Gen4) is a bayonet cap that will shut off one of the two inhalation ports on the 3M 6000 series half face respirators. Given current circumstances affecting the world, PPE, and especially respirators have quickly become high need items that are in limited supply. While there are better gas masks and tactical respirators, the 3M 6000 series half face respirators are extremely common and many people already own one in their workshop. Made from silicone, these 3M respirators are far more comfortable than the sharp-edged N95 Particulate Respirators we see cutting into the faces of the hard working health care specialists and first responders on the front lines of the pandemic. The 3M 6000 series masks are first and foremost designed for comfort, protection and breathability. But due to their dual filter cartridge design, they’re not ideal for someone who may need to shoulder a rifle. The mask’s filter cartridge on the shooter’s dominant side always impedes a natural presentation of the rifle’s optics.

The goal of the CIP was to block one of the two inhalation ports securely, while also being minimalist in profile. We certainly weren’t the first to conceive of an inhalation valve cover. 3M makes a port cover (part number 6880) but they are limited in availability. Others have put out their own versions of a 3D printable port cover, however many of the ones we‘ve seen are not as low profile as we desired.

The CIP-Gen4 is the forth revision of our current design and features:

• Knurled outer perimeter to aid in installation and removal

• Low profile design

• 3M filters are always sold in pairs. Using just one filter cartridge means you can make your filter cartridge supply last longer

• Inner plug* with an o-ring for additional sealing

*The CIP inner plug’s o-ring is optional. Once the CIP is locked down into the mask’s inhalation valve’s bayonet interface the flat bottom face of the CIP forms a seal with the inhalation gasket. The o-ring just provides a secondary seal and therefore additional protection (Note: the CIP’s o-ring is optional, but the orange OEM 3M inhalation-port-gasket ring MUST be used). O-ring size is dash 112 (we’ve been using nitrile o-rings, silicone are probably fine also). You can size up or down if you find the fit with the o-ring to be loose or too tight. We’ve seen slight tolerance variations on the 3M 6000 series mask over various years of production.

FTS has uploaded the CIP’s 3D design on Thingiverse, free for anyone to download and 3D print. If someone doesn’t have a 3D printer they can have a 3rd party company like Shapeways 3D print it for them. When printing the CIP it is highly recommended it is printed using an antimicrobial filament. If printed with a filament material like PETG it’s recommended to wash it occasionally with soap+water (or just dunk it in alcohol) and then allow to dry to ensure any bacteria build up is eliminated. If 3D printed on a SLS type printer be aware that those printers leave considerable nylon dust in the recesses of the printed part and will require thorough cleaning to ensure that’s not particulate you’re inhaling. For obvious reasons, you shouldn’t print these with carbon fiber filament or any other material harmful if inhaled.

As with any PPE, you will need to test it throughly first each time prior to use to ensure an appropriate seal and function is present.

All our best to the first responders fighting hard everyday for the rest of us.

Thank you. Truly.

– Forward Thinking Solutions

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Design, Guest Post | Comments Off on Forward Thinking Solutions Shares 3D Printer File For Valve Cover for 3M Masks

Bulk Orders of KN95 Masks & Decon Systems Available from Strategic Professional Solutions

April 6th, 2020

We’ve had a few inquiries from online retailers looking for sources of supply for PPE. Although we aren’t going to make a habit of this, we tracked down a disabled veteran owned small business who can facilitate bulk orders of KN95 masks and the RH-95 Decontamination System.

One of CPAC Equipment’s RH-Pro series of FDA-cleared sterilizers, the RapidHeat RH-N95 Mask/Respirator been designed to decontaminate N95 respirators, to counteract the severe shortage of N95 masks during this pandemic.