Kit Badger has just posted the first of the three part series called, “World War II Stories” which feature the accounts of his Grandfather Ray’s service in the Navy during WWII. The first one was posted today since he joined the Navy on July 4th, 1942.
kitbadger.com/world-war-ii-ray-loyd-part-1
Released today, the Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special is a collaboration between Nighthawk and Thunder Ranch’s Clint Smith.
The Thunder Ranch Combat Special is a 5? Government model, available in both .45 ACP as well as 9mm Luger. It is available with or without an accessory/light rail.
It also features newly designed front and rear cocking serrations, a lanyard loop mainspring housing, a “GI-Style” nub thumb safety, custom engraving, and a gold bead front sight. The gun is finished with a unique Smoked Nitride finish and green linen/micarta scales.
For full details, visit thunderranchinc.com/thunder-ranch-combat-special-by-nighthawk-custom.
So many of our national holidays are somber affairs. This is one where you can truly whoop it up and celebrate what created this country!
What does America mean to you?
Finally, the inaugural issue of the online magazine “Gear Up” is available.
It’s been a long go, but they just released the first issue. I am not involved, but you should check it out, all the same.
Check it out here.
WTF are pleased to offer Multicam Black as our latest color in 58″ wide ACRONYM (Advanced Composite Rugged Optimized NYlon Material) 500D / 500D laminate fabric.
ACRONYM laminate fabric was developed specifically for laser cut applications. Black, ranger green, and coyote brown are made with solution dyed, milspec fabrics. Multicam is genuine Multicam pattern fabric.
Made in the USA from USA made materials. Berry compliant. Ships rolled.
www.wtfidea.com/whiskey-two-four-acronym-500d-laminate-58-137cm-wide-per-yard
For Immediate Release – SWANSBORO, N.C. – High Speed Gear®, manufacturer of Battle-Proven Tactical Gear™, recently released a new mounting system, the Adaptable Belt Mount (ABM) for 30 of its most popular products.
The ABM attachment format offers a sturdy, belt width adjustable, anti-slide application for mounting HSGI® products to a belt. This attachment method uses a strip of durable, vinyl-backed 1000D Cordura® nylon laminate and reliable YKK® snap closure to create a belt loop. Two laser cut slits enable the user to thread the loop smaller or larger for 1.5” – 1.75” belts or 1.75” -2” belts, respectively. The inside of this fashioned belt loop features a patch of hook Velcro® designed to match up with the interior loop Velcro® of HSGI® rigger belts to lock the pouch in the desired position on your belt.
Additionally, ABM pouches feature a vertical channel behind the mounting panel. On some larger pouches, such as the ABM TACO® or Stun Gun TACO®, this channel is large enough to pass a belt through to mount the pouch sideways.
“Sliding a product onto your belt through a belt loop is a simple way to attach it. The Adaptable Belt Mount allows customers to put on their mag pouches, handcuff pouches, tourniquet pouches or other gear quick and easily,” explained Bill Babboni, High Speed Gear® vice president of sales and operations. “Keeping the process simple allows the customer to have the gear they need when they need it.”
The ABM is available 30 High Speed Gear® products, including TACO®s, medical pouches, radio pouches, handcuff pouches, general purpose pouches, stun gun pouches and shotgun shell pouches. Find the ABM at your favorite High Speed Gear® Dealer. To find a dealer near you, visit www.highspeedgear.com/dealers.
The US Army has issued a Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) for a Direct View Optic. This is a Mid-Tier Acquisition effort to quickly identify, test and procure a 1-6x variable power optic for use with the M4A1 Carbine.
The DVO will be capable of variable power magnification with minimum magnification of 1.0x with no rounding and maximum magnification greater than or equal to 6.0 power.
Rationale: Variable power magnification optics combine the capabilities of the non-magnified optic’s ability to engage close quarter targets with a fixed-magnification optic’s ability to detect, recognize, identify, and precisely engage targets at extended ranges. This allows the Soldier to have both critical capabilities without the limitations of either non magnified or fixed magnification optics.
The Government intends to award up to four independent fixed amount Other Transactional Agreements for DVO prototyping, with the goal of delivering 15 Direct View Optic (DVO) Systems with operator manual, MIL-STD-1913 rail compatible mounting hardware, battery, and cleaning items per awardee to be delivered within 30 calendar days after OTA award date. The Government intends to evaluate and award, based on a trade-off process, up to four fixed amount, stand-alone OTAs.
Based on the results of the prototype testing and updated proposals, the Government intends to conduct an evaluation of successfully completed prototype OTAs and, select one prototype OTA awardee for award of a follow-on production Agreement or contract for a known quantity of 50 DVOs. Although, the Army currently has no requirements beyond the known quantity of 50 DVO systems, the maximum quantity of the follow-on Agreement or contact may be up to 120,000 DVO Systems. The follow-on production Agreement or contract will be for five years and will have Line Item Number (LIN) Range Pricing.
Based on source selection, the Army plans to purchase up to 120,000 optics for use by its close combat forces as well as some room in the contract for other agencies interested in purchasing them as well.
Close Combat Forces are those are most likely to conduct direct combat with the enemy and include Infantry, Cavalry Scouts, and Combat Engineers as well as those who provide them embedded support, such as Combat Medics.
Due to the DVO magnification, one potential threat is that an incoming laser could be magnified to essentially make a safe laser unsafe. Every production contract DVO will be equipped with a Laser Filter Unit (LFU) to mitigate this threat. The LFU is an objective lens end mounted filter produced to a Government specification. Other than that, and the mount requirement, the PPON leaves everything pretty open, allowing the Army to evaluate a wide variety of scopes.
Although the Army is focused on procuring a Next Generation Automatic Rifle and Carbine for these Forces, it will take several years to select these weapons and field them. The DVO will be placed quickly into service to enhance the Soldier’s ability to detect, recognize, identify, and accurately engage targets at extended ranges. The want to increase not only lethality but selectivity as well.
This isn’t the first time the Army has procured a 1-6x Optic. Last year, they selected the SIG Optics TANGO6T for use with the Squad Designated Marksman Rifle variant of H&K’s G28 in 7.62mm NATO. However, there are a lot of great optics on the market. With the Army being pretty open to looking at different options, this could very well come down to production capacity.
Closing date for this PPON is Aug 05, 2019 at 5:00 pm Eastern.
For full details, visit www.fbo.gov.
This is the symbol for the new Air Force Special Warfare careerfield (Enlisted is 1Z and Officer is 19). It’s surrounded by the latest versions of the enlisted beret badges, including the new Special Reconnaissance AFSC, which replaces Special Operations Weather Team*.
The SR AFSC has already transitioned to 1Z with Pararescue and Combat Control to follow suit later this year. Along with a new AFSC, they are said to get new job titles as well. TACP and Air Liaison Officers will remain as is, at least for now. Special Tactics Officers and Combat Rescue Officers are supposed to become Special Warfare Officers.
The three new 1Z shredouts as well as STOs and CROs currently wear different colored berets. The plan is transition all to a completely new shade of Grey; Gunmetal. Once again, TACP/ALO will remain in Black berets. That is supposed to change this Fall concurrent with the amalgamation of active duty Pararescue Squadrons into Air Force Special Operations Command. Along with the current Special Tactics Squadrons they are supposed to transition into Special Warfare Squadrons. However, the beret transition is at the direction of the current AF Chief of Staff, General Goldfien. Many at the unit level feel that their heritage is being stripped away and don’t want to make the change, hoping the next CSAF won’t enact the change once he’s in place late this Summer.
As for this new symbol, don’t expect it to be used officially for anything. Guardian Angel used the globe wings for years as a morale symbol. Even so, do notice anything odd about it?
*Never fear, rumor has it Army SOF will soon once again have actual weather support as required by the Key West agreement thanks to Air Combat Command, which is standing up a Flight of Weather Parachutists, just like the old days. Rumor was bad. ACC has no intention of supporting Army SOF. Any support will come from AFSOC weather, remotely.
