Kit Badger has introduced a new set of targets, the Ambush Targets V2.0.
They are the same concept as his Anatomy Targets but turned 90 degrees. The entire target pack of PDFs is available for download and print for range sessions. Just enter your name and email at the bottom of the linked page.
kitbadger.com/kit-badger-ambush-targets-v2-0
FORT MEADE, Md. — The Army Futures Command now officially has a shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia that its Soldiers will wear while they work toward modernizing the Army.
With a golden anvil as its main symbol, the shoulder patch and unit insignia are a nod to former Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s personal coat of arms that used a blue-colored anvil.
The command’s motto “Forge the Future” is also displayed below the anvil on the unit insignia, while both the patch and unit insignia have black and white stripes stretching outward from the anvil.
“Symbols mean things just like words do,” said Robert Mages, the command’s acting historian. “It’s a reminder to the Soldiers that wear the patch of the mission that they’ve been assigned and of the responsibilities that come with that mission.”
A patch ceremony is expected to take place Friday during the transfer of authority of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, ARCIC, to the Army’s newest major command.
Since last year, the four-star command has been at the heart of the most significant Army reorganization effort since 1973.
In July, senior leaders picked Austin, Texas, for the AFC headquarters. Cross-Functional Teams were also stood up within the command to tackle the Army’s six modernization priorities: long-range precision fires, next-generation combat vehicle, future vertical lift, network, air and missile defense, and Soldier lethality.
The patch and unit insignia represent the command’s most recent move toward full operational capability, which is expected next summer.
Andrew Wilson, a heraldic artist at The Institute of Heraldry at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, worked with command leadership since last December to finalize the designs.
“This is something that is supposed to stand the test of time and just to play a part in it, it’s an honor,” he said.
The main piece — the anvil — is meant to represent fortitude, determination and perseverance. The black, white and gold resemble the colors of the U.S. Army.
Wilson said he got the idea for the anvil during a design meeting that mentioned the command’s new motto — Forge the Future.
Wilson, who once took a blacksmithing course in college, was immediately reminded of reshaping metals on an anvil.
“Taking away from the meeting, I tried to come up with something that would play off of that,” he said. “The first thing that popped in my head with ‘forge’ was blacksmithing and one of the key features of that is an anvil.”
Once he spoke of his idea, Charles Mugno, the institute’s director, then advised him to look at the anvil used in Eisenhower’s coat of arms.
“And from there the spark of creativity just took off,” Wilson said.
The Institute of Heraldry was also involved in the organizational identity of the Security Forces Assistance Brigades, one of which just completed its first deployment to Afghanistan.
“Whenever you have a new Army unit, you do end up doing a heraldic package of shoulder sleeve insignia, distinctive unit insignia and organizational colors,” Mugno said.
Heraldic conventions, he added, is a time-honored process that dates back to the 12th century.
With a staff of about 20 personnel, the institute also helps create the identity of other federal government agencies. Most notably is the presidential seal and coat of arms.
“We have a very unique mission,” Mugno said. “We all share a sense of honor and purpose in being able to design national symbolism for the entire federal government.”
Until the new patch was created, Soldiers in Army Futures Command wore a variety of patches on their sleeves. Those assigned to ARCIC, for instance, wore the Army Training and Doctrine Command patch and those in research laboratories had the Army Materiel Command patch.
Now, the golden anvil has forged them all together.
“It’s a symbol of unity — unity of effort, unity of command,” said Mages, the historian. “We no longer report to separate four-star commanders. We now report to one commander whose sole focus is the modernization of our Army.”
By Sean Kimmons, Army News Service
Hours, days, weeks, months and even years of training have prepared two Airmen for one moment – four explosive seconds at the top of a winding icy track in a city that once hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.
(From left) Capt. Chris Walsh, a Special Tactics officer with the 24th Special Operations Wing, and Capt. Dakota Lynch, a U-28A pilot with the 34th Special Operations Squadron, are push athletes who are competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic bobsled team in 2022. As push athletes, both Airmen train vigorously on sprinting and strength to accelerate a bobsled up to 24 miles per hour in close to four seconds while the pilot focuses on navigating hairpin turns in a choreographed chaos down the ice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Conroy)
Early days of sprinting, heavy lifting, box jumps and squats have faded into late nights of sanding runners, making countless adjustments and pushing through frustrations to shave off hundredths of a second pushing a 500-pound sled 60 meters.
The goal? A chance to make a team in four years. A chance for a medal. A chance to represent their nation and the Air Force. A chance.
Two Airmen within Air Force Special Operations Command were selected to compete with the USA Bobsled team this year. Capt. Dakota Lynch, a U-28A pilot with the 34th Special Operations Squadron, and Capt. Chris Walsh, a Special Tactics officer with the 24th Special Operations Wing, are push athletes who are ultimately competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in 2022.
“If you want it bad enough, you’re going to do whatever it takes to be successful … that’s the grit of this sport,” said Walsh. “It takes four years of commitment to make yourself better with every opportunity and even then you’re never really quite there … you have to keep grinding.”
As push athletes, both Airmen train vigorously on sprinting and strength to accelerate a bobsled up to 24 miles per hour in close to four seconds while the pilot focuses on navigating hairpin turns in a choreographed chaos down the ice.
“It’s a metal and carbon fiber bullet rifling down an ice track at speeds of 85-95 miles per hour,” said Lynch on the experience. “It’s like a fast-moving jet with a monkey at the controls while getting in a fight with Mike Tyson … it can be incredibly violent.”
Preceding the countless hours in the gym and on the track, the ride begins with a dream to succeed at the highest athletic level. For Walsh, it was an article in a magazine and for Lynch, it was a challenge from friends while deployed to Africa. For both, it would begin a journey of bruises, scrapes and exasperation that would lead them to Park City, Utah, for the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation North American Cup.
The first steps of their journey was a gauntlet of tryouts and selection beginning with an open combine. From there, standout athletes were invited to rookie camp and then push championships in Lake Placid, New York. Both Lynch and Walsh excelled once again and were invited to national team trials to continue to the next phase — competition.
“It relates pretty closely to the job because there’s days where you know it’s going to be tough,” said Walsh. “Every workout, every time I’m in the garage with the team, every step I take is either taking me closer or further away from my goal. If I’m lazy and I decide to slack one day … that workout may mean the difference between me making the Olympic team or not.”
Both Airmen attribute their time in AFSOC to their success on their bobsled journey. Walsh is a member of Air Force Special Tactics, which is a special operations ground force comprised of highly trained Airmen who solve air to ground problems across the spectrum of conflict and crisis.
“The qualities that Special Tactics fosters in individuals translates very well to bobsledding,” said Walsh. “ST operators are mature, responsible and disciplined and need to be squared away as an individual. If they’re not, the team as a whole is weak … so having that grit and determination to see the mission through is a big piece of what makes me successful here.”
For Lynch, the team mentality of a four-man bobsled loosely correlates to responsibilities of piloting an aircraft. The U-28A aircraft Lynch flies provides an on-call capability for improved tactical airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of special operations forces.
“In AFSOC I am responsible for the aircraft, the men and the women on that aircraft and ensuring the mission is executed properly, safely and precisely,” said Lynch. “Things aren’t going to get handed to you – conditions are going to suck, you’re going to get your crap punched in, but you’re going to have to have the strength and resiliency to drive through it and press forward.”
As active-duty Airmen, both Lynch and Walsh have had to negotiate service commitments with leadership support. Both have been granted permissive temporary duty by their respective commanders to vie for a chance at being accepted into the Air Force World Class Athlete Program.
WCAP provides active duty, National Guard and reserve service members the opportunity to train and compete at national and international sports competitions with the ultimate goal of selection to the U.S. Olympic team while maintaining a professional military career.
“I wouldn’t be here without my squadron and group commanders taking a chance on me and giving me a shot,” said Walsh. “It makes me want to do really well to represent my country, the Air Force and AFSOC in a good light.”
Story by SSgt Ryan Conroy, 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
This photo was posted to Facebook by PEO Soldier showcasing their display at yesterday’s Army-Navy game in Philadelphia.
The SCUBAPRO’s GO fin is designed for traveling or when you need a smaller fin with a lot of power. Lightweight, comfortable, durable, and a fast and agile performer, the GO is the ideal fin for divers, snorkelers and is also great for command PT as it is a great surface fin also. The Go Fin comes in two styles. The Go fin is perfect for when you want to just wear the fin with nothing else. The Newer version is the GO SPORT. It is the same great fin but with a bigger foot pocket for use with shoes or dive boots. When it comes to premium travel fins, nothing compares to the GO and GO SPORT (boot fit) when integrating high quality with lightweight. For example, a pair of size M-L GO fins weighs in at a mere 1.2 kg/2.6 lbs, including bungee straps — again, that’s for a pair. This translates into convenience and weight savings when they have to be carried, and comfort and ease of use in the water. The replaceable self-adjusting bungee heel strap allows for a versatile fit — one diver can wear multiple sizes. The strap also makes it easy to don and doff the fin, and it fits comfortably against a barefoot is needed.
While extremely comfortable, the GO is also virtually indestructible. Its strong 100% Monprene® construction avoids the problems of de-lamination, broken blades and torn foot pockets that tend to plague average thermoplastic fins. This enables the GO to stand up to long-term, heavy-duty use. The GO fin excels in strength, comfort, and convenience, but where it really shines is in kicking performance. The GO is built with a 25-degree pre-angled blade with a Central Power Panel that provides longitudinal rigidity and creates a channeling effect. Power Bars on the underside of the rails prevent over-flex; this helps maintain the optimum angle of attack under high load conditions. The result is you get a lightweight fin that delivers speed, power, stability, and maneuverability with a minimum of effort. Being lightweight is always a plus when traveling, but so is compactness. GO fins are designed to fit comfortably in IATA carry-on compliant luggage. Even better, they pack exceptionally well due to an innovative Piggy Back Stack system. An interlocking tooth on one fin blade hooks into the second fin, and then the bungee strap from the second fin hooks the heel of the first fin into place. It’s a snug pairing that makes packing and traveling that much easier. They are perfect for when you have to carry a pair of fins with on patrol. They pack light and right; the GO fin is lightweight, comfortable and virtually indestructible. This is an excellent fin for surface swimming, SAR, diving in confined spaces and just everyday diving.
New Terrier APC features the highest level of personnel protection and unparalleled mobility in any climate or setting
(Phoenix, AZ – (December 5, 2018) The Armored Group, LLC (TAG), a leading worldwide provider of armored vehicles, has just introduced its newest law enforcement vehicle, the Terrier APC. The Terrier APC developed by the TAG Research and Development Team, offers a large payload capacity for its size as well as the highest level of protection for a vehicle in its class and price range with STANAG II applique option. The vehicle will be used by military, police, SWAT, regional response teams and non-governmental organizations.
The Terrier APC holds up to eight officers (2+6 in individual MIL-STD seats); the optional bench seat can accommodate up to ten officers (2+8) depending on the size of operators and amount of gear. The vehicle was designed with the end-users in mind; to protect those who are in dangerous operational environments.
Terrier APC Features:
Some of the key features of the Terrier APC model include:
Full Protection against Kinetic Energy Weapons conforming to STANAG 4569 Level 1
Heavy Duty Suspension & Axles
Upgraded Tires & Brakes (for better off-road capability)
Category-Leading Ground Clearance
UK Military Grade Locks & Heavy-Duty Hinges
Conveniently Placed High Visibility Gun Ports
3 Doors and Roof Escape Hatch
Crew Cab or 5 Door Option
5100kg Curb Weight (Standard Protection); 1000kg Payload; 6100kg Combat Weight
Modern LED Headlights & Standard Military Convoy Lights
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Diesel 195 HP High Sulfur 1VD-FTV Toyota 4.5L V8
NATO Standard Slave Starting System
TAG Exclusive Flip Forward Armored Front Clip System
Hydraulically Assisted Recirculating Ball Steering
Rear HVAC System as standard
Auxiliary service battery with smart isolator switch and battery monitor
Optional Equipment Includes:
Additional parking AC powered by external 120 / 220VAC while the engine is off
Public address system
Acoustic deterring LRAD system
Intercom
Alternator upgrade
Blast attenuating seats
Interior weapon mounts
VHF/UHF communication system; MF/HF communications system
GPS
DVR
GSM-based live video monitoring system
Tracking system (depends on deployment region)
Smoke grenade launchers
Multiple launch systems for smoke grenades
Roof turret with a ring bearing and split hatch
Remote controlled weapon station
Gunshot detection system
Remote controlled searchlights
Forward-looking thermal camera
Reverse day/night camera
Perimeter day/night cameras
Outboard telescopic mast
IR driving and convoy lights
Overpressure air filtration system
Semi-automatic tire inflation system
Ballistic protection upgrade to STANAG 4569 Level 2
Fire suppression systems
Power inverters
Winch
Ballistic skip round shields
Emergency lighting systems
Interior compartment additional cooling fans
Computer workstations
Rescue medic/trauma pack with backboard/litter
Terrier APC:
The Terrier APC is built using a reinforced/militarized Toyota VDJ79 truck chassis, and COTS components. The vehicle can be built to B6, NIJ-III or STANAG 4569 Level 1 ballistic protection standards and is powered by a 195 HP high sulfur 1VD-FTV Toyota 4.5L V8 diesel and readily available in LHD and RHD configurations. Using upgraded axles, clutch and a reinforced frame as well as oversized super single wheels, the vehicle offers excellent mobility and a high payload capacity making it a superior choice in a variety of dangerous scenarios.
“The new Terrier APC offers the highest level of protection in combat and fire support situations and in mission-specific transport and logistics roles. The Terrier APC is an extremely versatile vehicle with numerous optional upgrades, so agencies requiring the vehicle can customize it to truly meet their individual needs,” said Robert Pazderka, President and Founder of TAG. “Because of its availability and price, it is a smart, effective option for agencies that need to keep their teams safe and secure in dangerous situations.”
For more information, please visit www.armoredcars.com
Bravo Concealment, holster manufacturer known for their popular holster models has just announced their NEW Torsion 3.0 model.
The new Torsion 3.0 has the same features that makes their iconic Torsion model so comfortable and concealable. This 3.0, however kicks up the design to a new level.
Switching design material from kydex to a diversified Polymer plastic, allows for a more rigid, strong and capable holster that will protect your firearm at all times. In addition to this new material, they have added an adjustable retention screw, allowing for the end user to find their desired retention. They have also eliminated material by reducing their overall original footprint of the design, allowing for a more minimalist design.
The Torsion 3.0 still has their integrated 10-degree inward cant allowing for greater concealment. The holster does come standard with threaded barrel clearance, RMR cut-out, and tall sights clearance up to .355 inches.
Statement from Bravo Concealment: “The NEW Torsion 3.0 Gun Holster is just as good as its predecessor while inheriting a little flair to it.”
Go check them out at bravoconcealment.com. They offer an unlimited lifetime warranty, 30-day money day back guarantee, and free shipping!
The new Torsion 3.0 IWB Holster is shipping out now with a MSRP of $49.99
There are loads of monthly subscription services out there, and we’ve tried a few. Most have been long ago cancelled, but so far, our favorite has been SCOUTbox. We’ve continued to subscribe for years.
Let’s face it, Scouting is hardly a cheap endeavor but many with young families don’t have gear lying around unless they are Outdoor oriented or this isn’t their first encounter with Scouting. SCOUTbox helps out with those small items like a new headlamp or some biodegradable soap for camp or a snack for the next hike.
For example, here’s the box from September 2017. It’s very demonstrative of what you’ll receive on a monthly basis.
At our house we share SCOUTbox across three boys and dad and each month everyone got something new for our outdoor pursuits. Usually, once we opened the box, everyone knew what he wanted but a couple of times we had to devise contests in order to dole out the prizes.
