Ever eat Thanksgiving Dinner out of a Mermite?
Happy Thanksgiving
November 24th, 2016Victor App: Veteran Resource Provider On Indiegogo
November 23rd, 2016Victor is a project currently on crowdfunding site Indiegogo created by USMC-Veteran Greg Jumes, and is a Veteran-focused mobile app that is designed to assist with the transition from service to civilian life. It might be a bit simplistic to refer to Victor as social media for soon-to-be and recently-discharged servicemembers, but in a way it functions in a very similar manner. Those utilizing the Victor app can research communities and reach out to others to begin the planning stages of their post-military life, including seeking out Veteran-friendly businesses and active job listings looking to hire Veteran employees.
www.indiegogo.com/projects/victor-app-veteran-resource-provider-community
Armor Express Awarded Prestigious $93.8 Million ID/IQ Contract with the Department of Homeland Security
November 23rd, 2016Thousands of officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, TSA, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and FEMA to benefit from the most advanced body armor solutions
CENTRAL LAKE, Mich., Nov. 17, 2016/PRNewswire/ — Central Lake Armor Express, Inc. (“Armor Express”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance body armor solutions, is proud to announce that the Company has been awarded a seven-year, $93.8 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the terms of the contract (Solicitation #: HSBP1016R0004), Armor Express will provide its cutting-edge Razor™ Level IIIA ballistic system, along with four carriers specifically designed to support DHS requirements. Over 90,000 officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Protective Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stand to benefit from this latest DHS award.
“This is a major win for Armor Express and we are truly honored to serve one of the finest and most comprehensive federal departments in the world,” stated Matt Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Armor Express. “We have collaborated with a number of federal agencies over the years, providing a range of concealable and tactical armor solutions to officers who require high-performance and flexible coverage to do their jobs effectively and in the safest way. This latest award is another testament to the quality of our products and the DHS’ trust in our industry-proven solutions.”
Created in response to the September 11 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security’s primary responsibility is safeguarding the nation from the many threats it faces. As the third largest Cabinet department, after the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, the DHS requires the dedication of more than 240,000 officers in roles that range from anti-terrorism to aviation and border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management.
The DHS was looking to outfit its federal officers with customized concealable and tactical carriers, integrated with NIJ 0101.06 certified, Level IIIA ballistics to create the most advanced, comfortable and flexible system to meet agency requirements. Armor Express was selected as one of three body armor suppliers to fulfill the needs of the DHS-specified carrier design. Based on extensive and stringent criteria, the Company was chosen for its ballistic performance, design and engineering specifications, overall reliability, and past performance.
The Razor™ Ballistic System has been tested to the most strenuous requirements, including the NIJ 0101.06 certification, FBI Protocol, DEA Frag Standards, as well as numerous critical special threats. It is designed around revolutionary fiber technology including FMT Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene from DSM Dyneema® and TWARON Microfilament® Aramid from Teijin. The carrier, which is available in both male and female versions, provides the ultimate in concealability and flexibility, offering a lightweight ballistic package for officers and agents who require incredible protection under the most extreme environments.
Thousands of federal law enforcement officers across the country rely on Armor Express’ solutions, many of them from the largest and most prestigious agencies in the world. Federal departments Armor Express has served include the U.S. Marshals, U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others.
Mr. Davis continued, “We are extremely proud to serve the courageous officers and first responders at the Department of Homeland Security, and at large. Our entire team remains committed to advancing protective solutions, whether soft or hard armor, as the products we make, save lives. Our technology partners, including DSM and Teijin have been instrumental in advancing ballistic science and we commend them for their continued commitment to officer safety. As we move forward, we see significant opportunities to continue to drive innovation and further expand our offerings and reach. Providing end-users with peace-of-mind and bringing them home safe to their families remains our #1 priority.”
Mission Ready’s Protect The Force Announces Initial Shipment of Flex9Armor
November 23rd, 2016VANCOUVER, B.C. – November 23, 2016 – Mission Ready Services Inc. (“Mission Ready” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: MRS) is pleased to announce the initial order and shipment of its Flex9Armor™ Tactical Police Shirt to a US County Sheriff Department SWAT unit. Developed and fulfilled through the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Protect The Force Inc. (“PTF”), additional Flex9Armor™ shipments are currently being prepared for a foreign military order while evaluations are underway by a number of European NATO nations.
Flex9Armor™ – jointly developed in cooperation with the U.S. Military – is comprised of a family of protective garments that provide stringent levels of ballistic protection while maintaining exceptionally lightweight and flexible characteristics.
Traditional Armor lacks coverage of the arms, chest and neck region of the body, and current additional protection for these areas adds weight and reduces mobility. Flex9Armor™ incorporates a network of NIJ Level II and IIIA body armor panels into a breathable anti-microbial material that is 30% lighter than conventional armor. Integrating all of these features into one combined garment makes Flex9Armor™ a superior option for first responders that is available in standard and fire retardant configurations. Additionally, PTF this week released a variant of the Flex9Armor™, the Flex9Spike™, designed for use by Federal, State and Local correctional facilities.
In a News Release dated October 27, 2016, Mission Ready announced that PTF had won an award through the US DoD’s Defense to Response (D2R) Technology Program for the provision of USD $110,000 in services from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service’s Product Development Center (TEEX PDC) to commercialize PTF’s Flex9Armor™ to enhance public safety and homeland security. Protect The Force is currently working with over 70 US federal, state and local law enforcement agencies at various stages of the evaluation and purchasing process. In anticipation of a significant demand for the Flex9Armor™, PTF has streamlined its processes through a state-of-the-art online order fulfillment platform and recently launched a manufacturing division based in Jacksboro, Tennessee in order to efficiently and effectively meet client requests.
More information on the PTF line of products – including the Flex9Armor™ – can be found at: protecttheforce.com
Gerber Introduces Enhanced Pro Program With New Discount For Veterans
November 23rd, 2016PORTLAND, OREGON (Nov 17th, 2016) – Gerber, a category leading manufacturer of personal knives, tools, and gear today, announced the introduction of a completely refreshed Professional Purchase Program. The new program offers discounted access to qualified members of the Armed Forces & First Responder organizations, Outdoor & Tactical Industry professionals and now US and Canadian Armed Forces Veterans.
The new program provides exclusive offers and discounts on the entire American Made product line, over 120 products, through three programs: Service, Veteran & Industry.
Service
Military
– Armed Forces | National Guard | Reserve
First Responders
– Law Enforcement: Federal | State | Local
– Fire | EMS
Veteran
– Served in the United States Armed Forces
– Served in the Canadian Armed Forces
Industry
– Full-time employees of related industry product brands
– Members of related industry associations (OIA, NSSF, etc)
– Retail Associates of Outdoor/Tactical/Hardware specialty retailers
– Employee of National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey
– Professional Guides and Outfitters
– Search & Rescue Volunteers (NASAR membership)
– Volunteer Fire, EMS, and related
Qualified applicants can learn more and apply at gerbergear.com/proprogram.
It Was A Database Named Maria
November 23rd, 2016You may have noticed some issues with SSD over the past days. Unfortunately, during a configuration update some conflicts have arisen between wordpress which powers SSD and a new database system installed, named Maria. Technicians are working through the issue. Hopefully, everything will be back to normal soon.
SOFREP Crate Club
November 23rd, 2016If you’re looking for an interesting Christmas gift idea, you might want to consider the SOFREP Crate Club. I joined a few months ago to check it out. I’ve subscribed to a couple of other Crate services to learn about how they work. In some cases, they were boxes full of trinkets, junk really. In other cases, I received items I already owned or had zero use for but every once in awhile, there was a gem. I’ve known Brandon Webb of SOFREP for many years and I thought I’d give the SOFREP Crate Club a whirl, since it’s billed as the only gear delivery subscription where the gear is picked and tested by Special Operations veterans.
At the time there were only two membership levels, Standard and Premium. Because I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, and due to the cost disparity between the two levels, I chose Standard membership. The first month, I received a Gerber seat belt cutter. While I already had one around here somewhere, it’s one of those things that is pretty useful, so I put it in my pickup and didn’t write it off as a loss.
My next shipment contained something I didn’t have. The package contained “100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition” by Retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson. It’s a fun book with some great diagrams which amplify the one-page overview on any given survival topic. The book was accompanied by trial packets of TUFMED Tufhands and Tufbruise creams. I haven’t tried them yet, but I did read the book. I’m a reader, so I really enjoyed that Crate.
If you’re interested in seeing some items that are offered in the Standard Crate, check out this video.
I’ve since changed my subscription to the Premium Crate and am awaiting my first delivery. I did it because I wanted to get a more thorough experience. This video with Chris Paronto, shows the trauma bag they shipped in September.
If you want a sneak peek of what’s coming next, hit this link.
They’ve recently expanded the membership levels to three. In addition to the Standard and Premium packages, they’ve added a Pro level in between the two. The difference is the amount of gear, as well as the value. The Pro Crate is an upgrade to the Standard Crate, and it includes everything that’s in the Standard Crate as well as a couple of additional items that are unique to the Pro Crate. The Premium Crate is usually a unique set of gear of high value.
SOFREP offers gift options at check out and they are holding a Black Friday Sale from now until Black Friday. You can get 10% Off with promo code HOLIDAYNOW.
To learn more, visit join.sofrep.com/sofrep-crate-club.
Relax, They’re Just ‘Experiments’
November 23rd, 2016You’ve probably read that the Marine Corps is looking at replacing the M4 with the M27 IAR, which is a variant of H&K’s 416. You may have also read that the Marines are going to issue suppressors to the GCE. We’ve known about both of those small unit experiments for awhile now. Thing is, there’s no requirement, and what’s worse, no money, for either. Consequently, we didn’t post a story telling you that the Marines are evaluating a new rifle or suppressors.
Our advice? Don’t hold your breath. If one or both of those happen, it won’t be anytime soon.
