Extreme Outfitters is holding a new picture contest through Instagram. First, follow them on Instagram. Next, post a picture of your Everyday Carry using the tags @extreme_outfitters and #extremeEDC. After 25 submissions, they’ll pick one lucky winner to receive a Suunto Vector X watch.
instagram.com/extreme_outfitters
Today, the US Congress presented the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of members of the First Special Service Force.
Founded during WWII, the First Special Service Force was a combined US/Canadian commando unit. Shortlived, the unit was formed in 1942 at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana and disbanded in 1944 in France after suffering significant casualties. The casing of the unit’s colors is honored annually by US Army SF and Canadian units during Menton week which commemorates the location of the disbanding at the village of Menton, France.
Initial unit cadre were trained in light infantry tactics, parachuting, hand-to-hand combat, demolitions and skiing. Unit members also familiarized with enemy weapons. Once deployed, they fought in the Aleutian Islands as well as in the ETO in both Italy and France, earning the nickname, “Devil’s Brigade”. Their German adversaries referred to the Forcemen as “Black Devils” because the used boot polish to camouflage their faces during nighttime raids.
I consider the First Special Service Force to be one of America’s initial Special Mission Units with specialized training, weapons and equipment including the M41 Johnson Machine Gun, V42 combat knife and Weasel amphibious vehicle.
As for the sticker, these were placed on enemy casualties and equipment by Forcemen. It depicts the unit patch and the German; “Das dicke Ende kommt noch,” which means “The Worst is yet to Come”. Talk about an effective psyops campaign.
Anyone who has served in SOF has much to owe these trailblazers who did Canada and America proud. In fact, do a little research about this great unit and you’ll learn a lot about your heritage.
RE Factor’s Collapsible K9 Bowl holds up to 1400ml and incorporates a belt retention strap. Available in Tan or Ranger Green and Made in the USA.
www.refactortactical.com/collapsible-water-bowl
Meet the MOLLE 4000. Developed by Natick Soldier Systems Center to satisfy a requirement for an airborne rucksack for the 82nd Airborne Division, it enters safety certification next month. Lead developer Rich Landry is a Veteran of the 82nd and has been instrumental in work on several airborne items over the years.
To create the MOLLE 4000, Landry combined the short MOLLE frame adopted by the Marine Corps but originally developed for Army paratroopers and created a new 4000 cu in bag for it. He also envisioned a new, removable single point release. This was the critical piece. Until now, you either rigged your pack with the Harness, Single Point Release, which is a separate item, prone to loss after a jump or you carried a pack with sewn-in air items. The latter option results in increased cost per pack and you are stuck lugging around the extra weigh whether you are jumping or not. Additionally, such specialty packs aren’t appropriate for issue to other forces due to that additional cost and weight. Instead, Landry has come up with a hybrid solution which quickly attaches and detaches from the pack. This saves both rigging time and weight, once he gets on the ground, for the paratrooper.
Bob Reinert of the Natick Public Affairs Office wrote a great story on the project. It’s definitely worth a read. www.army.mil/article/141297.
During last week’s new product training at Academi, the ADS Inc Army team showed up wearing some spiffy new jackets. This is the same style that is worn by members of the FBI. These things are really nice.
The Softshell SO 1.0 is Made in America from bonded fleece Tweave fabric. It can be produced in a wide variety of colors including MultiCam and there are also embroidery options available.
Unit and agency orders can be processed by ADS Inc.
Utilizing a stretchy rubber frame to mount to a wide variety of boots, the
STABILicer Walk offers traction via the steel “cleats” located on the sole. Interestingly, they fit these Rocky Boots S2V 104s like a glove.
Contact ADS Inc for unit and agency orders.
Why of course you can! Here’s SIG’s Robby Johnson demonstrating the new Leupold D-EVO paired with the DeltaPoint Pro MRDS.
Last week I was with ADS Inc’s Army and SOCOM Teams for some new product training at the nearby Academi training center in Moyock, NC. We had a day on the range with SIG SAUER and Leupold Optics. I fired the combo and it works just fine as the Delta Point Pro is offered with a Picatinny riser mount.
