Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Veterans Day – What It Means To Me

November 11th, 2013

For over 12 years, I have celebrated Veterans Day alongside my fellow active-duty servicemen and women. However, for the first time in 12 years, this Veterans day is different. A year ago, I made the decision to resign my commission and leave active-duty to be closer to my children. On this Veterans Day weekend, I make my final drive back to where I was raised and I will start a new chapter in my life. This Veteran’s Day, I go from one who serves, to one who served.

Veterans Day has many meanings and as diverse as our Nation is, those meanings are countless. But to those who served, or served, and wore the cloth of our Nation, the day has special significance whether acknowledged or not. This is a day about recognizing commitment, sacrifice, and willingness of those who served to be a part of something larger than themselves. It is about raising their hands and taking an oath to support and defend our Constitution, thereby consciously choosing a path they may not always have complete control over. It is about faith, allegiance, and loyalty for those who defend the concepts and principles our Nation is built upon. However, today is not only about those who served, it is also about those who continue to serve and deploy taking the fight to our enemies time and time again. Veteran’s day is about those that volunteered to do what all cannot, or will not, and recognizing their courage and sacrifice.

Even though my journey home this weekend is somewhat bittersweet and emotional, I can easily look back at the memories from a few days ago when I drove off the compound I called home for years, to the day I received my commission, and even further back to the day I raised my hand to enlist. I can cherish those memories, the lessons learned along the way, and the friendships I have forged. Even though this Veteran’s Day is different than all the others I have experienced in my adult life, I am going to do what I have done for so many years. I am going to recognize those who served before me, those who served alongside of me, and those who will continue to sacrifice and take the fight to our enemies. To each of them, I am eternally grateful for their willingness to defend the freedoms we so casually enjoy.

AV is a Veteran of the US Navy.

Posted in Morale | 8 Comments »

Integral Tactical Keeps Going and Going

November 10th, 2013

Last week I stopped by SOFEX at Ft Bragg, North Carolina. While it remains a small, annual show in the Officers Club, I was pleased to see Integral Tactical still in attendance. They have long displayed their specialized clothing and shelters at this show.

Integral Designs was purchased from former owner Evan Jones by Fellfab early this year. I realized that although Integral has been around for ages, they are not well known. Many of their designs go back 20 years or more like the MK I Mountain Tent above and the Observer Shelter seen below. Both of these shelters feature, simple, straight forward designs. Additionally, Integral Tactical offers several shelter/tarp designs manufactured from ultralightweight 30D parachute Ripstop nylon, referred to as Sil fabric.

Several of the attendees at SOFEX also expressed interest in the Wind Shirt and Pants.

They are currently in talks with TLS vendors to introduce their line to a wider audience. While Integral Tactical is based at Fellfab’s headquarters in Ontario, Canada, Fellfab has manufacturing capacity here in the US to service Berry compliance, if needed.

www.integraltactical.com

Tags: FELLFAB, Integral Tactical
Posted in Clothing, International, Shelter | 2 Comments »

Are You a BAMF?

November 10th, 2013

If you’re a BAMF then this morale patch featuring a jaunty moustache from Tactical Gentlemen is just the thing. It comes in Black White and Grey and measures 2.00″ x 1.75″.

www.thetacticalgentleman.com/the-bamf

Tags: Tactical Gentleman
Posted in Morale | Comments Off on Are You a BAMF?

Happy 238th Birthday Marine Corps

November 10th, 2013

Since 1775 you’ve stood watch over America. We salute you!

Tags: USMC
Posted in History | 4 Comments »

Now THAT’S a Strap End

November 10th, 2013

This new strap end from Warn even incorporates a bottle opener.

www.warn.com

Tags: Warn
Posted in Mobility | 2 Comments »

National Molding – Wolf Grey Duraflex Plastic Hardware

November 9th, 2013

National Molding is now offering Wolf Grey hardware under the Duraflex line. They partnered up with “…a certain Canadian company to make certain it was the real deal.” This comes in addition to the selection of military colors already available for the full line of Duraflex plastic hardware.

www.nationalmolding.com/Duraflex/parts/DUR-OEM-LIVE/home.shtml

Tags: Arc'teryx, Duraflex, National Molding
Posted in Materials | Comments Off on National Molding – Wolf Grey Duraflex Plastic Hardware

Gunfighter Moment – Mike Pannone

November 9th, 2013

Put the gun down!

Thursday after a detailed cleaning of my CZ P09 I was doing my final test fire and zero validation before a few weeks of upcoming training. I went to the range with only 50 rounds and after doing a few reloads I decided to do an all double-action walk-back on a ¼ size IPSC plate. I do it in 05 yard increments from10-55 yards. If I shoot it clean it takes 10 rounds. I had 11 rounds left in the box so I loaded 11 and figured I could probably get to 55. It was a good day and I shot clean out to 55. I had one round left…nothing else in my gun bag. Every fiber in my body said “shoot that last round” but my rational mind said “unload, show clear and put the gun down.” I had set a training objective and met it; I had done what I set out to do in the manner I had prescribed so I was done. The last memory I had for the training session was setting a goal and achieving it with a proper repetition at the max distance. Unloading that last round into my hand and tucking it into a completely empty ammo carrier was an impromptu “training discipline pop quiz”. It’s easy to put 30 or 40 rounds back in your bag for later but that one cartridge was harder than hell not to shoot. What if I had shot it and missed? Then I would have capped off a great string with a miss and that’s all I’d remember.

The mental game is 90+% of shooting and it’s all about concentration and discipline. Don’t over-train, plan your session and shoot your plan. Set a goal, do your best to achieve the goal in the prescribed time and manner with a specified number of rounds…and then when you meet the objective or the ammo limit (whichever comes first) … put the gun down! You’ll shoot less but get better.

– Mike Pannone

Mike Pannone retired from the Army’s premier assault force (1st SFOD-D) after an explosive breaching injury. A year after his retirement America was attacked on 9/11 and he returned to help serve his country as the head marksmanship instructor at the Federal Air Marshals training course and then moved to help stand up the FAMS Seattle field office. In 2003 he left the FAMS to serve as a PSD detail member and then a detail leader for the State Department during 2003 and 2004 in Baghdad and Tikrit.

In 2005 he served as a ground combat advisor of the Joint Counter IED Task Force and participated on combat operations with various units in Al Anbar province. Upon returning he gave IED awareness briefings to departing units and helped stand up a pre-Iraq surge rifle course with the Asymmetric Warfare Group as a lead instructor. With that experience as well as a career of special operations service in Marine Reconnaissance, Army Special Forces and JSOC to draw from he moved to the private sector teaching planning, leadership, marksmanship and tactics as well as authoring and co-authoring several books such as The M4 Handbook, AK Handbook and Tactical Pistol shooting. Mike also consults for several major rifle and accessory manufacturers to help them field the best possible equipment to the warfighter, law enforcement officer and upstanding civilian end user. He is considered a subject matter expert on the AR based Stoner platform in all its derivatives.

www.ctt-solutions.com

Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.

Tags: Alias Training and Security Services, CTT Solutions, Mike Pannone
Posted in Gunfighter Moment | 14 Comments »

Magpul Calendar Shoot 2014

November 9th, 2013

From our friends at Magpul.

For this year´s calendar, we opened up the armory and hired the best in the fashion industry to push the boundaries a bit of what is expected for a Magpul Calendar.

To be honest we weren’t too sure how it was going to turn out, but as the photo shoot progressed we started to realize that this calendar was something special.

The guns looked good and the girls looked great, but there was a sophistication to the photography that had broad appeal beyond the regular “girls with guns” calendars we had done in the past.

From a gritty warehouse shot in a shady part of town with the Ronin Motorcycle to an ultra modern house with backlit plastic walls, all the photographs were shot on location. No studio shots with added backgrounds were used in this Calendar.

Even the cover photo, our model wearing a designer dress while holding a vintage 1921 Colt Thompson sub machine gun, actually walked down a closed off downtown Dallas street to get the shot.

The result is a calendar with some unexpected visual and artistic elements exhibiting the Magpul touch, presented in a package with broad appeal with timeless iconic photography.

Part Art, Part Calendar, All Magpul.

store.magpul.com/product/MAG914/124

2014 Magpul (12 Month) Calendar preorders will start shipping Nov 14, 2013

This year a portion of the proceeds from the calendar will go to the USMC Reconnaissance Foundation. The foundation provides assistance to wounded Reconnaissance Marines and Marine Reconnaissance families. Last year´s calendar raised over $20,000 for charity. Magpul hopes to far exceed that amount this year.

Tags: Magpul
Posted in Morale | 10 Comments »