Magpul has just released the Calico Jack t-shirt, the first in a series of designs specifically for the ladies. The front features a distressed Calico Jack emblem in Gray and the back features in small blood red type a paraphrase of what Calico Jack’s mistress said to him just before he went to the gallows, “Fight like a man, so you do not have to die like a dog”. Available in any color as long as it’s Black in Small – X-large.
Follow the link below to vote for your favorite camo pattern. The winner will be chosen by popular vote. Full details at the link.
UK Intelligent Armour has introduced new variants of their MACH 1, 2 & 3 series helmets that integrates Ops-Core rails and VAS shrouds. MACH stands for Military Advanced Combat Helmet and all three helmets offer NIJ IIIA protection. The MACH 1 is similar in shape to a US ACH while the MACH 2 takes a mid-cut approach similar to the TC-2002. Finally, the MACH 3 features a high cut like the TC 2001 to accommodate large comms/ear defender systems. The addition of the Ops-Core components adds a great deal of versatility to these designs although we are unsure why they didn’t go all the way and also include the excellent Ops-Core chin strap as well as an optional Occi-dial liner.
All three models are available in Tan, Green, and Black from www.body-armour-protection.co.uk
Additionally, Intelligent Armour Limited will be at the Counter Terror Expo in London this week in stand M50 in the National Hall at London Olympia. They will have reps from Blackhawk, 5.11 Tactical and Karrimor SF. Additionally, CEO Alex Bomberg will be giving a 20 Min lecture on Special Forces body armor during one of the workshops.
According to a recent article in “British Army Review” the Taliban are referring to British Squaddies as “Donkeys” and saying that they “waddle” around the battlefield due to the heavy loads they have to carry. The article, entitled “Donkeys Led by Lions” is an obvious play on words. During WW I the British Army was said to be made up of “Lions Led by Donkeys”. The author who chose to write anonymously, further contends that, while Tommies are being referred to by the enemy as Donkeys, the headquarters are like so many “fat, lazy” lions saying, “Lions, contrary to Victorian opinion, aren’t brave or noble; they are fat, lazy creatures that lie around all day licking themselves.” He goes on, “They get others to do the dirty work and they have a penchant for infanticide. We are not saying our commanders are fat, lazy child killers, far from it, but it has reached a point where their headquarters are.”
He writes of a “bloated over complex system that sucks the life out of operations” and that “decision and action get lost in Chinese whispers and Chinese parliaments that turn most of operational staff ‘work’ into operational staff waste”. Sounds like the cries for help from a small unit leader drowning in a sea of militocracy. He’s right. In the western way of running armies, those deemed the best, lead units in combat and the marginal become staffs.
As for the issue of mobility v. protection. Make no mistake, everyone in the Coalition is up against the same enemy and terrain as the United States. Afghanistan is a Soldier-centric environment with other systems acting in supporting roles. We, as well as our allies, have taken great pains to protect our troops but this has come at a cost of mobility and agility. Over the last year, the British military has further modernized their personal equipment providing enhanced camouflage as well as new armor systems that has netted a 10 kg weight savings. On the US side PEO Soldier is keenly aware of the situation and each enhancement in capability is looked at from the perspective a SWAP (Size Weight and Power) analysis once reserved for aircraft and vehicles. Work is being done to not only lower the weight but also to add no additional weight as new capabilities are fielded. Additionally, here in the US, programs such as SPD 9 are looking at ways to better handle the weight of armor systems.
As for bloated commands? I got nothing for you. It might be a lousy war, but it’s the only one we’ve got.
The nameless author does leave us with one excellent observation, “If we don’t work out now how we are going to lose that weight we will do the old trick of starting the next war by repeating the mistakes of this one.”
If you have been following my friend at Military Morons for awhile you will know he has a Skull with Horns designed by Pin Up artist Andrew Bawidamann as an unofficial logo. Recently, he worked with Mil-Spec Monkey to produce the logo as a PVC patch. The result is a really cool morale patch in a Glow-in-the-dark style as well as MultiCam and Desert versions. In addition to being really cool patches, MSM is donating $.50 for every one sold to our favorite charity, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
Available from Mil-Spec Monkey or MSM patch dealers.
We’ve raved about THULS in the past and for good reason. It isn’t that we are luddites, but if you’ve ever had to develop checklists for your unit you will know what a painful process it is. Then, you have to cover them in acetate ruining the first few while you get the process down and finally, once you finish them, you realize that none of the units to your left and right are using the same TTPs. The team at THULS takes all of the pain out of the process for you. They have experience working with everything from service level organizations to deployed task forces to communities of interest to develop standardized mission planning and execution products. Now, the beauty part. They are rewritable, even underwater.
Our friends at THULS have made a very generous offer. In fact, they have two offers. It is however, important to note that both giveaways are restricted to US/Coalition military due to the information contained in the checklists. While nothing is restricted, it is for official use only and releasable to Coalition.
Giveaway One
THULS is giving away a ISAF Reports and Language Module (THULS IRLM) to 10 individuals who leave a comment with their favorite weapon on this post. You can use any name you like for your comment but leave us a valid email address so we can contact you in case you win. If you win and do not provide a duty address we will need to verify your status.
Giveaway Two
THULS is also going to give one company-sized unit:
THULS Basic Infantry Operations Support (BIOS) Items
540 SPIE Cards (Accountability Cards)
64 LEPL (Leaders Equipment/Personnel List)
54 Individual Range Cards
12 Crew Served Range Cards
20 Team Sector Sketches
54 Map Overlays
16 Warning Orders
24 Fire Plan Sketches
28 MOPTs (Mounted Ops Planning Tool)
200 IT4Cs (Improved Casualty Cards)
You must enter by sending an email with Name, Rank and Unit to SSDfree@THULS.BIZ You cannot enter this giveaway on SSD so DO NOT leave that information here.
*Company 1st Sergeant or CO/XO will be contacted for shipping / receipt of BIOS items for winning unit.
Both giveaways will close on Monday 18 April 2011 at 1600Z (GMT).
Make sure you visit www.THULS.biz for more information.
Void where prohibited
The Army has finally released the Camouflage Improvement Effort solicitation. The solicitation closes at 1PM on 31 May 2011. In 45 days potential offerors must submit their design concepts. Following this will be a multi-phase effort to search for a new family of camouflage patterns consisting of woodland, desert, multi-terrain or transitional patterns in addition to a possible fourth pattern for field equipment such as armor and packs. The final decision won’t be made for two years and Soldiers will be stuck in the current ill-suited UCP for that entire time as well as well into a transition period. Based on this course of action, we could see UCP being used for another three to five years despite the availability of more effective patterns.
US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort Solicitation
Notes to industry and those that fancy themselves camouflage barons: The Army is placing a lot of emphasis on technical performance. From the solicitation, “Technical Area is the most important of all the areas; the Technical Area is more important than the Management/Production Readiness Area; the Management/Productin (sic) Readiness Area is significantly more important than the Contract/Cost/Price Area; the Contract/Cost/Price Area is more important than the Past Performance Area; the Past Performance Area is more important than the Small Business Participation Plan. Area I – Technical Factor A is more important than B. Area II – Management Factor A is significantly more important than B, and Factors B and C are of equal importance. To receive consideration for award, a rating of no less than “Acceptable†must be achieved for all areas. Offerors are cautioned that the award may not necessarily be made to the lowest price offered.” You are not going to win this on lowest cost. So make it count.
We have now received all of your entries and will be preparing them over the weekend for Phase III which consists of voting. Phase III will begin Monday morning and run through Friday. You will only be able to vote once to preclude voter fraud. The most popular design will win the prize.
