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Brazilian Army Leadership Lauds Opportunity to Train with US Army

September 5th, 2022

FORT POLK, La. — Prior to his soldiers arriving to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk to take part in a bilateral training exercise, Gen. Estevam Cals Theophilo, commander, Brazilian Army Land Operations Command, emphasized the importance of his troops being ready for the next conflict.

“Our mentality must be that are prepared to fight in combat,” Theophilo said. “We can go a thousand years without war, but we can’t afford one second without being prepared to fight when war arises.”

Theophilo, along with Brig. Gen. Lynn Heng, U.S. Army South deputy commanding general, were able to see firsthand the Brazilian troops train in the area known as the “Box” during a visit to JRTC, Aug. 24-26 as part of a Distinguished Visitors Day.

“This training for us is very important,” Theophilo said. “We know this kind of exercise replicates fighting in true combat and the realness of this exercise prepares us to be ready.”

The Brazilian Army, or Exército Brasileiro, participation in JRTC is the part of an agreed to activity which was included in a five-year plan developed between the Exército Brasileiro and U.S. Army South during annual Army-to-Army Staff Talks. The Staff Talks Program promotes bilateral efforts in order to develop professional partnerships and increase interaction between partner nation armies.

Having arrived at Louisiana in early August, a company element of the 5th Light Infantry Battalion (Air Mobile) integrated with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (White Currahee), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as part of rotation 22-09 to conduct tactical infantry operations, exercise interoperability and strengthen their ability to plan and execute complex maneuver operations.

The mission of the JRTC and Fort Polk is to train Brigade Combat Teams to conduct large scale combat operations on the decisive action battlefield against a near-peer threat with multi-domain capabilities. JRTC Rotation 22-09 was the second time a Brazilian Army unit came to the Combat Training Center to train with a U.S. Army brigade.

Once on the ground, the Brazilian soldiers were praised for their professionalism, tactical skills and ability to embed with their U.S. Army counterparts. While training in the Box, the Brazilians were given after action reviews by the Observer-Controllers, where they were given feedback on what they planned to do, what actually happened, and engaged with the opposing forces to learn what they did well and what they could improve on.

“They’ve done an exceptional job of deliberate planning, conducting rehearsals and understanding the mission they have to accomplish and moving to that location to accomplish that mission,” said Maj. Micah Chapman, JRTC Operations Group Task Force 3 executive officer. “They’re really effective in terms of security — whether its short halts, long halts, securing themselves, securing an area and having an active mindset of understanding the situation and responding, when necessary, lethally.”

Although much attention during the bilateral training engagement was focused on kinetic and tactical operations at the company and platoon-level, a critical area the Brazilian Army wanted to improve was developing leaders at their combat training centers to be more realistic to train their soldiers for combat.

A small contingent, comprised of several officers and noncommissioned officers, embedded with the JRTC Operations Group and completed an abbreviated academy where they could capture and coach the best practices of combined arms maneuver.

“We put them right in where they were able to make decisions, do coaching and adjudicate fights that were taking place between friendly and enemy forces,” Chapman said. “There are some differences between the way the U.S. Army go about observing, coaching, and training, and they desire to move in our direction.”

After watching his soldiers take part in the blank fire rehearsal, Lt. Col. Attila Balczó, commander, 5th Light Infantry Battalion (Air Mobile), gleamed with pride in describing their actions upon seizing the objective.

“I am very proud,” Balczó said. “We had many exercises and spent more than 120 days in the field to prepare our soldiers for this training. When I saw our soldiers executing on the battlefield here today, it was gratifying to see that our preparation had great results. They put on a good showing in simulated combat and their performance allows us to have interoperability with our U.S. partners.”

Balczó added that JRTC allowed the best environment for his soldiers to improve their capabilities and they will return to Brazil with much experience and become better trained to fight.

Army South Deputy Commanding General Brig. Gen. Lynn Heng mentioned the United States is fortunate to have the caliber of soldiers the Brazilian Army possesses as our allies to protect mutual security interests in the Western Hemisphere.

“We need to do these types of exercises to build upon our defensive capabilities and we enjoy doing these types of exercises, especially with Brazil, which further enhances our interoperability,” Heng said. “Brazil has been a key partner for us in the U.S. Southern Command area of operations for many decades and will be for many to come.”

Heng added as part of Army South’s motto “Defense and Fraternity” that it is imperative the command keep strong the fraternity with Brazil so that both armies remain successful in meeting training objectives and strengthening partnerships.

Following three hours of continuous assault on the rough central-Louisiana terrain, Theophilo addressed the soldiers, where he commended their efforts and recognized the occasion of Dia do Soldado, or Day of the Soldier — a Brazilian national holiday on Aug. 25 commemorating the birthday of the Duke of Caxias, patron of the Brazilian Army.

He asked his sweat-drenched, muddied and exhausted soldiers on their impressions of the training and received responses expressing how it was a unique opportunity to work with U.S. Soldiers, gain new experiences and familiarization with aircraft, share best practices and tactics and train in a different climate.

“Our countries have always been friends in military matters,” Theopilo said. “We have conducted training in the jungles of Brazil and now we’re training together here at Fort Polk. At the end of the day, this is what matters. Being ready for war is only possible through much practice, adjustments and more practice. Without field exercises, conversations aren’t worth anything.”

Finally, the general reminded his troops, “The U.S. is our principal ally — we have no doubt about that.”

By Donald Sparks

Posted in Army, Guest Post, International, Training | 4 Comments »

Ignik Unveils The Next Generation Of Battery Powered Heat

September 4th, 2022

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA

Ignik, the Bainbridge Island brand on a mission to help people stay outside longer, takes its lineup to the next level with the new Backside Heated Seat Pad. Representing the next generation of battery powered heat, the Backside offers portable, customizable heat built for the outdoors.

The Backside Heated Seat Pad is a lightweight accessory that turns any chair into a cozy heated seat. Made with a weather-resistant, bluesign®-approved 100% recycled fabric outer and premium dense foam, it provides durable comfort for any outdoor setup. The newly designed smart controller maximizes battery usage by allowing the user to customize the heat level and includes heat level memory and an automatic shutoff after 90 minutes. The Backside is compatible with USB-C power banks and other 12V batteries. It is also available in XL, which offers warmth for one person’s seat and back, or two people when laid flat. The Backside is ideal for a wide variety of outdoor activities, from fall/winter camping to hunting and fishing trips to tailgating before a game.

“We are so excited to launch the next generation of active outdoor heating products,” says Peter Pontano, Ignik’s Marketing and Product Development Director. “The Backside Heated Seat Pad and Backside Heated Pad XL build off our new battery powered heating platform, using the latest technology to safely and efficiently provide and control personal heat. Our new hand-held controller has an integrated OLED display (an industry first) that lets you actually see the heat level and fine-tune to your perfect temperature. This takes the guess work out of heating—no more wondering what the color of a push button means. Just set the controller to the level you want, just like a home thermostat, and the technology does the rest!”

The Backside Heated Seat Pad and Backside Heated Pad XL are available now at ignik.com and other retailers. MSRP: $79.99 (Backside)/$99.99 (XL).

Posted in Shelter | 1 Comment »

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Combined Operations Assault Pilotage Parties

September 4th, 2022

As I am sure you can tell, I love history. I find it amazing that even today, you can read something about WW2 that you never knew about. There were so many specialty units that sometimes it was hard to say, “Oh, this group gets its roots from…” Combined Operations is one of those groups, and they had so many smaller Units / Parties (I think I might have liked being part of “Parties” more than a Team. So, it would be “I am a party guy” and not “I am a Team guy”) that we are just now finding out about that they might not have been the father of some groups today. Still, they might have been the mother or the ugly step-sister.

While serving in the Second World War, Nigel Clogstoun-Willmott established the Combined Operations Assault Pilotage Parties (COPP), which were responsible for covert beach reconnaissance. This proved to be critical in the success of the Allied seaborne invasion campaign. Amphibious force attacks on land and sea are among the most dangerous of all military operations. Apart from the fact that they necessitate the precise coordination of armed forces on the ground, air, and sea, they might also be subjected to various issues associated with landing on foreign enemy beaches.

Among these are tidal roughness, inadequate sand and shingle texture, steep beach gradients, and restricted beach exits, for example. Various enemy defenses, including mines, beach obstructions, pill boxes, and gun emplacements, can make natural disasters more dangerous and challenging to overcome. Nigel Clogstoun-Willmott, an accomplished navigator in the Royal Navy, was one of the few who truly understood the gravity of the risks involved. He recognized that amphibious troops must be carefully directed into coastal waters by men who had been deployed to the coast ahead of the fleet.

Furthermore, he recognized that the only way to resolve these issues truly was to conduct a thorough reconnaissance of the proposed beach landing sites, work that would require men skilled in navigation, hydrography (marine surveying), and engineering to land covertly on the beaches at night.

Of all special forces operations, beach reconnaissance was one of the most clandestine and risky. The men engaged were forced to conduct their operations right under the noses of the enemy, knowing that if they were arrested and interrogated, their intelligence might jeopardize the entire operation and their lives.

In 1910, Clogstoun-Willmott was born in the Indian city of Shimla. A senior engineer, his father worked on significant infrastructure projects throughout northern India, including the construction of roads and bridges.

He was transported to England for his education, attending Lambroke School and Marlborough College until he was eight. He joined the Royal Navy when he was 17 years old, specializing in navigation and quickly earning a reputation as a creative problem solver and unique thinker.

The fact that he was aware of the dangers of landing on enemy shores came to him early in life. Gallipoli was the first sizeable amphibious operation of modern times, and his uncle ‘Cloggy’ had been severely wounded during the battle in 1915.

As a Beach Master for the landings at Narvik in the far north of the country, Clogstoun-Willmott received first-hand knowledge of these perils during the unsuccessful Norwegian campaign of 1940.

He was charming, courteous, and good-natured, but he was also a military professional who took his duties seriously. He spent a long time reflecting on the lessons learned from this campaign and how amphibious operations should be conducted going forward. In 1941, Clogstoun-Willmott was stationed in the Mediterranean with ‘Layforce,’ a commando group that had been dispatched to the Middle East. With the challenge of attacking the Italian-controlled island of Rhodes, Layforce got his first chance to put his theories into action.

As a result of his collaboration with Captain Roger Courtney, a canoeist who had recently created the Special Boat Section, which was primarily intended for marine reconnaissance operations, he could complete this task. Courtney and Clogstoun-Willmott worked together to conduct the world’s first in-depth military beach reconnaissance mission.

A wide variety of equipment was available, from flimsy cold-water suits made of heavily greased long johns and jumpers to the newest infrared signaling technology and the humble chinagraph pencil for taking notes in dripping wet conditions.

The mission was a resounding triumph. Both soldiers were honored, with Clogstoun-Willmott getting the Distinguished Service Order and Clogstoun receiving the Distinguished Service Medal. However, the valuable information gathered as a result of this work was never put to good use.

As a result of the British being lured into a futile attempt to resist the German invasion of Greece, the mission was called off entirely. Clougstoun-Wilmott was again called upon to serve as a Beach Master, coordinating British forces’ evacuation. His narrow escape from capture came after he commandeered a Greek caique and sailed it to Egypt, where he was one of the last to leave. Not until August 1942, following the failure of a massive raid on the French port of Dieppe, was it realized how essential Clogstoun-theories like Willmott’s were.

Admiral Louis Mountbatten, Director of Combined Operations, approached him and requested him to assemble a team – dubbed ‘Party Inhuman’ – to assist with Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa. He agreed and formed the team. When this endeavor proved successful, it resulted in the formation of the COPP in early 1943. The first order of business for the COPP was to conduct reconnaissance in preparation for the upcoming invasion of Sicily. However, due to insufficient training and equipment, achievement came at a high price this time. Only four of the sixteen guys who were assigned to the mission returned.

Later, Clougtoun-Wilmot, who is by nature a martinet and a training fanatic, collaborated with Mountbatten to guarantee that the COPP had access to the resources it needed to prepare for the invasion. The COPP teams were re-energized and contributed significantly to the Allied landings in Italy after re-energizing. During the D-Day landings, the COPP faced its most difficult challenge. COPP troops were now armed with tiny submarines known as X-craft, as well as specialty landing boats and diving gear, in preparation for the invasion of France.

They carried out a thorough study of the potential beaches and returned samples for analysis to establish that big trucks would be able to pass through them without being damaged. On D-Day itself, COPP personnel were dispatched ahead of the massive invasion fleet to ensure that it arrived safely. This scientific approach to warfare played an essential role in preparing for what was considered the most complex military operation in history.

While D-Day was the apex of the COPP’s operations, the unit also saw significant action in the Far East and the Mediterranean during its tenure. In 1945, it made it easier for people to cross the Rhine into the heart of Germany. Following World War II, the mission of the COPP was absorbed into what is now known as the contemporary Special Boat Service (SBS). They were beneficial during the amphibious operations during the Falklands War in 1982 due to their knowledge and expertise.

Later in life, Clogstoun-Willmott worked for the Navy in several positions and the intelligence agency MI5. At age 81, he passed away in Cyprus in 1992, after continuing to live an active life as a sailor until a few years before his death.

The COPP’s work was so closely guarded that it was not made public until after the Second World War had concluded. In the eyes of the public, Clogstoun-Willmott and his troops of the COPP continue to be unsung heroes of the Special Forces.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, History, Maritime | 1 Comment »

US Army Reserve Officer Presents “Medical Care in a Radioactive Environment” to NATO Members

September 4th, 2022

During his presentation at the Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers event on Aug. 3, 2022, in Athens, Greece, U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Eliot Fletcher, commander of the 491st Medical Care Area Support from Santa Fe, New Mexico, discussed the topic of radiation exposure in an increased global threat environment.

The CIOMR Junior Medical Reserve Officer Workshop provided North Atlantic Treaty Organization and partner nation junior Medical and Medical Support Officers a professional development program in a multi-national environment, focusing on NATO medical planning, civil-military negotiation training, and operation medical planning within a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environment.

Fletcher, an Army biochemist, holds a doctorate in genetics and conducted his post-doctoral research in Radiation Biology, so his knowledge of radioactive environments and radiation injury treatment made him a perfect fit to present at the conference.

“The issue of operating in a radioactive environment is more critical today than it has been since the end of the Cold War,” Fletcher said. “Since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in February, there has been increased rhetoric surrounding the use of nuclear weapons and increased risk of a radiological incident.”

Fletcher discussed how ionizing radiation damages DNA and the body’s ability to repair the damaged DNA and continue normal cell function. (Ionizing radiation provides enough energy to disrupt the normal structure of surrounding materials, like living tissue. Tissue damage occurs when DNA repair is overwhelmed). A person’s typical exposure to background radiation is 2.4 millisieverts, or mSv per year, and at 100 mSv, there is a slightly increased risk of cancer.

Fletcher then examined the biology of radiation through five historical exposures. Hiroshima and Nagasaki both experienced extremely high exposure due to the use of nuclear weapons.

“Detonating a bomb high enough that the fireball does not actually touch the surface of the Earth, is called an air blast. Conversely, a nuclear bomb detonated at surface level, land or water, is perceived as a surface blast,” Fletcher said.

Both explosions were surface blasts, pulling debris into the air, leading to radioactive fallout. These explosions resulted in large numbers of people being exposed to high levels of radiation. To date, thousands of people are still tracked for elevated rates of cancer. Survivors had a significantly elevated rate of cancer, while their offspring showed no signs of increased abnormalities, and no detected elevation of the mutation rate.

The study of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster (due to a reactor shutdown causing the Reactor 4 explosion) and the Fukushima nuclear accident of 2007 (due to an earthquake and ensuing tsunami damaging the cooling systems and resulting in a partial meltdown of the reactors and release of radiation) focused on increased health issues, acute radiation illness, and potential for cancer based on distance from the epicenter and exposure levels of radiation.

“The lessons learned from these radiological/nuclear incidents relate directly to the effects of specific doses of radiation on biology. They also taught us how hard it is to track people exposed to radiation and determine exactly their dosage,” Fletcher said. “This highlights the importance of being able to track how much radiation a Soldier is exposed to in order to treat that person specifically.”

Fletcher concluded the presentation drawing attention to the invaluable data gained from radiation during space travel and its applicability to the battlefield. Protecting against radiation in space is crucial, as some radiation particles can pass through the skin, damaging cells and DNA, and/or cause acute radiation sickness. However, unlike most environments, it is impossible to evade space radiation during space travel. Similarly, in a radioactive combat zone, it may not be feasible to rapidly escape from a radioactive environment.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought to the forefront at least two concerns, 1) an increased Global Threat of a radiological disaster and 2) that rapid ingress and egress will be difficult in large scale operations. When these two concerns are combined, it creates an environment for the warfighter in which we need to begin preparing to fight and operate for potentially prolonged periods in a radiological environment,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher received the CIOMR JMROW “Best Overall Presentation” award and will pursue a technical advisor position on the NATO CBRN working group.

Fletcher’s unit, the 491st MCAS, is currently assigned to the Command and Control CBRN Response Element-A, or C2CRE-A mission. When directed by the Secretary of Defense, the military CBRN Response Enterprise will conduct CBRN response operations within the U.S. and its Territories or outside the continental U.S. to support civil authorities in response to CBRN incidents in order to save lives and minimize human suffering.

The 491st MCAS conducts quarterly training exercises honing decontamination tactics and techniques and identifying and treating acute radiation syndrome and chronic radiation illness. Since 2019, the unit has trained in the Guardian Response exercise at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Indiana, conducting a CBRN disaster in a controlled environment.

By SPC Ronald Bell, LTC Kristin Porter and MAJ Sherrain Reber

Posted in Army, CBRNE, Guest Post, International, Medical, Training | Comments Off on US Army Reserve Officer Presents “Medical Care in a Radioactive Environment” to NATO Members

Industry Day at the Range Introduces Taurus USA as 2023 Buyer Lunch Sponsor

September 3rd, 2022

LAS VEGAS, N.V. – August 31, 2022 – SHOT Show® Industry Day at the Range Industry Day at the Range is pleased to announce that Taurus USA, manufacturer of premium handguns, will be the exclusive Buyer Lunch Sponsor at the 2023 range day event. Industry Day at the Range will take place at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club in Boulder City, Nevada on Monday, January 16, 2023 from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m.

As the Buyer Lunch Sponsor for the upcoming Industry Day at the Range, Taurus USA will provide lunch tickets to all registered buyers in attendance. Lunch vouchers may be redeemed at any of the food trucks throughout the premises.

“We’re honored to have Taurus USA as our exclusive Buyer Lunch Sponsor next year,” said Kelsey Puryear, Industry Day at the Range Manager. “This sponsorship means more face time with buyers, giving Taurus USA ample opportunities to engage with attendees and promote their brand and products. They will also be able to take advantage of standard sponsorship perks, including an exclusive shooting bay, additional media coverage and more.”

“Taurus USA is honored to be next year’s Buyer Lunch Sponsor and share new products with buyers in our industry,” says Cody Osborn, Marketing Director of Taurus USA. “At Taurus USA, we pride ourselves in our culture of innovation, rugged craftsmanship and next-generation design and engineering. And we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to share that story with Industry Day guests in 2023.”

Every year, several of the industry’s most well-known brands, manufacturers and organizations come together to give media and buyers the opportunity to test and evaluate new products. There are shooting lanes for all firearm types, tents for non-shooting companies and ample space for on and off-road vehicles and other product demonstrations.

Posted in Press Release, SHOT Show | Comments Off on Industry Day at the Range Introduces Taurus USA as 2023 Buyer Lunch Sponsor

Jessie Harrison Claims Back-to-Back Titles with Bushnell First Strike 2.0

September 3rd, 2022

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – August 31, 2022 – Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, is celebrating pro shooter Jessie Harrison’s dominant performances at the recent USPSA Area 5 and Area 3 Championships. Harrison, who is also a sponsored Hoppe’s athlete, recorded back-to-back High Lady titles at two of the USPSA’s most competitive championships.

Harrison won the High Lady title at the 2022 Cheely Custom Gunworks Area 5 Championship in Brooklyn, Michigan, and then went on to clinch the High Lady title at the 2022 Hornady Area 3 Championship in Grand Island, Nebraska. Her latest wins add to an already impressive 2022 season, which includes the High Lady title at the Area 1 Championship and the coveted Overall Steel Master award at the 2022 World Speed Shooting Championships held earlier in the year.

Throughout both the Area 5 and Area 3 matches, Harrison relied on her First Strike 2.0 reflex sight. One of Bushnell’s most versatile optics, the First Strike 2.0 features a large objective lens, brighter daylight settings and a rugged design that stands up to the rigors of USPSA competition.

“In any match, I rely heavily on optics and what I can see,” said Harrison. “The Bushnell First Strike 2.0 gives me a bright, clean edged red dot, that allows me to acquire a sight picture as soon as possible and be as precise as needed.”

To learn more about the First Strike 2.0 or to see the full lineup of Bushnell optics, check out Bushnell.com.

Posted in Optics, Press Release, Shooting Sports | Comments Off on Jessie Harrison Claims Back-to-Back Titles with Bushnell First Strike 2.0

Midshipmen Test the Waters – Second IW Summer Cruise Underway

September 3rd, 2022

The second annual Information Warfare (IW) Community summer cruise got underway in Suffolk, Va., in early June with the first of three waves of U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) First Class Midshipmen touring various IW commands.

Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach, commander of Naval Information Forces, welcomes U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen on their first day of the 2022 Information Warfare (IW) Community Cruise. Midshipmen will tour various commands throughout the week and see first-hand how the IW enterprise broadly impacts the Navy. Naval Information Forces generates, directly and through leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped and certified combat-ready Navy Information Warfare forces to ensure our Navy will decisively deter, compete and win in today’s strategic competition. (U.S. Navy Photo by Robert Fluegel/Released)

Designed to fully explore how fleet-wide IW capabilities underpin all other warfighting operations, the Midshipmen took a deep dive in each of the IW disciplines: Cryptologic Warfare (CW), Cyber Warfare Engineer (CWE), Information Professional (IP), Intelligence (Intel), and Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC). This firsthand look at real-world environments and speaking directly to IW Community officers prepared the midshipmen for service selection week. The goal is to have the IW Community make a strong, positive impression on the midshipmen to help them decide if a career in IW is right for them, and then select which strand of IW is the best fit.

Each wave of the IW Community Cruise started with Core Week, during which Midshipmen collectively received briefings and visited various IW commands in Hampton Roads. The first welcome brief was presented by Rear Adm. Michael Vernazza, then commander, Naval Information Warfare Development Center (NIWDC). Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach, Commander, Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR), made the next two presentations. Vernazza and Aeschbach, both Intelligence officers, delivered a unified message to each group of midshipmen.

“In today’s environment, we are in constant competition with our adversaries, and in every fight, information warfare is and will continue to be constantly in demand,” said Aeschbach. “It will be you who will lead our Navy into the next generation of IW, leading the charge for the next wave of critical thinking and problem-solving for the Navy. I encourage you to learn, ask questions, and be curious as you see firsthand over the next few weeks what IW brings to the fight.”

The welcome brief was held at the joint Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) / Naval Network Warfare Command (NNWC) building in Suffolk, Va. There the midshipmen toured the joint watch floor and discussed NCDOC’s mission priorities, which included the Navy Red Team that tests the Navy’s networks for vulnerabilities. NNWC – conducting vulnerability assessments of Navy networks to reduce risk to the DoDIN-N, or DoD Information Networks – Navy – was also a topic. Additionally, the midshipmen learned about the cloud watch floor charged with ensuring a secure migration of all NMCI accounts to a cloud-based platform that works in conjunction with Microsoft. Between the two commands, the touring midshipmen learned about the hand-in-hand working relationship with the Fleet in exercises, operations, and for network compromises.

MIDN Michael Schaefer capsulized the intent of the IW Summer Cruise. “I am cleared for either Intel or CW, so I desire to know about both and what they do on any given day,” Schaefer said. “I want to see how well I can keep up with that day-to-day life as that’s an important part of learning about a community.”

Throughout the three-week experience, each block of Midshipmen toured a combination of commands, ships and squadrons in the Hampton Roads area that included Fleet Weather Center Norfolk (FWC-N); U.S. Fleet Forces Maritime Operations Center (FFC MOC); Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command (NEIC); Naval Special Warfare; Naval Computer & Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT); and various ships and squadrons.

Capt. Erin Acosta, commanding officer of FWC-N, outlined how meteorology and oceanography plays a major role in naval operations and explained the capability Naval Oceanography brings to the Fleet. “Equally as important is how we integrate with the larger IW enterprise,” said Acosta. “It is wonderful to see our Sailors, both enlisted and officers, and civilians interact and teach these future leaders how we do our job at the Weather Center.”

After the brief, the midshipmen toured the FWC watch floor to get a feel for a day in the life of a METOC officer. “The visit provides the midshipmen an excellent opportunity to ask questions and to assist them in making an informed career decision. Every Sailor is a recruiter and my team did an amazing job hosting the midshipmen,” said Acosta, a class of 2000 USNA graduate. “I’m blown away by the talent and diversity of these future officers. I am truly excited for them and for the Navy.”

After Core Week, the midshipmen splintered off into Strand Week. The length of this part of the IW Community Cruise lasted from one to two weeks, depending on the chosen designator. Some midshipmen remained in the Hampton Roads area while others headed to Fort Meade, Md. Commands toured in the Maryland area included Fleet Cyber Command / 10th Fleet and their MOC watch floor; Office of Naval Intelligence; Cryptologic Warfare Group SIX; Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group, and Defense Special Missile and Aerospace Center.

USNA’s Class of 2023 is the second to participate in the IW Cruise, and the experience was well received, according to Midshipman 1st Class Kristofer Gamalong Medina, who embarked on the IW Cruise with the intent of continuing in the CW community. “I’ll stay with my choice of designator (CW). As a prior enlisted Sailor, Cryptologic Technician Technical, I had only seen CW on a tactical level,” said Medina. “But learning how we affect the national scale was mind blowing to me. I was fascinated by the type of people leading those missions, the information we find, and how we can make an impact on the bigger picture of naval warfare.”

Of the IW Cruise overall Medina said, “The most beneficial part was seeing the different applications all the communities had. I did not know that there were so many divisions that focused on different things, and that they relied on each other to create the best picture for the warfighters.”

The IW Community Cruise is an annual event, divided into two or three blocks to allow for maximum participation. This year the last wave included three Recruit Officer Training Command (ROTC) students. Midshipman 1st Class Tai T. Nguyen, a University of Southern California ROTC student, stated in his biography, “I always wanted to work in the field of cyber security for its intellectually challenging mission, which is to stop foreign cyber threats to the United States. Therefore, becoming a cyber warfare engineer is my dream job.”

NAVIFOR’s mission is to generate, directly and through our leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to ensure our Navy will decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.

For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces or the public web page at www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.

Posted in Guest Post, Information Warfare, Navy | Comments Off on Midshipmen Test the Waters – Second IW Summer Cruise Underway

NATO Customer Norway Officially Commissions New High-Performance Rheinmetall MAN Logistic Vehicles

September 2nd, 2022

On 23 August 2022, in the presence of company officials from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, the Norwegian military procurement agency, NDMA, formally transferred over a hundred new HX and TGS-mil military trucks to the Norwegian Army, the end customer. The ceremony took place at Sessvollmoen military base near Oslo. Major General Øyvind Johan Kvalvik, Deputy Director of the NDMA, symbolically handed over the keys to the Norwegian Army’s second in command, Brigadier General Frode Ommundsen.

“We are proud to be able to transfer these state-of-the-art truck systems today to the most important people in the Norwegian armed forces – the troops!”, declared Michael Wittlinger, chairman of the board of management of Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) in a speech marking the occasion. “We are certain that these vehicles will satisfy Norway’s soldiers, providing them with the best-possible protection and support.”

The roots of the project go back to 2008, when a committee of Norwegian military officials drew up a list of specifications for new military logistic vehicles. Norway gave Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) the nod in 2013. Then, on

31 March 2014, NDMA and its Swedish opposite number, the FMV procurement agency in Stockholm, entered a framework agreement with RMMV to supply of military logistic vehicles, which runs through to 2025. Linked to this is an additional agreement encompassing long-term service support from RMMV. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles is a joint venture owned by Rheinmetall AG, which holds a 51% stake in the company, and MAN Truck & Bus SE, which holds the remaining 49% share.

The first shipments of trucks earmarked for Norway include 109 vehicles of various types: twenty-four 24 HX 8×8 trucks with hook lift systems; fifty-six TGS 6×6 heavy-duty tractor trailers; and twenty-nine TGS 4×4 and 6×6 vehicles.

Michael Wittlinger went on to note in his speech that “this is RMMV’s most complex project to date. Our contract is not just with Norway but with Sweden, too. Owing to the special challenges of the Scandinavian operating environment, the technical specifications are very complex. Moreover, the order encompasses 38 different truck configurations and trailer variants, making this a very multifaceted programme.” Furthermore, each individual variant is subject to an extremely rigid and ambitious timetable for reaching milestones, with highly detailed lifecycle support documentation required at every stage. All of this goes way beyond the expectations of our other customers.”

The new vehicles are intended first and foremost to improve the transport capacity of the Norwegian military’s logistics corps, while simultaneously expanding the operational capabilities of its armed forces. This new high-tech family of vehicles fully meets the comprehensive requirements of its military users. Some of these trucks feature an integrated armoured vehicle cab for protecting the crew from ballistic threats and shrapnel. Furthermore, they can also be equipped with state-of-the-art communication and command-and-control systems as well as remote-control weapon stations.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, International, Mobility, Press Release | 2 Comments »