The brands at this year’s FirstSpear Range Day are some of the best in the business; Wilcox Ind, Point Blank, Beyond, Aimpoint, Centerfire Ammunition, Oakley, SIG, Revac, Wounded Wear, Sinter Fire, Lamder, Tap Rack.
If you can’t make it, stop by the Point Blank booth # 11366 at SHOT Show to see the entire FirstSpear line.
Until It Hurts Trailer from DIGITAL THUNDERDOME on Vimeo.
This is a trailer for ‘Until it Hurts’, an upcoming documentary detailing the 911 on 9/11 project and those who were involved in its conception, as well as the families of the lost servicemembers the piece represents. Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming film, including a release date, as it becomes available.
This seventh annual Warrior Expo – East kicked off today with a keynote speech by United States Navy SEAL Rear Admiral (ret) and Deputy Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, Scott P Moore. His service in NSW spans a wide variety of assignments including time as the commander of NSW Development Group.
The main thrust of his address was maintaining readiness in the current budgetary environment. But, as he pointed out, things aren’t slowing down. Instability abounds, in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and even the Americas. He sees a future of Brush Fire Wars and a move back to training surrogates and allied partners. Conversely, he understands the requirement of a constant forward presence of our maritime forces, particularly off the coasts of North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
He is also concerned about the increasing threats to US citizens and interests, particularly the number of hostage situations. RADM Moore related that he has tracked or been party to a hostage rescue mission every six months for the past six years. In the 20 years prior to that, he said that he dreamed of being allowed to participate in a rescue. The world has changed and he feels the world is in a less stable place than it was before 9/11. This is the new normal. It’s constant conflict and sustained training is critical. It might be boring to some but you never know when or where you’ll be called upon to act. Adaptability will be key due to the short notice of deployments. This means training will be key.
Consequently, RADM Moore discussed selection and training, particularly in regard to the SEAL community. He discussed identifying men who have a “healthy distrust for authority” because the drive the leadership to step up and excel. He also discussed finding the men with the will to go on individually and yet serve as a member of a team. That is the point of BUDS and the ongoing training process in NSW.
The point is put together a great team. RADM Moore points to three factors that are critical to making this happen:
1. Leadership – Institutional leadership doesn’t have to be great, it just has to be good enough. Natural leaders will rise to the top and experience creates leadership. Ultimately, leadership is a commitment to the role. Also, a successful leader is respected but not necessarily liked.
2. Cohesiveness – You’re either on the team bus or you’re not. You must spend time together to develop trust. Additionally, honest After Action Reviews are critical. They also develop trust and that trust increases speed.
3. Empowerment – The most critical factor to creating great teams is allowing your subordinates to thrive. Develop younger leaders and prepare them to take your job when it’s time. When you empower your subordinates and let them take responsibility in your team, as the overall leader you can concentrate on strategic level issues.
As for the budget, RADM Moore suggests we “DWI” or “deal with it.” But, he challenges industry to help us maintain our technological advantage over adversaries who are increasingly using advanced capabilities. We have to stack the deck in favor our troops every time and he urges companies to raise the bar. To do this, he pointed back to those three factors to developing great teams.
Additionally, ADS founder Luke Hillier presented the Warrior for Warrior awards from his organization Hillier Ignite.
This year there were two. First up, was Wounded Wea. Also honored was the Boulder Crest Retreat Foundation. Both organizations do amazing things for wounded Veterans. In addition to the recognition, the Warrior for Warriors award includes $25,000.
It was a warm, clear morning on Saturday, June 28th at Academi Training Center, Moyock, North Carolina. At 0930, a shot rang out from the 600 yard line of Range T10, the first shot made towards a commemorative target meant to honor each US Navy SEAL and member of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Attachment lost during Operation Red Wings.
For the 9th anniversary of Operation Red Wings, a retired SEAL friend of ours who previously worked on the 911 for 9/11 project decided to take a similar approach to honoring Operation Red Wings. A Chinook helicopter was traced onto a black target, and over the course of the morning 19 shots representing each servicemember lost was taken. Additionally, three of the shots made that day were taken by members of three of the SEAL members’ families:
GM2 (SEAL) Danny P. Dietz was represented by his wife Patsy Dietz
ITCS (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy was represented by his son Jacob Centeno-Healy
ET1 (SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas was represented by his wife Rhonda Lucas
The weapon used during the shoot was a Mk 12 SPR, which was specially chosen for the shoot: 3 Mk 12s were utilized during Operation Red Wings by the SEAL teams. Also, the use of the 5.56 round from the 600 yard range required a greater deal of focus and dedication to effectively mark the target.
This was the view from the 600 yard mark. The target was situated underneath the ‘4’ position, and the traced Chinook strike area encompassed roughly a fourth of the total target.
The finished target is being sent to Ellwood T Risk to be turned into a piece of art in the same vein of the 911 for 9/11 piece. The finished art will be auctioned live Memorial Day weekend 2015 in Rosenberg, Texas, at the 3-day Danny Deitz Memorial Team Roping, Auction, and BBQ event. Reprints of the original will be able to be ordered before then and will be available through the Tommy Valentine Memorial “All in All the Time” Foundation. The prints will be produced in Hampton Roads, with all profits benefiting the Navy SEAL Foundation, helping to fund a 10th Anniversary retreat for the surviving families of the servicemembers lost on Operation Red Wings.
Last year I was asked to spend the morning of September 11th with a friend as he fired one 7.62 round for each Navy SEAL lost since the War on Terror began 11 years before. The goal of this exercise was to create a canvas for multimedia artist Ellwood T. Risk. SOCS Dave Hall, (USN, Ret.) placed 79 shots unto the target beginning the moment the first plane hit the World Trade Center.
The result of the effort is called “Until It Hurts” and the original was auctioned off earlier this year for $17,500. Now, prints of the piece are available through Wounded Wear. We purchased a canvas print just yesterday. Get yours.
Coming soon from Wounded Wear is this Sterling Silver custom Zable Bead from Madison Jewelers. 100% of the proceeds from these beads will benefit Wounded Wear.
You may recall our lead story on 9/11 about a retired SEAL Sniper who was creating a one-of-a-kind piece of art to commemorate his fallen brothers in arms. Now, the piece is complete and the organizers have provided us with this statement:
Wounded Wear is honored to be working with internationally recognized artist Ellwood T. Risk. Ellwood is a self-taught artist who has been living and working in Los Angeles since the spring of 1992 and has become famous for The Pistol Target series. His Target Series have been showcased on primetime shows and he is currently represented by galleries in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
On September 11, 2012, a Navy SEAL Sniper (SOCS Dave Hall, USN, Ret.) fired a .308 Remington 700 custom built for him by another former SEAL Sniper (SOCS Chris Higgins) at a humanoid target from 911 yards. The goal was to strike the black (scoring) part of the target 79 times (once for each fallen NSW member since 9-11). The first shot (which commemorated fallen SEAL Neil Roberts) was fired at 8:45::30 AM EST, to mark when the first World Trade Center Tower was struck, and thus essentially when America and Naval Special Warfare went to war. The bullets were fired in commemorative and chronological order for each NSW member lost in training or combat from 9-11-01 to 9-11-12. The target was pulled down each time the black portion was struck and the name of who the bullet was shot for was written next to the impact hole.
Ellwood Risk then took the target and did what he does best; he turn targets into art, this time in honor of America’s fallen SEAL brothers. He completed this amazing work of art and has donated it to Wounded Wear to auction online. This auction will begin on approximately two weeks prior to our event and will close at 1030 PM EST Feb 9th at the Toast to the Heroes event. This one of kind piece of art aptly named “Until it Hurts” is valued at $20,000. Starting bids begin at $5000.
We are, all of us, Targets in one way or another.
Even before we are old enough to understand them in any meaningful way, or the role they will play in our lives; we are targeted by social norms, religions, various forms of print and electronic media, corporations, advertisers, and governments.
None of us are exempt from exposure to these fixed cultural elements of our existence, or the means by which they attempt to impose their will upon us.
-Ellwood T. Risk
We will soon announce the website to place your bid on “Until it Hurts”
