Ridiculous Dialogue Podcast: Episode 28

Posted on June 8, 2015 by The ITS Crew

Ridiculous Dialogue Episode 28 Main

Episode 28

On Episode 28 of Ridiculous Dialogue, we talked manners in public, young people’s slang and eating at crappy diners. Matt rolls out another segment of “Sh***y Movies with Matt” and it’s a real floater.

Weird dreams also came up as well as our thoughts on Mad Max and Matt’s new Apple Watch.

Poundtag us your questions on Twitter with #RidiculousDialogue so we can discuss them on the show. Thanks for tuning in and your continued support!

Cast of Characters

Ridiculous Dialogue was created to share the banter that takes place at Imminent Threat Solutions on a daily basis. It’s us; candid, unedited and talking about everything from what movies we’re watching to the general geekiness that keeps us laughing here at ITS HQ.

While we generally keep the vibe in our articles PG rated, be warned, it may not be safe to blast over your speakers at work. We hope you enjoy the insight into ITS and who we are behind the scenes as a company; pull up a chair and tune in to Radio ITS.

Posted in Podcast | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Operation Overlord: The Day of Days

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Nick H.

Operation-Overlord-Main

“… these men came here – British and our allies, and Americans – to storm these beaches for one purpose only, not to gain anything for ourselves, not to fulfill any ambitions that America had for conquest, but just to preserve freedom. . . . Many thousands of men have died for such ideals as these. . . but these young boys. . . were cut off in their prime. . . I devoutly hope that we will never again have to see such scenes as these. I think and hope, and pray, that humanity will have learned. . . we must find some way . . . to gain an eternal peace for this world.”

 

            – Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life, by Carlo D’Este, p. 705.)

Imagine That You’re There

It’s an early morning in June; the night air quiet and blissful, only the sound of waves on metal can be heard. The thumping in your heart besets this peaceful setting. You know this day will either be your last or the first of similar experiences that may lead to your graphic end. The night before, you were provided a special meal in celebration of a plan that could easily turn the tide of war. The meal, which seemed like a good idea at the time, has turned to acid in your stomach and many others around you being rocked by the sea.

Omaha_Beach_Landing_Craft_Approaches

The occasional sound of seasick hurling breaks the silence of the night as you use your helmet to help remove the layer of seawater and vomit at your feet. As land approaches, you pray to your God, check your equipment and muster whatever courage you can to fuel you through the harrowing moments that will certainly follow. While still covered by darkness, the enemy spots a glint of shimmer on your landing craft’s steel hull. In a moment, screaming rounds of enemy fire that seem to bring forth the bowels of hell itself shatter all stillness. As the enemy fire becomes increasingly more effective, the gates of the landing craft drop, as do the bodies of the men to your left and your right. What now?

The Plan

Operation Overlord was and still is the largest seaborne invasion in world history. It served as the pivotal moment in WWII because until that day, the Germans were unstoppable in Europe. On June 6th 1944, 160,00 Allied Forces crossed the English Channel with the audacious plan of storming 5 beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the most well guarded coast line in the world; Normandy.

The United States led the assault to take the coast from the Germans and gain a much needed footprint on Germany’s western front. The invasion of Normandy was one of the most heavily guarded secrets of the entire war and even the units conducting the initial assault were not aware of the exact landing locations. They used a variety of means to deceive the Germans, who knew an attack was coming, but didn’t know where it would occur. From fake equipment to false communications, the Germans didn’t know whether the Allies would hit Norway or France and were forced to spread their defenses in preparation.

The attack was delayed for a day due to bad weather before the Supreme Commander of Allied forces, Dwight D. Eisenhower, gave the go ahead for the launch of the operation. The code name for the crossing of the channel was “Neptune,” which was just one component of Operation Overlord.

The Fight

After midnight, 34,000 U.S., British and Canadian airborne troops parachuted into occupied France. At the same time, mine sweepers began clearing the channel. Comprised of 700 boats with 4100 landing crafts carrying infantrymen and over 9500 airplanes, the Germans found themselves heavily outnumbered with only 100 total ships in the area and a mere 115 aircraft. The secrecy of the operation proved to be an amazing success.

Into_the_Jaws_of_Death_23-0455M

At 0545 , the naval bombardment commenced while it was still dark and at 0630, the landing party hit the beaches. They faced heavy fire from gun encampments overlooking the beaches and a shore that was covered with mines, wooden stakes, hedgehogs and barbed wired obstacles. This made the work of the beach clearing teams both dangerous and difficult. The physical defenses of the beach were second only to the German’s ultimate defense weapon, the MG42.

At the time, the MG42 was the fastest firing machine gun in the world; about double the speed of the American Browning Machine gun. The rounds fired so quickly that one could not distinguish individual shots, which sounded like tearing fabric. For this reason, the gun was known as “Hitler’s Zipper.” The speed came from its design; the Germans put the guns bolt on tiny rollers, which increased the loading speed of the rounds. This meant that the gun could fire up to 1,500 bullets per minute. To put it simply, 25 bullets a second were being fired at the landing crafts from just one gun and there were five of them at Omaha alone. It’s hard for us to grasp the scale of this, but the boats at Omaha were taking fire at a rate of 125 bullets EVERY SECOND!

Casualties were heaviest at Omaha due to its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno and Sword, towns were cleared with house-to-house fighting. The Waffen SS planned on reaching the coast within two days of initial assault, but Allied air power, Eisenhower’s spies and French Resistance contacts contributed to an effort that kept the Waffen SS from reaching the front for two weeks.

German casualties were around 1,000 and the Allied casualties were at least 12,000 with 4,413 confirmed dead. If there was ever a lesson in what a well fortified position can mean, even with inferior air power and support, it can be found in the casualty disparity between the forces. In a war of attrition, however, the ability to back fill positions and breach a perimeter can be accredited to Eisenhower’s ability to make a hard decision. He knew that men would be lost and that many who survived would be experiencing combat for the first time. This risk was secondary to the advantage of gaining a position that would make it possible to pave a path to Berlin.

The Aftermath

NormandySupply

The Allies did not achieve all their goals on D-day. Only Juno and Gold beach were linked in the first 24 hours. All five bridgeheads weren’t connected for nearly a week. However, the operation was successful and led to the Allies gaining a foothold that gradually expanded as they moved into Germany and the west. Less than a year after the beach landing, Germany surrendered due to the Allied push on the western front and the Soviet advance from the east.

The Geo-Political landscape of the last 70 years has been shaped by the outcome of WWII. The U.S., China, France, United Kingdom and what is now the Russian Federation became permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and have all retained superior global positions since the conclusion of the war.

WWII was the deadliest conflict in human history. It’s estimated that somewhere between 50-85 million lives lost were lost. Let us remember those who were lost in what can be easily described as the single most influential, hard fought and bloodiest moment in all of human history.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Nick recently left the Navy after serving for 10 years as a Navy SEAL with multiple deployments, having been awarded the Bronze Star for operations in austere environments. Nick’s been with us since the beginning here at ITS on our Advisory Board.

Posted in Memorial | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Outdoor Meal Shootout: We Rated and Compared 11 Meals So You Don’t Have To

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Bryan Black

Outdoor Meals Group Contents

Our outdoor meal comparison has been a long time coming and includes a selection of two different meals from nearly all of the companies included. Some you’ll instantly recognize from your local outdoor store and some you might not have heard of.

The goal here was to come up with criteria that best evaluated what makes an outdoor meal worth purchasing. The results you’ll read were an average score from three different people, including myself, that each observed the preparation of the meals and tasted them for themselves. Tastes are different with every person out there, so we also included criteria like consistency, appearance, texture, ease of prep, prep time, portability, packaging, satisfaction and fulfillment.

One last thing I’ll mention before I get into the details of the comparison, is my choice to describe these as outdoor meals rather than backpacking meals. I felt that outdoor meals is a better descriptor, as you don’t necessarily have to be backpacking to enjoy them. All you really need is a way to boil water, or in the case of an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat,) cold water if you want to use the included heater to warm up your meal.

Outdoor Meal Comparison

Outdoor Meals Group Shot

I’d first like to go over the different meals we prepared for this comparison and why they were chosen. In regards to the brands we used in this comparison, we tried to not only include the recognized brands like Mountain House, but also newer companies we came across in our research into what was out there. In the case of the MREs, I’m personally one of the only people I know that actually still enjoys MREs after leaving the military. That being said, XMRE is a newer civilian MRE manufacturer and I wanted to include their meals, having never tried them before.

The two meals from each of the brands were completely random and they were either meals we’d never tried or just grabbed from the shelf at REI without consideration to which one was selected. Here’s what we included:

Good To Go

Launched by an award-winning chef, Good To-Go‘s mission is to create real food for real adventure. Their gourmet meals are some of the only dehydrated options in this comparison and feature natural ingredients without preservatives or additives.

Average Prep Time: 20 Minutes // Meals Included: Smoked Three Bean Chili, Thai Curry

Paleo Meals To Go

Designed to bring the first truly paleo and gluten-free meal to market for backpacking, Paleo Meals To Go features an offering of freeze-dried, gluten-free, grain-free, milk-free, soy-free, protein-rich and shelf-stable ingredients for your meals on the go.

Average Prep Time: 4-6 minutes // Meals Included: Mountain Beef Stew, Summit Savory Chicken

Backpacker’s Pantry

Founded in 1951 to supply the Girl Scouts with lightweight and nutritious food on the trail, Backpacker’s Pantry produces gourmet backpacking food that doesn’t contain MSG. Many of their meals are all-natural or organic and contain both freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients as well.

Average Prep Time: 13 Minutes // Meals Included: Katmandu Curry, Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

Mountain House

Located in Oregon, Mountain House got its start producing better tasting home-cooked flavor meals for the US Special Forces during the Vietnam War. They’ve continued to produce meals for the Special Forces and other branches of the military ever since and gained popularity in the consumer market after they realized the demand for freeze-dried food back in 1968.

Average Prep Time: 8-10 minutes // Meals Included: Chili Mac with Beef, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

XMRE

Featuring ready-to-eat components, XMRE meals utilize current US Military MRE components. While being fully cooked and not requiring water, an optional flameless heater can heat up your meal in 5-10 minutes. What’s also great about XMREs is that they not only sell them by the case and pallet, but individually too.

Average Prep Time: 5-10 minutes (if using heater) // Meals Included: Asian Style Beef Strips (Menu 4), Chicken Egg Noodles (Menu 5)

Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup

Dubbed “America’s favorite ramen,” Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup can be found in your local grocer and most likely produced in Maruchan’s Irvine, California plant. Their goal when entering the ramen noodle business in 1961, was to produce a higher quality freeze-dried noodle product.

Average Prep Time: 3-5 minutes // Meals Included:  Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup (Chicken Flavor)

Criteria Explanation

JetBoil Boiling Water

Before we get into the results, I’d like to explain the criteria we used to evaluate each meal on a 1-10 scale (10 being the best) so you understand the thought process behind our descriptions. I’ll also mention that to ensure these were all hot and available to evaluate at generally the same time, a Jetboil Stove was used for its speed in boiling water, internal measuring marks in the container that were helpful in following specific measurements for preparation and the overall consistency of Jetboil. I’ve really been impressed with them over the years and the only negative I’ve had is the inconsistency of the optional built-in igniter, but I digress.

  • Consistency was evaluated based on the overall soupiness of the meal after it was prepared according to the company’s instructions on the meal itself.
  • Appearance is something that’s always going to be up for interpretation, but the way we evaluated it here was whether it looked appetizing after it was cooked.
  • Texture was included as more of a subcategory of appearance, as texture is important to your senses. If it looks like broccoli, but melts in your mouth, there’s an issue.
  • Ease of Preparation was tough to nail down, as many of these meals are prepared the same way; with boiling water.
  • Preparation Time was strictly adhered to by utilizing a stopwatch and meals that rehydrated in less time scored better in this specific category. We’re fairly close to sea level here in Texas, so we didn’t need to increase time based on elevation, but it’s something to keep in mind when selecting meals for a trip. Backpacker’s Pantry was the only company to mention this on their packaging and stated to double the time for every 5,000 feet in elevation. Times ranged from 20 minutes at the slowest (Good To-Go) to 4-6 minutes at the fastest (Paleo Meals To Go.)
  • Portability only took a hit on the Ramen Noodles, as every other meal was equally as portable. We didn’t evaluate weight, but with an MRE including so many extras, it didn’t seem right to dock it points in this comparison. Plus, you can always Field Strip an MRE.
  • Packaging was looked at in regards to its durability and whether it would survive if a your pack floated down the river. We also looked at the quality of the ziploc-style closure and how easy it was to open with gloved hands.
  • Taste again is relative as explained earlier and this score, like each of the criteria we used to evaluate, is an average of three different scores.
  • Satisfaction was noted as a way to determine if you’d feel satisfied when eating the meal, or if it left more to be desired.
  • Fulfillment is an important part of a meal as well and plays along with satisfaction. We evaluated whether eating the meal would be enough to fuel your adventure.

Overall Results

Mountain House - Spaghetti Backpacker's Pantry - Katmandy Curry Maruchan Ramen - Chicken Flavor Mountain House - Chili Mac Good To-Go - Thai Curry XMRE - Chicken Egg Noodles Good To-Go Smoked Three Bean Chili Backpacker's Pantry - Fettucini Alfredo XMRE - Asian Style Beef Strips Paleo Meals To Go - Mountain Beef Stew Paleo Meals To Go - Summit Savory Chicken Image Map Mountain House - Spaghetti Backpacker's Pantry - Katmandu Curry Maruchan Ramen - Chicken Flavor Mountain House - Chili Mac Good To-Go - Thai Curry XMRE - Chicken Egg Noodles Good To-Go - Smoked Three Bean Chili Backpacker's Pantry - Fetuccine Alfredo XMRE - Asian Style Beef Strips Paleo Meals To Go - Mountain Beef Stew Paleo Meals To Go - Summit Savory Chicken

Individual Meal Photos and Scores

Below you’ll find the breakdown of the scores provided in the chart above and detailed photos of each meal’s packaging and contents; before and after it was rehydrated, heated or cooked.

Good To-Go – Smoked Three Bean Chili

Good to Go Smoked Three Bean Chili

Good to Go Smoked Three Bean Chili

Good to Go Smoked Three Bean Chili

Good to Go Smoked Three Bean Chili

Good To-Go – Smoked Three Bean Chili

  • Consistency: 10
  • Appearance: 10
  • Texture: 8
  • Ease of Prep: 8
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Portability: 8
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 10
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score:  89 out of 100

Good To-Go – Thai Curry

Good to Go Thai Curry

Good to Go Thai Curry

Good to Go Thai Curry

Good to Go Thai Curry

Good To-Go – Thai Curry

  • Consistency: 6
  • Appearance: 10
  • Texture: 7
  • Ease of Prep: 8
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 10
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 7
  • Overall Score: 83 out of 100

Paleo Meals To Go – Mountain Beef Stew

Paleo Meals to Go Mountain Beef Stew

Paleo Meals to Go Mountain Beef Stew

Paleo Meals to Go Mountain Beef Stew

Paleo Meals to Go Mountain Beef Stew

Paleo Meals To Go – Mountain Beef Stew

  • Consistency: 9
  • Appearance: 10
  • Texture: 10
  • Ease of Prep: 10
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 9
  • Taste: 9
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score: 97 out of 100

Paleo Meals To Go – Summit Savory Chicken

Paleo Meals to Go Summit Savory Chicken

Paleo Meals to Go Summit Savory Chicken

Paleo Meals to Go Summit Savory Chicken

Paleo Meals to Go Summit Savory Chicken

Paleo Meals To Go – Summit Savory Chicken

  • Consistency: 10
  • Appearance:10
  • Texture: 9
  • Ease of Prep:10
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 9
  • Taste: 10
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score: 98 out of 100

Backpacker’s Pantry – Katmandu Curry

Backpackers Pantry Katmandy Curry

Backpackers Pantry Katmandy Curry

Backpackers Pantry Katmandy Curry

Backpackers Pantry Katmandy Curry

Backpacker’s Pantry – Katmandu Curry

  • Consistency: 2
  • Appearance: 7
  • Texture: 6
  • Ease of Prep: 9
  • Prep Time: 6
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 8
  • Satisfaction: 8
  • Fulfillment: 7
  • Overall Score: 73 out of 100

Backpacker’s Pantry – Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

Backpacker's Pantry Fettucini Alfredo

Backpacker's Pantry Fettucini Alfredo

Backpacker's Pantry Fettucini Alfredo

Backpacker's Pantry Fettucini Alfredo

Backpacker’s Pantry – Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

  • Consistency: 10
  • Appearance: 10
  • Texture: 10
  • Ease of Prep: 9
  • Prep Time: 6
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 10
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score: 95 out of 100

Mountain House – Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Mountain House – Chili Mac with Beef

  • Consistency: 4
  • Appearance: 4
  • Texture: 9
  • Ease of Prep: 9
  • Prep Time: 7
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 8
  • Satisfaction: 7
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score: 78 out of 100

Mountain House – Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mountain House – Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

  • Consistency: 4
  • Appearance: 2
  • Texture: 4
  • Ease of Prep: 9
  • Prep Time: 7
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 5
  • Satisfaction: 5
  • Fulfillment: 7
  • Overall Score: 63 out of 100

XMRE – Asian Style Beef Strips (Menu 4)

MRE Meal 4 Asian Beef Strips

MRE Meal 4 Asian Beef Strips

MRE Meal 4 Asian Beef Strips

MRE Meal 4 Asian Beef Strips

XMRE – Asian Style Beef Strips (Menu 4)

  • Consistency: 8
  • Appearance: 10
  • Texture: 10
  • Ease of Prep: 10
  • Prep Time: 8
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 10
  • Satisfaction: 10
  • Fulfillment: 10
  • Overall Score: 96 out of 100

XMRE – Chicken Egg Noodles (Menu 5)

MRE Meal 5 Chicken Egg Noodle

MRE Meal 5 Chicken Egg Noodle

MRE Meal 5 Chicken Egg Noodle

MRE Meal 5 Chicken Egg Noodle

XMRE – Chicken Egg Noodles (Menu 5)

  • Consistency: 9
  • Appearance: 7
  • Texture: 8
  • Ease of Prep: 10
  • Prep Time: 8
  • Portability: 10
  • Packaging: 10
  • Taste: 7
  • Satisfaction: 8
  • Fulfillment: 9
  • Overall Score: 86 out of 100

Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup – Chicken Flavor

Ramen Noodles

Ramen Noodles

Ramen Noodles

Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup – Chicken Flavor

  • Consistency: 7
  • Appearance: 8
  • Texture: 7
  • Ease of Prep: 10
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Portability: 8
  • Packaging: 4
  • Taste: 7
  • Satisfaction: 8
  • Fulfillment: 6
  • Overall Score: 75 out of 100

Notes

Outdoor Meals Group Cooked

I’d like to explain a few things that I mentioned weren’t evaluated, like weight and shelf life. Weight is relative to the specific meal, as explained above, meaning that one meal from a company might have a different weight than another and to evaluate the meals on this criteria didn’t seem right.

If your outdoor adventure requires you to count ounces, your best bet is to bring your scale with you to the outdoor store and weigh the particular meal for yourself. Also look at Pro-Paks from Mountain House, which are vacuum packed options for the weight conscious.

Shelf life is an ever changing variable as well and some companies publish the date that it’s best to use by and others don’t. Always defer to the company’s website for the most updated information if a date isn’t printed.

MRE Heater

I didn’t really mention my reasoning for including MREs much, but I felt that not including them in a comparison of outdoor meals was sacrilegious, considering what a complete meal they are. They’re designed to withstand exposure to the elements and just about any condition you can think of. Warmer storage temperatures reduce the time they can be stored, but come on, they even include a spoon!

Ramen can be a staple for some on the trail, as well as in college. It also just requires boiling water for preparation, but the packaging can come open if you don’t toss it into a ziploc on the trail. A hot cup of Ramen can be extremely satisfying after a long day of hiking, but I can’t say it tops a full-on meal like some we’ve included in this write-up.

Something that every one of us involved in this comparison loved, is that we’d never done anything like it as avid outdoorsmen. We’ve all eaten plenty of backpacking meals, but actually sitting down and comparing them was an eye-opening experience and a great way to really find out the “why” of what makes one meal better than another. I’d highly recommend buying a few meals and trying this out for yourself it if you have the resources and time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our comparison and that it will lead you to better decisions next time you’re in need of meal options for your outdoor adventures. This comparison is something we’ll definitely do again and your feedback will help us make it even better next time. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Posted in Nutrition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 89 Comments

Choosing Your EDC: Ditch the Latest Fad and Find What Works

Posted on June 3, 2015 by ITS Guest Contributor

EDC Layout

Up until a few years ago, I never really put thought into what I carried around with me every day or why I carried it. Now I have a loadout that suits my needs and I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way. This is mainly focused on a Level 1 EDC, but several of the principles can be applied across all levels.

Choosing Gear

edc-matt-f-01

What Do I Need?

It’s easy to look at “celebrities,” retired members of the Military, or someone with thousands of YouTube subscribers and think, “Oh, he carries (X), I want that!” Rather than this train of thought, you need to find items that work for you. Items that fit you and work well in your environment.

What works for a SEAL in Afghanistan might not be the best fit for you. For me, an example of this is appendix carry. I love the idea of carrying this way, as it makes concealing and drawing very easy, but I’m a big guy and it’s very uncomfortable. It just doesn’t work for me, so I don’t carry that way. Also, you need to decide what you want to get out of a particular piece of gear.

Do you want an external safety on your carry gun? A single stack or double stack mag? How many lumens do you want on your flashlight? Do you want an automatic opening knife or a regular folder? Based on your reasoning and research, figure out what you want and get something that fits those parameters.

Do I Really Have a Use for This?

One of the most important questions you can ask yourself when deciding on what to carry, is whether it’s useful or not. Before you add something to your loadout, ask yourself, “Do I really have a use for this, or is it just something cool to have in my pocket?” There’s no point in carrying around something you don’t have a use for.

Try to find single items that have multiple uses. A good example of this would be a Leatherman, or a knife that also has a glass breaker on it. Items like these will help save valuable real estate in your pockets.

Try and Try Again

Don’t be afraid to try out different items. You may buy three of four great holsters or flashlights before you find the one that works for you. Fortunately, there’s a market for used gear like holsters, flashlights and other items. So if you don’t like something, put it on eBay, resell it and get something else.

Quality Over Quantity

Everyone knows the old saying: “Two is one and one is none.” Be careful with this mindset when it comes to EDC. Would it be nice to always have a backup for everything I’m carrying? Yes, but that’s not practical for me in everyday life. If you buy quality gear, it’s more likely to work when you need it and you won’t need that backup item.

A Few Items to Consider

edc-matt-f-03

Non Weapon-Mounted Flashlight

A reliable pocket flashlight can be an invaluable tool at times. Whether you’re walking to your car in a dark parking lot, or assessing a potential threat in a low-light situation, a flashlight can be a great asset. I specify “Non Weapon-Mounted” because while a weapon-mounted light can be a great tool in a low light shooting scenario, it can be dangerous if used during everyday tasks.

With a weapon-mounted light, every time you point the flashlight at something, you’re also pointing the muzzle at it. This can be very unsafe and get you into some serious trouble if you’re not justified in also drawing your firearm. Check out this article on ITS for more information on every day carry defensive light usage.

Cell Phone

I know that this is a given for most of us, but don’t leave home without it. Don’t leave your cell phone in your car when you’re running into the gas station. It should always be on you. Your phone is an endless resource of knowledge, a lifeline to call for help and a great way to keep up with current events as they are unfolding via social media.

Also make sure your phone is in a solid case that will protect it from accidental drops and weather. A Lifeproof Case is an excellent choice. It’s pricey, but I believe it’s a worthwhile investment.

Legal Defense Program

There are several law firms offering coverage for responsibly armed citizens. Basically, you pay a subscription every month to be a part of their program and when/if you are involved in a defensive shooting, they provide an attorney to represent you in civil or criminal proceedings. I am a member of Texas Law Shield and would highly recommend them as they have excellent customer service.

Mindset/Planning

Be Mentally Prepared

  • Know your local laws.
  • Understand what happens to the body in high stress situations and how to deal with those effects. (See “On Combat” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)
  • Maintain a good level of situational awareness. (This means don’t walk around with your eyes on your News Feed all the time.) Be aware of what’s going on around you.

Be Physically Prepared

  • Have a good working knowledge of your gear. Know how to clear malfunctions in your firearm and how to use your trauma kit if you carry one. If not, why don’t you?
  • Train with what you carry.
  • Be consistent in what you carry, don’t switch out your gear all the time. Of course things can change as frequently as the weather, or different dress codes, but try to have consistent loadouts for each situation. Figure out what works for you when you wear a suit, heavy clothes in the winter, or shorts and a t-shirt in the summer and stick with that.
  • Be in good shape so that you can run when you need to run and fight when you need to fight.

Blend In

Let’s be honest, we all love gear. We love velcro, tactical pants, morale patches and coyote everything. Unfortunately in a public place like a mall or restaurant, these things can make you stick out like a sore thumb. Most likely, “tactical” is not “practical” in your everyday life. Wear regular clothes and be a regular guy until the situation dictates otherwise.

Pick Your Battles

This is something my dad has always taught me. This especially applies if you’re taking on the responsibility of carrying a concealed firearm. Always be aware of situations that are unfolding around you, but don’t look for an opportunity to get into a fight or be a “hero.”

Having a Concealed Handgun License does NOT give you the right to “play cop” and interfere every time you see a couple arguing or 2 guys fighting outside a bar. Fate may throw a situation your way in which someone absolutely needs your help, but don’t go searching for it. To quote Matt Graham of Graham Combat, “There’s no reason to fight a fight that I don’t have to. For personal security, the most tactically advantageous part of an engagement is disengagement.”

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Matt F. has worked in Law Enforcement/Corrections for 5 years and is a Defensive Tactics Instructor for his department. He is also an avid musician.

Posted in EDC | Tagged , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

The Littlefield Collection: A Heavily Armored Glimpse Into the Past

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Matthew Sharp

The Littlefield Collection

Jacques Littlefield was an engineer, heir to a sizable fortune, philanthropist and a collector of military vehicles from all over the world. Born in 1949, Mr. Littlefield grew up in Burlingame, California, the son of the CEO of the Utah Construction Company. His interest in military vehicles began, like many other boys, with the collection and assembly of model vehicles. He then moved on to building radio-controlled models of increasingly larger sizes, first from kits and then onto fabricating them from his own designs.

His first fabricated design was a one-eighth scale Vietnam-era M-48A3 tank, which in addition to being capable of radio-controlled tread and turret movement, actually had a functioning .22 caliber cannon. In time, he started collecting full-sized military vehicles, with his first being a World War II-era M-3A1 scout car, purchased for $3500.00 in 1976. In 1998, he opened the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation on a 450 acre estate, ending up with over 220 vehicles stored in 46,000 square feet of enclosed warehouse space and a 12,000 square foot workshop area.

The Littlefield Collection

The Littlefield Collection

Rebuilt to Functional Status

In his workshop space, Littlefield and his team of employees pushed his collection’s impressiveness by meticulously disassembling his purchases and reconstructing them into a functional state. At times, this meant scouring the world for rare parts for long-out-of-service military vehicles. When that failed, Littlefield and his team would go so far as to fabricate parts they had been unable to find. The end result was a collection of military vehicles from a wide variety of nations, all fully operational. Well, almost fully operational; though the MVTF maintained an FFL license that allowed them to build, restore or maintain some of the vehicles’ associated smaller-caliber weaponry, they generally did not keep the larger caliber tank weaponry in working order.

Despite that license and prior to the auctioning off of all the equipment, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives insisted they permanently disable anything capable of firing a projectile. Without anthropomorphizing the equipment, it was really a little sad to see freshly-cut 30 mm chain guns laying next to the vehicles they had been mounted in. The BATFE though, in their infinite wisdom, was only doing what they had to do in order to keep that fully-automated vehicle-mounted machine gun crime down to an acceptable minimum. God bless their tiny hearts.

The Littlefield Collection

The Littlefield Collection

Dedication to his Hobby

It’s been estimated that before the collection was put up for auction, it was the largest private collection of functional military vehicles on Earth. It contained vehicles from World War I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, Yugoslavia, Israel, the Soviet Union, Syria and from Desert Shield all the way up to Desert Storm. On occasion, parts of the collection would be leased to the film industry when they needed an authentic, functional tank either for filming or for sound recording purposes. Littlefield was known as a scholar in the history of armed warfare and yet this was far from his only interest; he poured himself fully into a variety of subjects that caught his interest.

For instance, he learned how to play pipe organ, going to the extent of having a large Fisk mechanical organ attached to his home. He served as a member of the board of the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education and on the board of the George S. Patton Museum, as well as holding board positions at the Hoover Institute and the California Academy of Sciences. He was a member of the exclusive and sometimes controversial, Bohemian Club. Additionally, he also managed to build a multiple-track, large scale steam-powered model railroad on the same property that housed the MVTF. Complete with a man-made lake and same-scale small town adjacent to the tracks, all owed to his fully-explored interest in steam engine railroad models.

The Littlefield Collection

The Littlefield Collection

One Last Tour

I was fortunate enough to take a trip to see Littlefield’s Collection on the last weekend it was open to the public, prior to it being auctioned off. As I approached the Pony Tracks Ranch, getting further down Old Spanish Trail, cell coverage vanished. I started to notice a model train to my left, set in front of an impressive view of Silicon Valley, with the San Francisco Bay behind it. As I got closer to the MTVF’s buildings, I saw individual tanks and other pieces of large military hardware dotting the land. Further down, I saw multiple rows of what amount to “parts vehicles” lined up, just below the hill on which the main buildings sit. The “parts vehicles” would be an impressive collection by themself; rows of British, German and American half-tracks, small scout tanks, engineering vehicles and some rarities like an early prototype of a successor to the HMMWV, sat basking in the California sun.

The Littlefield Collection

Once my tour group had assembled, we were divided into two groups and a guide led each group through the three main buildings. We walked through building after building; down aisles of tanks, armored troop transport vehicles and all sorts of military vehicles with a wide assortment of purposes. From earth-movers, to large trucks, to SCUD missile launchers, to an Abrams training turret, all were in working order. Our guide gave us history on each of the major vehicles, taking time to explain the historical context in which they operated, as well as technological advances that were implemented in each vehicle.

We were encouraged to take a look inside the vehicles, some of which were opened up allowing for internal exploration of troop transport vehicles and tanks alike. This gave tourists a glimpse of what it would have been like to be the intended user of the vehicles, with their cramped internal spaces and low headroom. The smell of motor oil and steel provided a sensory feel that photographs fail to deliver. We saw cabinets full of the various types of ordnance these vehicles would have fired and also saw the original remote control model tank, with it’s .22 caliber cannon first fabricated by Mr. Littlefield. We also visited the unattached support buildings, where the collection overflow was stored. There, we saw the chopped and disabled machine guns that BATFE had been so concerned about and we walked through the lines of vehicles that had not yet been restored to functional operation, including mine-clearance vehicles, more HMMWVs, scout vehicles, portable bridges, halftracks and of course, more tanks.

The Littlefield Collection

The Littlefield Collection

Littlefield’s Legacy

At its peak, Mr. Littlefield’s Collection was immaculate and awe-inspiring to those interested in the history of vehicles used in warfare. That he spent so much time and money returning these vehicles to operational status, was a testament to his passion for the vehicles and the preservation of their history. The MVTF was a hidden gem in the hills of the Peninsula and left a clear mark on the imaginations of anyone lucky enough to visit it. Sadly, Mr. Littlefield lost his ten year battle with cancer and passed away in 2009. The collection was willed to the Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts, who in 2014, divided the collection into two groups; vehicles they intended to bring into their own collection and vehicles designated to be auctioned off.

The Littlefield Collection

With most of the vehicles to be auctioned having been successfully sold, the auction closed. At this point, Microsoft co-founder and noted anti-gun financier, Paul Allen (through his “Vulcan Warbirds” company, which procures vehicles and then leases them to another of his organizations, the “Flying Heritage Collection” for display), tried to place a bid of $2.5 million for the Littlefield Collection’s Panzer IV, which hadn’t sold. Megan Boyd, who had worked with Auctions America in conducting the auction, passed along the request for purchase to the Collings Foundation, who declined to sell it. Simultaneously, Allen’s Vulcan Warbirds went ahead and wire-transferred 2.5 mil to Auctions America. After Rob Collings (CEO of the Collings Foundation) passed word back that they weren’t interested in selling the Panzer, Auctions America allegedly tried to return the money but failed. Vulcan Warbirds then filed suit against both Auctions America and the Collings Foundation, claiming they had successfully paid for the vehicle and that the lack of delivery of the vehicle constituted breach of contract.

Mr. Allen’s for-now-foiled attempt to buy a German war machine then made the rounds in the news, garnering accusations of hypocrisy amongst supporters of the Second Amendment. Technically, the war machine he wanted to buy wouldn’t have been able to fire projectiles and therefore wouldn’t have required Allen to submit to any background checks, such as the one he spent half a million dollars to make sure everyone else in his state now has applied to them, but I digress.

The Littlefield Collection

The Littlefield Collection

The Future of the Collection

As for the rest of the collection, according to Hunter Chaney, Director of Marketing at the Collings Foundation, roughly a quarter of it has already been transported to their facility in Stow, Massachusetts. They’re currently in the arduous process of working with Stow’s planning board in order to get approval to build a new 67,000 square foot facility that will house the collection in what will be called the “American Heritage Museum.” They hope to begin the actual construction late this summer and once the foundation has been laid, they intend to move the rest of the collection from California to Massachusetts via flatbed. It won’t be too long until interested viewers can get a glimpse of it for themselves at its new home. It’s a rare glimpse of the history behind mechanized warfare and well worth your time if you should have the opportunity to visit.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Matthew Sharp is a Plank Owner and Life Member at ITS and goes by the username “viator.” He lives in The People’s Republic of Northern California and enjoys long range shooting, carrying heavy objects great distances and fuzzy little puppies.

Posted in History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Gearing Up for the 4th Annual ITS Muster: Skills You Need to Know

Posted on June 1, 2015 by The ITS Crew

Muster 3

We’re busy here at ITS HQ prepping for Muster 4 and time is running out to get your payment sent in before the price increase! If you’re on the fence about attending, head to the Muster Registration page for more information.

Bringing our community together, the Muster will be your chance to spend a few days with the crew from ITS Tactical, get hands-on and learn together. We have a limited number of seats available for the Muster and you’ll need to be a paid ITS Member to attend. Crew Leader is the only membership level that has open enrollment right now and as a reminder, the only way to become a Life Member is to attend a Muster. For details on becoming a Crew Leader, click here.

While the Muster won’t be a physically demanding event, you may encounter some hiking and climbing so your level of fitness should allow for this. You’re going to get dirty, you’re going to be tired, but you’ll leave with more knowledge than you came with, great memories and friendships forged.

Below are some articles that can help you plan for some of the training provided at Muster. While we’re not going to give away all the details, you may want to refresh your knowledge of the following topics.

Knot Tying

Knot Tying is an important everyday skill-set to have, but at Muster, it’s crucial! These articles provide resources on tying some common knots and methods to better your knot tying!

Knot Tying Resources in Praise of the Humble Knot

Communications

Muster requires teams to keep up on their comms during the entire event,whether it’s reporting on the squad’s status or sending crucial information regarding an exercise. Get a jump start on your comms knowledge with these articles.

ITS Tactical Handheld Radio

Tracking

During Muster, observation and situational awareness come together in the form of Tracking. Learning how to read signs left by individuals or groups can help you determine where they’re coming from or where they’re headed. These articles give some insight into tracking and what tools and skills trackers use.

TYR Group Combat Tracker Suggestions

Ghillie Suits

Ghillie Suits are well known in the sniper community and provide snipers with concealment. We’ve got some great training planned around them for Muster this year so be sure to check out these articles to get prepared.

Ghillie Suit

Dead Drops

When you’re not able to pass information directly to your recipient, using a dead drop can be extremely useful. While we can’t go into specifics on why you’ll need information on Dead Drops, we’ll just suggest having a look at these articles.

Dead Drop

Red Teaming

Red Teaming is something that we’ve discussed many times before on ITS but this is the first time that we’ll be providing an instruction block on it at Muster. Review these articles to understand more about the techniques and tools used in Red Teaming.

red-team-lock-main

Click Here for 2015 Muster Information and Registration

Posted in ITS Information | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ruck It: Grab a GORUCK Ruck Plate and Hit the Trail

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Bryan Black

GORUCK Ruck Plates

There’s no denying that GORUCK has popularized the sport of Rucking and turned the beatdown of carrying weight on your back into challenges, adventures and a way to truly know what your capable of.

I’ve been writing about GORUCK for years now, having been through the GORUCK Challenge with Class 050 and climbed 14’ers with the first GORUCK Ascent. Through this and my continued interaction with the brand, I’ve seen the level of commitment they put into the products they produce.

Quality in design and manufacturing is putting it lightly and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention their dedication to crafting their products in the USA. This being said, it’s exciting to see GORUCK produce the Ruck Plate and provide their end users with a purpose built product to use as an alternative to taping up a stack of bricks to put in their ruck.

Ruck It

GORUCK Ruck Plates

If you’re not familiar with Rucking, GORUCK has a great resource online describing the social fitness aspect, which they’ve done a great job spreading throughout the world. Rucking is much more than just putting weight on your back and going for a walk, despite this being the basic definition of rucking.

When I was in the Navy, we’d do organized ruck runs on the beach using weighted sandbags that were dubbed as pills. We’d use duck tape, or technically 100 MPH tape, to wrap the sandbag to ensure the sand didn’t leak out. The reasoning for calling them pills was two-fold; they not only resembled a pill shape, but there’s the whole “take your pills” aspect that I remember thinking before our ruck runs.

5819173276_29f5a41e8e_o

I point out the humble sandbag pill to illustrate the progression and what GORUCK has accomplished with their Ruck Plates. When I did my GORUCK Challenge, GORUCK advocated going to the hardware store and buying four bricks to use for weight if you were over 150 lbs. and three if you were under 150 lbs.

GORUCK Challenge

These bricks were also taped up like a sandbag pill to keep them together in a stack and the stack of four that I used during my GORUCK Challenge weighed 16.5 lbs. GORUCK is now requiring six bricks if you’re over 150 lbs., or one of their 30 lb. filler bags (which can be filled with sand.) Additionally, they now state that a 30 lb. Ruck Plate can be used.

Ruck Plates

GORUCK Ruck Plates

The GORUCK Ruck Plates are available in 10, 20 and 30 lb. weights and are made in the USA from ductile iron. This cast iron has a breaking strength of 90,000 lbs. and is utilized for its extreme denseness, which means space savings and a more compact plate. Each plate features a wide grip handle to easily add and remove it from your ruck. The 20 and 30 lb. plates have two handles, which I assume is so there’s always a handle available to grab them from, regardless of the direction they’re inserted. That and the additional handle is great for grasping the plate with both hands and using it for an overhead press or squat while working out.

GORUCK Ruck Plates

I was really impressed with the embossing on each plate and how well it’s done. Additionally, the edges are nicely rounded and beveled to create a great grip in your hand. I found them to be very comfortable when using them for a farmer’s walk during a workout, so that’s an additional use for these. The 20 and 30 lb. plates feature the GORUCK reverse flag graphic and the weight on the opposite side.

GORUCK Ruck Plates

The smaller 10 lb. plate features the weight on one side and the GORUCK logo on the opposite. While the weights of these plates are obvious, I did weight them on a scale to check. Each plate was just under the published weight by 2-3 ounces, but my scale isn’t calibrated and a couple of ounces is negligible to me when counting pounds. The 10 lb. plate measures 9” x 5.75” x 1”, the 20 lb. plate measures 9” x 11.5” x 1” and the 30 lb. plate measures 9” x 11.5” x 1.4”.

GORUCK Ruck Plates

Each plate can be purchased separately, or as a bundle with the 10, 20 and 30 lb. plates, which saves you 10%. There are also bundles available with their rucks if you’re in need of a ruck as well. GORUCK uses flat rate shipping and handling costs that are very reasonable when considering the amount of weight being shipped. Currently, they’re only shipping to the United States, its territories and US APO/FPO/DPO addresses.

If you’re in need of a versatile weighed option for rucking and other weighted exercising, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the GORUCK Ruck Plates. You can’t beat a quality, US made, bombproof option from an all-American company like GORUCK.

Posted in Functional Strength | Tagged , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Is the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet Misleading Consumers with TCCC Approval?

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Bryan Black

**Update** On September 7, 2016 at a meeting for the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, the following text was included in their public minutes. “The term “Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC)” was developed as a US Military work product, and as such, should be in the public domain. A provisional trademark for this term that was inappropriately granted to a private sector individual several years ago and caused recurring issues in TCCC training and recommendations. This trademark has now been surrendered by the private sector individual after legal action contesting his ownership.”

I have an issue with the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet and what I feel is misleading information in regards to the company’s “TCCC Approval” marking. You might too once you read what I have to say.

First off, I’d like to explain what the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care’s guidelines are, because it’s important to understand the development of this committee and all they’ve done for tactical medicine. I’ll also note that the guidelines are commonly referred to as TCCC guidelines and were designed to provide U.S. Combat Medics and trained military personnel with a framework to manage combat trauma on the battlefield.

TCCC Guidelines

The TCCC guidelines have three primary goals. Treat the casualty, prevent additional casualties and complete the mission. The most critical phase of care in combat is from the time of injury until the patient reaches higher echelon care, or a surgically capable medical treatment facility. The guidelines break this critical time into three definitive phases; care under fire, tactical field care and tactical evacuation care.

If you’ve been reading ITS for the past six years, you’ve probably read our articles that have kept up with the CoTCCC’s updates to their guidelines, which have been in a constant state of evolution since the original TCCC guidelines were published in 1996. The CoTCCC is composed of trauma surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, combatant unit physicians, combat medics, corpsmen and PJs. It has representation from every branch of the Military, all having deployment experience. For an idea of just what the committee does when it meets, check out the minutes of their latest meeting. Also, if you’ve never read over the TCCC Guidelines, you can find the most recent updates here on ITS.

CoTCCC vs USTCCC.com

Now that you’re up to speed on what the CoTCCC is and what the guidelines they release are, let’s get into what’s causing confusion. There’s a commercial company named Tactical Combat Casualty Care that has trademarked the words “Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).” As a fellow business owner, I understand the need to trademark what you’ve worked hard to create, but I question the decision of this particular company to trademark these words.

trademark

I primarily call this into question because the trademark was filed on March 20th, 2012. When filing a trademark, a company has to describe a class of goods and services they want a trademark to protect and in this case, the company chose to go into Class 041, which falls under educational services. Additionally on a trademark application, a company is required to list the date they first used the desired trademark and the date they first used the desired trademark in commerce. In the case of the company Tactical Combat Casualty Care, the first use date was February 1st, 2006 and the first use in commerce date was March 1st, 2006.

Looking at the timeline of 2006 when the company, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, is claiming they first used the name and added it to a product for sale commercially, you’ll see this is ten years after the CoTCCC first established it in their TCCC guidelines. As I mentioned in an example a few weeks back with my Wounded Warrior Project Article, I also believe this to be a non-enforceable trademark against the CoTCCC, because of the date they first started using the term. I’m not a trademark lawyer, so this is purely my own opinion on the matter, based on my knowledge of trademark law that I’ve had to educate myself on with owning my own business.

Our Law Enforcement Correspondent, Eric S., regularly attends the Special Forces Medical Association Scientific Assembly and wrote a great article at the end of last year about just what the TECC is and their updates from SOMA. During TECC meetings he heard first hand from CTECC and CoTECC members about trademark infringement claims by the company Tactical Combat Casualty Care and their opposition to the TECC and CoTCCC using the term “TCCC.”

Approval vs. Recommendation

Trademark disputes and the long backstory aside, the real crux of my issue comes from what the company Tactical Combat Casualty Care is doing with their approval on a product called the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet. The R.A.T.S. Tourniquet is now printing “TCCC Approved” on the tourniquet, which I believe is misleading considering it’s not approved by the CoTCCC. It is approved by the company Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

The CoTCCC (Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care) doesn’t approve medical devices. In the case of tourniquets, they’ve only ever “recommended” specific tourniquets and the only two that are currently recommend in their guidelines are the CAT (Combat Application Tourniquet) and the SOFTT (SOF Tactical Tourniquet).

I believe from my own opinion as a consumer that the TCCC Approved label on the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet is misleading, as it implies approval by the CoTCCC. As mentioned earlier in this article, the CoTCCC came out with their original guidelines in 1996 and since that time has been regularly releasing updates to their TCCC guidelines. This predates the company Tactical Combat Casualty Care’s first use in commerce of 2006. Labeling this device with this approval mislead me into believing they’d somehow received an endorsement from the CoTCCC.

Being in the military prior to 2006, TCCC was already a recognized term to me, which I associated with the CoTCCC. I’d argue many others with and without a military background believe TCCC to refer to the CoTCCC as well.

RATS Tourniquet TCCC Approved 02

“TCCC Approved”

Just to be clear, I’m not calling into question the efficacy of the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet, simply the manufacturer’s choice to label it TCCC Approved. The R.A.T.S. Tourniquet has many resellers, including the very Tactical Combat Casualty Care company which approved it. This makes it a more serious issue in my opinion. Having the TCCC Approved label without disclosing what that approval actually means is misleading in my book.

The company Tactical Combat Casualty Care has recently published an open letter addressing their affiliation, or lack thereof, with the CoTCCC. I found the position by their owner, Raffaele DiGiorgio, to be unnecessarily defensive. In the letter, which you can read here, Mr. DiGiorgio states that people’s frustration around his trademarking of TCCC is out of “jealousy that they didn’t think of it first” and that his company isn’t given the same consideration as larger entities when it comes to the enforcement of its trademarks.

He goes on to further call into question the endorsement (read recommendation) of products by the CoTCCC by citing examples of CAT Tourniquet failures in the field and the CoTCCC’s “dubious support” of Combat Gauze when a Z-Medica director sits on the committee. I’m not quite sure what all this has to do with the flack he’s catching for his trademarks though. I believe that it has nothing to do with jealousy or not feeling that Mr DiGiorgio’s rights to enforce trademarks are legitimate, it’s more so his reasoning for trademarking TCCC in the first place.

That and providing a TCCC approved endorsement for products like the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet. Perception is reality and in this case I feel the public is being led to perceive the R.A.T.S tourniquet carries an endorsement that it doesn’t.

What do you think? Is the R.A.T.S. tourniquet misleading consumers with their TCCC Approval?

References

Posted in Medical | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 180 Comments

Two for Flinching: How to Stop Anticipating When You Shoot

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Chris Sajnog

stop-flinch

If you flinch or anticipate when you shoot, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

The good news is the way to fix it is easy and scientifically proven to work. The bad news is that it’s not a quick fix and it’s gonna take some time!

The Science

Any time you even think about a sequence of moves, in this case while shooting a pistol, your body puts insulation (Myelin) around the path of neurons needed to repeat that movement. It does this so that in the event you need to do that movement again, you can do it faster.

At some point in learning to shoot or more likely, not learning to shoot the correct way, the sound of the gun going off or the explosion in your hands caused you to flinch. It’s the natural human response to a stressor and yes, no matter how tough you are, they are stressors. Through repetition, you’ve developed a neural pathway that includes a flinch. This is going to stay with you, especially under stress, until you build a stronger, alternate neural pathway.

The Fix

Like I said, this is the easy part. All you need to do is practice the right way, without stress. The only way to do this is dry weapon training; practice going though the movements perfectly with an unloaded weapon. Once you’ve developed a neural pathway that’s better insulated than the one with the flinch, you’ll be cured forever.

Sure, you can learn some tricks (stress suppression) on the range to slowly fire a single round without flinching, but as soon as you add stress back, your flinch will be back, guaranteed.

The Path

The fastest path to fixing your flinch is by using my New Rules of Marksmanship. You’ll learn to shoot faster and easier than any other old-school “fundamentals” based method. The reason why is that the New Rules of Marksmanship is a framework for training, not a set of methods that worked for someone else.

The Truth

Other people might tell you that dry weapons training (a.k.a. dry fire) is not the best way to train and I’ll tell you this, they don’t know what they’re talking about. Unless they know more than what’s been proven repeatedly over the past 30-years through scientific study. I guess it’s possible, but more likely, they’re just repeating what their instructors (Dad, Grandpa) taught them 20+ years ago.

Don’t believe the myth that the only way to get better is to shoot thousands of rounds at the range. In fact, as I’m sure you’ve learned (and why you’re reading this right now) it can actually be worse than doing dry weapons training at home. Take the time to train properly and perfectly at home and you’ll be amazed the next time you go to the range.

Put in the time to train properly and you can fix this!

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Chris is a former Navy SEAL and the Director of Training for  Center Mass Group, which was founded by two retired Navy SEAL Instructors. Giving people the experience of being trained by the most elite combat unit in the world, Chris is currently a Maritime-Counter-Terrorism and advanced marksmanship Instructor who has trained DOD, DHS, FBI, CIA and multiple foreign allies in all aspects of combat weapons handling, marksmanship and Maritime Operations.

Posted in Firearms | Tagged , , , , , , , | 65 Comments

A Challenge to Veterans this Memorial Day

Posted on May 25, 2015 by John Hurth

SFC Nathan Ross Chapman

Today is Memorial Day, a federal holiday here in the United States for remembering and honoring people who paid the ultimate sacrifice while in the service of our country’s armed forces. Many volunteers will visit our national cemeteries and place an American flag on each grave. Many will visit cemeteries and memorials, to honor those who have died in military service.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” ~ John 15:13

On the morning of Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised quickly to the top of the staff and then slowly lowered to the half-staff position. The United States flag remains at the half-staff position in remembrance of more than a million service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. At noon, the flag is then raised to full-staff to symbolize that their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their place and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

For many Veterans, Memorial Day can be quite depressing, especially if you served in combat and are intimately familiar with those who may have died violently. Feelings of anger and depression can consume us. For those of us who have survived, we have to change the way we deal with the memories of our fallen brothers and sisters. Memorial Day is not about us, but sometimes we invariably make it about us, because of our feelings and living with the memories of the day when our buddies were taken from us.

Memorial Day is about honoring our fallen brothers and sisters and celebrating their life and their memory. Our brothers and sisters who fell would have wanted it that way. They would have wanted us to rejoice and celebrate their memory, not give way to depression. We have a duty to honor them and to ensure their memory is not forgotten. We as the survivors need to tell their story of who they were and how much they meant to us.

I challenge all of my fellow veterans to make a positive change in your life this Memorial Day. Be the warrior, embrace the warrior culture and spirit. This Memorial Day stand tall and firm, celebrate and speak fondly of those who have fallen. We honor them and the lives they lived and are proud to have known them. Always remembered, Never Forgotten!

Til Valhall!

The Photo is of SFC Nathan Ross Chapman’s coffin, being carried by military pallbearers in January 2002. Nate was assigned to 1st Special Forces Group at Ft. Lewis, WA and was the first American soldier to be killed in combat in the war in Afghanistan.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: John Hurth is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier who served with 1st Special Forces Group at Ft. Lewis, WA where he participated in multiple deployments overseas to include two combat tours in support of the Global War On Terror. He now uses his years of tracking knowledge as the owner and lead instructor of the TÝR Group where he and his staff conduct training on various tracking techniques.

Posted in Memorial | Tagged , , | 5 Comments