DEC 2015
CONTENTS
4 TRAINING: COMBINED FIREARMS COURSE We speak again to our good friends at the European Security Academy to get the lowdown on their very latest firearms course! 8 BOOK REVIEW “The Combat Leaders Field Guide”. 10 TRAINING: KAPAP COMBATIVES Avi Nadia is a highly repected matrtials arts and tactical trainer running courses globally; we find out what makes him tick. 15 “TRUNK MONKEY” PMCI goes “one on one” with contractor and author Lewis Steiner 18 INDUSTRY UPDATE Hutchy gives us his thoughts on medical training for PMCs 20 GEAR ON TEST The PMCI Team make their recommendations on the latest gear to hit the market! 24 MEET THE MAKER Carinthia have been around for a while, but who are they and what do they bring to the table? 28 TACTICAL INNOVATION We check out some of the very latest tools from the Walther Pro line 30 BOOK REVIEW “Glock, the World’s Handgun” 33 FIREARMS SPOTLIGHT Trampas asks the question “Bolt Action or Semi Auto?” with an innovative build featuring precision parts from Deveil Dog Arms 36 TECH AND TOOLS Need a top of the range knife? Trampas gives us his thoughts on the “Wanderer” from Gray’s Custom 38 BOOK REVIEW “Devils Fire” 40 SPECIAL REPORT We’re constantly looking “outside the box” for tactical and firearms solutions, and the FlxSHOT system certainly is different and effective! 42 HEAD TO HEAD This time our two tame contractors “get physical” 44 INDUSTRY VACANCIES Looking for work? Just check here.
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Editor (UK): Bill Thomas Editor (International): Dan Eastes Graphic Design: Baz Thakur Publisher: Nigel Streeter PMCI Magazine is a digital-only publication, published bi-monthly and available FREE OF CHARGE via the PMCI app on the following platforms: Apple iOS, Android, Windows 8, and Windows Phone. For more information visit our publishing partner: www.PocketMags.com PMCI can also be read online at: www.issuu.com Calibre Publishing Limited Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.pmcimagazine.com ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2014
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Thank you for downloading this Edition of PMCI, the FREE digital publication dedicated to PMC Operatives. PMCI is written by individuals with first hand knowledge and experience of the subject they write about - people like Col. Gerry Schumacher (USSF Ret.), author Simon Chambers and ex-TL Dan E, all of whom have an intimate understanding of what the role entails and the day to day challenges faced by PMCs.
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TRAINING:
EUSECA
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TRAINING:
COMBINED FIREARMS COURSE Ever since PMCI was launched we’ve worked closely with the team at the ESA in Europe due to their meticulous training programs, and were delighted to see a new course had been added to their ever-expanding curriculum. We asked Bartosz Zukowski, Director of the European Security Academy UK, to give us the lowdown.
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ere at the European Security Academy in Poland we provide all kinds of Security Courses and Training for civilians as well as for governmental units but we felt that something was missing! If we are talking about Firearms Courses we have various short three days courses where our students can learn from the basics how to use a handgun or carbine on our Tactical Pistol/Tactical Carbine which takes place three times a year. After those courses students can progress through Dynamic Pistol/Carbine where all the drills are done on the move, with time pressure, with multiple targets and specifically designed tasks. I did all of them and all I can say in short is: they are AWESOME ! Last year myself and one of the ESA instructors came to the conclusion that it would be great to have something in between, something that gives a taste of all modern weapons systems that are used by contractors all over the world, something that students won’t forget about for a long time and come back for more. The task wasn’t easy as we had to fit lot of material into three days which is normally done over seven days training. After a long conversation, careful planning and litres of coffee we came out with an idea to run a three day COMBINED FIREARMS COURSE. Now we needed one more thing to accomplish our mission and get it running; the “green light” from the ESA Managing Director.
Getting that wasn’t as hard as I thought, he mostly agreed with the idea, but some of the training parts had to be removed and he suggested what we could add instead to make it a three day course on three different weapons systems in one go. At the end of the meeting he found the idea of the course so innovative, attractive and beneficial to the students that he decided to place that course in regular ESA Training Schedule and run it twice a year in 2016. WOW what could I say? I was more than happy, and now it was the time to see what students reaction is going to be and their feedback. We set the 1st date and it was early November 2015. People started signing up fast as soon as we released the training programme online. To be honest I was expecting it as the training programme was very innovative, designed to teach students how to work with Glock 17, Submachine guns such as Swiss APC and German MP5 including KURZ version, and the Sig Sauer M4 Carbine. The cherry on the cake was night CQB scenarios with FX Simunition “Force on Force” Drills, but let’s start from the beginning. Day One; after registration our group which was comprised of ten shooters went through weapon familiarisation. Our Instructor brought all the units mentioned above plus handguns such as HK UPC/Berreta/SigSauer and explained about the safety on the range as well as how to operate each of the firearms. Students also had an opportunity to disassemble and assemble all of them which was a lot’s of fun for most of them considering the fact that none of them are available for shooting due to tight gun legislations here in the UK. Before lunch the group was familiarised with all the units we were going to use
looked at me and I knew that I’d have the task to play a bad guy and make their life hard during building clearance and fulfilling the mission which was fine with me as it’s always an extra training opportunity for myself ! Did I mention that the Instructor also took flashbangs and smoke grenades with him? Yes, he did! We started! The first drill was for the students to go on the setup route through the building with me popping out from the corners and attacking them. It’s a task which looks easy especially when you have 5 men team where each member can focus on covering their sector, but it quickly became a mess when I threw the first flashbang and attacked them from different angles. The formation got mixed up and chaos ensued. Of course you can’t teach somebody CQB in one day and this was understandable for everybody. What was important for us is to give our students understanding of the difficulties of CQB and room clearance. After few rounds in teams of five we decided to split them into smaller groups to see how they were going to cooperate with each other. This time the mission was to check the building, locate the hostage and evacuate him to a safe area. All of the course were equipped with FX Glock, and I was there with grenades trying to disturb them. This time the drill went better according to rules; the less operators in the team the less the mess. All teams managed to fulfil the mission with more or less casualties; I got shot few times as well. Those drills were performed with low light conditions where some of the lights in the building were turned on. Now was the time to bring it to the next level; one on one hostage rescue drills in pitch black darkness! The only source of light was a Glock flashlight attached to the pistol. This time students were really careful and moved forward very slowly checking each room with lot of attention making sure
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When we arrived there equipped with Glocks converted to FX Simunition and flashlights the Instructor said, “We are not going to shoot paper targets today anymore, we are going to run scenarios with real opponents shooting back on you”. Then he
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and ready to go live on the range. The first day was planned to be spent mostly with handguns and this is what happened, working on drawing, grip, sight alignment, breathing, trigger work and a solid shooting platform. That was the main concern of the instructor; safety first, and always. After few hours students were sorted, mistakes were fixed, wrong habits were wiped out. Accuracy was improved and everybody was using their handgun in a safe and professional manner, even those who have never handled one before. When it started getting dark we had to come back to the Academy for dinner, debriefing and relaxing for the rest of the evening which was spent mostly in discussion about the course, weapons, other courses provided and tons of questions and answers. Day Two started straight on one of the ESA ranges. I noticed big smiles on the faces of all the students when our Instructor opened the cases full of Brügger & Thomet APC’s and Heckler & Koch MP5’s. We started with a warm up with the handguns we had used on the Day One and then we jumped into SMG’s. Students were impressed with the accuracy of both weapons systems and especially with APC which was equipped with a red dot sight. With almost no recoil all shooters were able to put bullets on the targets quite easily. Once they got use to static shooting we went for more dynamic scenarios with multiple targets. When the sun went down and we couldn’t see the targets properly we got back to the academy for the dinner, but the day for us wasn’t finished! After dinner we met up in what is called “Little Mogadishu”. It’s a CQB village built for the purpose of CQB training and running AOP (Attack on Principle) drills on PMC (Private Military Contractor) and CP (Close Protection) courses.
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they were safe to proceed. Unfortunately they weren’t as I was somewhere in there waiting for them in the dark. We finished the day very late about midnight and went straight to bed as the next day there was more fun and knowledge to come, this time with M4 Carbine made by Sig Sauer. Day Three started easy. During breakfast and travel to the range there was only one subject under discussion; yesterday’s drills. Everybody was still excited about what happened the night before. Students were showing each other bruises from FX Ammo and sharing their experiences. When we arrived the Instructor explained about M4 carbine once again and the group started to warm up with static shooting.
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When everybody was happy with it the Instructor invented more sophisticated drills with usage of multiple targets and use of cover. We also shot from alternative positions like kneeing and prone. Then we reached the time when we had to start what everyone had been waiting for; weapon transitions. It’s a technique of changing your primary weapon which was the M4 in our case to your secondary weapon which was the Glock. Reasons for that transition may be something like a malfunction in your primary weapon or an out of ammo situation when you can’t stop providing fire. We showed the students two ways of doing this, one suitable for a static and one for a dynamic situation. They picked up quite quickly on the dry drills and we were able to continue with live ammo. When it became dark we realised that we still had about 30 bullets for the M4 and 30 for the Glocks for
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each students left and we needed to shoot it all in one drill as we had to be back at the Academy for the dinner in less than an hour! The Instructor gave me a free hand to design the drill and after five minutes I had a good one for them. Because it was completely dark at this time we had to use a flashlight to at least point the weapons on target. Luckily the Instructor from ESA had his very own version of the M4 with holographic sights and flashlight attached and let the students have it for the drill. However some of them refused it and wanted to go in the dark, and that was individual choice. The drill started with walking forward towards the targets, then I gave the signal “CONTACT FRONT” and it all kicked off! Double tap on four targets, run behind cover, two double taps from the left side of the cover and two from the right , then shooting to four targets while moving, getting to the point where they were dry. Weapon transition (at this time I was pointing my flashlight on the targets), double taps to 3 different targets. Magazine change and on the move six “Mozambique Combos” in three targets. That was enough for everybody! After that drill we went back to the academy for dinner and certification. We discussed the course, and listened to the feedback which was very good. Now I can’t wait for the next one which takes place in January 2016. Now that sounds like a righteous course to us, and Bartosz has kindly invited us to attend one of their courses next year so we can bring you our own thoughts. If in the meantime this article has piqued your curiosity then you can find out more by visiting www.euseca. co.uk or emailing them via info@euseca.co.uk
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BOOK REVIEW Combat Leaders Field Guide
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THE COMBAT LEADERS FIELD GUIDE The Combat Leaders Field Guide is one of those books that really should be in anyone’s library as it really is the “one stop shop” for topics ranging from equipment and techniques to communication and commands. It’s essentially a guide to the basic skills which must be understood and mastered by anyone in a military occupation and id updated regularly to take into account the very latest changes in tactical doctrine. It covers all the “skills and drills” that are needed for the combatant to prevail in small-unit dismounted combat operations, including planning, battle drills for offensive and defensive operations, patrols, construction and emplacement of fighting positions, use of weapons and calls for fire, land navigation and map reading, communications, close quarter battle, and tactical combat casualty care. It basically takes into account all the equipment, operational and individual security skills essential to anyone who is essentially acting in an infantry role, and this 14th Edition has been extensively updated to include the very latest lessons learned during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although written as a true military reference guide the inclusions are equally as valuable and insightful for anyone acting in a Private Military capacity, as often this will include working alongside regular military forces; having a thorough understanding of their operational doctrines is something that will prove ultimately useful, and could just be life-saving! With 416 pages of text and 238 black and white illustrations this is a lot of book for the money that really should be required reading for anyone deploying overseas in a military security role. Author: Jeff Kirkham Publisher: Stackpole Books ISBN: 978-0811714448 Price: £12.99
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TRAINING: KAPAP COMBATIVES
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TRAINING KAPAP COMBATIVES A number of us that contribute to PMCI are actively involved in tactical training and the product development that goes hand in hand with this. We speak to others involved in the industry worldwide on a regular basis and this month we’re turning our attention to self-defence and martial arts training again as we speak to Master Avi Nardia from KAPAP Combatives.
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MCI: Avi, in your own words tell me what led you to set up the KAPAP Combatives? I’m an obsessive student! That quality of mine has become a big part of my life and made it dwell around the idea “Always a student, sometimes a teacher“. It’s a stepping stone for my students to learn as I introduce them to the numerous ideas and teachers and subject them to study and exploration. As I left the Israeli Army after experiencing the war zone and serving on the land of Lebanon pushing PLO and Syrian army drug cartels out in June 1982 as part of my Mandatory service I left to study Martial Arts in the Far East. That journey has taken almost 8 years and as I returned to Israel I started teaching anything I have learned and knew at that time. I haven’t tried to find what was not good in an existing systems or how they differ but more what I can study and earn from studying and how to develop and increase my knowledge. KAPAP consists of everything that Avi Nardia has studied and learned BUT as I got involved in teaching the IDF and creating a new program for Military Krav Maga under the supervision of Lt Colonel Avi Harus to upgrade the Krav Maga system unfortunately he passed away and at that time the army got more into politics.
TRAINING: KAPAP COMBATIVES
As same as in most police/army systems it’s very difficult to make changes without making a revolution. At that time I joined the top Israeli Counter Terror unit as an NCO with the rank of Master Sergeant and became trainer of the world’s top Israeli unit that has helped to build KAPAP as a system. KAPAP was nameless at that time and was mixture of everything that I taught . As I moved to the USA later on many asked what was the name of the system. The existing name Krav Maga was more marketing and business oriented and at that time it was connected with some people from the underground who have tried to trademark something they didn’t own and sell certificates. I made a decision to make a difference in the market and I called it KAPAP in 1992; Israeli Krav Maga. It was meant to make a change by creating a new and solid identity of the true Israeli martial arts recognized as KAPAP. It happened that later on many have tried to trademark the name and steal the name so it was changed to KAPAP Combatives and today it is known as A.N.A. – Avi Nardia Academy for only the teacher can make a difference and show that it’s not the title that makes the person but the opposite the person makes the title...
I have been a father of KAPAP in the top unit of Israeli counter terrorism and I have brought to light the old name that was long time forgotten, KAPA Face to face combat. Back in 2000 there was only one school who was teaching KAPAP and there was only one web site owned by me and representing my school. Today you can find numerous individuals claiming to be the real KAPAP. I don’t mind for good quality always finds its way to stand out in the crowd and be recognized by true people. If you ask me KAPAP could be even called a banana! I am trying to present my knowledge in the right way and teach everything I know BUT since Israeli Martial art and Krav Maga were perceived in a wrong way I wanted to set some borders and demand more professionalism on all levels not to turn the system into a marketing product but to bring back the respect to the instructors from the old days who have made the Israeli Martial art unique and brilliant in so many ways that most people forget to mention and take credit only for themselves. PMCI: When and where did you start running your courses? In 1992 I came back to Israel from the Far East where I spent most of my time in Japan as a student for almost 8 years studying different martial arts. My job was part of the project run by Colonel Avi Harush RIP. It was supposed to prepare young recruits for joining the Special Forces in Israeli army. This is when I started teaching KAPAP as a system but only part time. Later on when I got recruited to the top counter terrorist unit of Israel as a member and a trainer I became a full time KAPAP trainer. The KAPAP system was also used by instructors in the operational police academy but since they had their own curriculum “ HAGANA Hatsmit “ ( Defensive Tactic ) the police didn’t allow this kind of an open minded program like army did or counter terrorism unit. The police had very rigid system and didn’t allow the input of new ideas but at least they allowed instructors to take classes. When I moved to the USA around 2002 I started teaching KAPAP to the USA army, Marines, Navy, Police and SWAT SRT teams.
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TRAINING: KAPAP COMBATIVES
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PMCI: What exactly do you specialise in? I am specialised in studying, I am a very good student. I study Karate, Judo, Jiujutsu, BJJ, Kyudo, Kendo, Iaido, Jodo, Thai Boxing, Boxing and many other arts. I have always seen myself as Avi Nardia, swordsman and combative. I have been studying martial arts to the highest level: Karate to 6 dan , Kendo to 6 dan, Aiki Kenpo Jiujutsu. I’m one of the leading instructors under Hanshi Patrick McCarthy who is one of the most talented martial arts teacher and who I look up to as one of the most important roots of KAPAP. I am studying “Brazilian Jiujutsu” with the Machado family Machado RCJ and I am an owner of their black belt too. I also teach and share BJJ art and I’ve been a guest BJJ teacher in Brazil as well. I used to love firearm training and I taught different styles of firearm training, mostly based on self-defence, but also sport and competition for fun too. PMCI: Who do you see as your target customer for your courses? For many years it was different units of the army and police but today I’m more into targeting civilians like kids, adults, and women for the world is constantly changing, not many times for good. We can see how values and morals have decreased and drugs and terror controlling the population and getting into all pores of life. In Israel we all get born hand to hand with terrorism and it is part of our lives to deal with it and fight it on a daily level. But nowadays people worldwide feel threatened by it. It seems that terror doesn’t come only for a visit but likes staying and becoming part of daily life all over world. This is why KAPAP Combative open doors more and more to the civilians and people from all walks of life, also in the form of kids classes. PMCI: I know that you have access to excellent training facilities that you make use of worldwide; can you tell me more about them and what you do there? We have a CQB school in Thailand where students can take any course starting with army skills, survival and SERE
to parachuting, firearms class from hand guns to rifle, boat and different skill that are closed to civilians and open only to army and special units. It includes tactical driving, and a VIP protection school run by a good friend of mine. I used to be a Master Instructor for long time in CQB school but today I only teach on occasional basis, from time to time because I’m busy with other projects. My students like taking classes there as same as in Serbia in one small town close to Belgrade. The city Pozarevac has a very good firearm school called “GROM” (Thunder) with great team members who offer different defensive training almost each month for hand guns, rifle, shotgun, gun transitions, low light, behind cover and many others skills. You can easily find many video clips of the GROM shooting school at the Avi Nardia Youtube channel where you can see great training lead by Master Željko Vujčić. PMCI: You also provide training to the military; what does this entail? We keep teaching for example in Serbia units like PTJ ( counter terror unit ), ZANDARMERIJA and also police units in Israel and military units worldwide that most times I am kindly asked not to mention to the public. I am teaching only countries who are friendly to Israel and stand for democratic values. My credo is “Safety first, safety last” and if safety is not in the first place I will not teach even if I was asked to do it by Delta force itself. I have noticed that many units neglect safety and let ego dominate the training. Safety starts from basic safety rules that I apply from organising a firearm range and how to set guns at the range and perform drills, how to clear gun. Before every training I must be sure that only my safety rules and standards will be applied to the training for many units have different ideas what safety consists of. When you teach the firearm dry fire is the most important part of the training. It needs to take 60 % of the training and only when students get nice skills we move to the basic skills with ammo from trigger control, renew contact, malfunctions, changing magazines, working behind cover, shooting from cars, window,
defence. Some new instructors set up new schools or rent space in order to start to teach. Most of them who join the Instructors program are already instructors who want to enrich their knowledge and get jobs as security officers or police or army personnel. PMCI: Without going into specifics, who do you, and your successful trainees, work with? I can give Fabian Garcia from Argentina as an example. He is working with the Argentinian army Police and prison guard system and has also spread KAPAP all over south America in countries like Peru, Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay. Diogo from Brazil is working with BOPE in Brazil and also with other police units. For me success is not measured by working for the police or army only. We have a great example of Sam Markey from UK who was working with handicapped people and this is very important to me to bring KAPAP close to civilians and also to civilians with disabilities so we can change their lives and make them feel strong and better prepared for life. PMCI: Where do you see KAPAP Combatives evolving in the future? I can see KAPAP Combatives more under the A.N.A.; Avi Nardia Academy. As I already said 20 years ago no one has even heard about the KAPAP but I have been working really hard ever since and I haven’t been always easy on my students who weren’t promoted that easily and I also haven’t allowed people to teach unless they went through all four levels of KAPAP. Only in some rare cases I have agreed to let some people teach with Level One only. Today there are so many people who have earned the KAPAP Level One and saw their chance to take advantage of KAPAP’s good reputation and credibility to make easy money and sell certificates to anyone who wants to pay. This is why I have decided to set the program under my name, Avi Nardia. It is the only way to stop this upcoming avalanche and continue working on my agenda the way KAPAP is meant to work and function. My goal is to include MORE civilians and kids and women into the system and to present KAPAP more as a self-defence system and less as an assault military system. I like thinking about KAPAP as an Israeli Jiujutsu. PMCI: If someone reading this article likes the sound of what you offer, what should be their next step? My goal is not to have anyone who will read this join KAPAP tomorrow! I’m looking for integrity first of all. My goal is not to have opportunist students who change their teachers every few month and so organisation and ranks... I am not looking for these guys. I’m looking for people who are ready to do research, to go to youtube to watch video clips, to take a look at a few DVDs and then contact me and come to see the training to get their own impressions. I am not looking for students who are into rumours and only want to wear T Shirt with Commando or Army or Special Forces logos. It’s a joke that many people go with an army uniform to the city mall to do their two hours training and go home. If someone wants to be a solider or commando he needs to join the army! There are no wannabees in my school and I kindly ask all of them not to waste my time as I am very busy and my goal is to spend my time on students who want to study. PMCI: Master Avi, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and give an insight to what you do. I’m certain that there is something you offer that would be pertinent to each and every one of our readers! www.avinardia.com www.kapapacademy.net www.avinardiablog.com
TRAINING: KAPAP COMBATIVES
door and so on but all this cannot be done without being hundred percent sure that safety is first and last. A year ago one Russian instructor nominated himself as the deadliest person ever and published lots of Rambo style video clips. One of them was a clip with 5 students in the shooting range where he shoots his student four times by accident! Where ego is high and safety low the accident can always happen. PMCI: Do you train just military and police personnel or civilians too? My goal and agenda in the last couple of years is to move my teachings more to teaching civilians. The main problem with civilians is that they fall for marketing and since all web sites today look the same it’s difficult for them to know who is who. Any former solider can become an expert or hero, but people forget that after all having a yellow belt in Karate even if you’ve been a soldier doesn’t meant that you can’t teach hand to hand. Every day I see 22 years old guys that have just left the army and have never been instructor in army and for sure not in the police calling himself expert and grand master. They thrive from the fact that many students only want a certificate and rubber stamp to set them as instructor. I always say that if you set a crown on a clown it doesn’t make him a king. This is the main reason why the market is not up to the highest standards but run by low level expectation mostly also because of the instant gratification that became a modern trend that everything needs to be achieved in few months or weeks only. People are used to getting what they want in an easy way and very fast and this is opening doors to many so called instructors who are willing to sell illusions instead of real knowledge. PMCI: Do you offer training in specialized equipment? We offer different training including stick fights, swords fight, fire arms, gun disarming , knife fighting and disarming, and from time to time also special trainings like parachuting, or boats assaults survival skills, arctic survival that some time need some gear BUT at our main and regular training all you need is cloth. Some trainings are done in the field under the sun and some inside a gym where most of the time you don’t need any gear PMCI: Do you have all the equipment available as part of your courses? Students don’t need any special gear unless it’s some special training when they get a list of equipment needed. At the regular training we offer most of the gear and pads, but for boxing for example students need to have their own gloves, mouth protectors and so on for hygiene purposes. PMCI: Once trainees have successfully completed one of your courses can they buy the equipment from you or are you able to direct them to the correct supplier? Yes we have organized a seminar called “Knife Only” where students get the knives and use it and could also keep it after the training. We organize also “Spikey” training where students get the tool as part of the course. We have a store on my web site where you can find the KAPAP book and gear and where you can also get books and DVD by Amazon. I’m not a big marketing expert person and not a big salesman but we have a store at the website in order to help students find everything they need. PMCI: Once trained, how do those successfully attending your courses go about finding employment? Most students who attend my Instructors program have already their own schools and only want to incorporate the KAPAP program into their school as another way of combative and self-
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Jay Slater takes the opportunity to interview a man who really has “been there, done that.” eapons are like cars,” says Lewis Steiner, an ex-Army soldier and Mercenary for Hire (or “Security Contractor” as the industry prefers to call him these days). “I think everyone has their favourites and I know many who rave about the AK-47. Personally I hate it, not because it’s crap but because it has no finesse. It’s not super-accurate and yes, it does have manstopping power but when you consider most are made under licence in shithole countries with no quality control, I rather put my life in the hands of something a bit more refined.” Steiner sits in the corner of a pub in Lower Clapton Road, his back to the wall and eyeing the locals, the saloon door and a means of escape as if routine. Located on a stretch of tarmac that lays claim to the unwanted title of “Britain’s Deadliest Road” in terms of gangland killings, Steiner feels at home despite the clientele and air of graphic violence. Images of the Kray brothers hang from walls as if shrines to the departed and suit the pub well. Its wallpaper, tarred by fading nicotine and the occasional splatter of claret just do not catch the eye - unless, of course, you are Steiner. Lewis Steiner is currently serving with a major US news outlet in Baghdad and has returned to London to promote his book Trunk Monkeys: The Life of a Contract Soldier in Iraq (Fonthill Media, 2014). The book, unlike many other titles that fabricate the author’s role in the Middle East, tells Steiner’s true story as a mercenary working in Iraq shortly after the second Gulf War. From the perspective of a grizzled veteran who left the British Army to join the gold rush in the living hell that was war-torn Iraq, this fascinating and often extremely violent book encompasses the highs and lows of operating
throughout the country; from Basra in the south up to Mosul in the north. Steiner recounts stories of friends lost due to negligence and poor planning, to the realities of conducting a private war surrounded by civilians who might be the enemy. Injured in an incident that left two dead, Steiner accepted a contract located near Tikrit, where the missions rapidly become a death sentence to many of the contract soldiers. In some cases the missions were pointless, costing men, vehicles and the sanity of his brothers in arms. Steiner was in the thick of it, from dodging enemy ambushes, to taking out a suicide bomber and narrowly escaping death in “Sniper Alley” - collecting cranberry sauce for the US on Thanksgiving Day!
INTERVIEW LEWIS STEINER
TRUNK MONKEY
Forget the fictionalised works of Andy McNab, Tom Clancy and Chris Ryan: this is the real deal and tells a story that the government does not want you to know. Think of The Wild Geese (1978) on steroids and you have the picture. Before becoming a security contractor, Steiner spent twenty-two years in the British Army as an infantry soldier. His first tastes of combat were in Northern Ireland, although he claims what he does now is an almost laughable introduction to the battlefield after his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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INTERVIEW LEWIS STEINER
“I managed to avoid peacekeeping duties in the former Yugoslavia. From what I have heard from people who served there, it sounded like a truly depressing and demoralising situation. Also, it is very common for the fighting man to have their hands tied by the same corrupt politicians who unleash us to do their dirty work and then change the rules mid-game.” Steiner has encountered a number of life-threatening situations such as a suicide bomber, who he took out with his SAW before his bullet-pummelled human target exploded with no effect next to an armoured vehicle. He states that he has been in many of these situations, so will concentrate on the one that had the deepest and most profound effect on him. He had been working in Iraq for over a year and was a team leader of a PSD (Protection Security Detail) team near Samarra. As was often the case, the missions that he was convinced were suicidal were not, whereas the routine tasks proved to “bite you in the arse”. He had been busy all week and preoccupied with several IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) and small-arms fire in a five-day period. “On the Friday, we had a day off and decided that we would go to a local US Army base for some “R & R”. I remember sitting in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle feeling content and thinking that the 10-kilometre trip back was a foregone conclusion.” Ordering another beer, Steiner reflects on the past as if it happened yesterday. “I wasn’t that relaxed that I wasn’t doing my job but enough that what happened next surprised me. I felt and heard the whoosh of an RPG round as it impacted on the road where the right-hand tyre made contact with the tarmac. Had the round hit my vehicle,
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I would not be here talking to you now. The blast lifted the rear of the vehicle into the air and this, combined with the six-ton vehicle and the high speed that we were travelling at, was enough to flip us. I could feel the vehicle about to go in what felt like a slow motion moment. The horizon through the windscreen changed and the road outside my side window got closer and closer and then in a flash, the slow motion became fast forwards as the SUV crashed into the ground and rolled several times.” Steiner states that he felt as if he was in an out of control washing machine – easy meat for the enemy. The screeching of metal and sand that was kicked up inside the SUV’s cabin overwhelmed his senses, leaving him numb, dazed and shocked. Gradually, his senses returned. “I was still in my seat and I looked around the vehicle – it was empty. The windscreen had shattered and I crawled through the gap, falling onto the road. The SUV had come to a halt on its side and I could hear small-arms fire and the engine of the second vehicle as it stopped next to me. I wanted to drift off and sleep but I knew we had been ambushed and the RPG was just the start of it. I had to get back in the game and I forced myself up. I couldn’t feel it yet but I had two cracked ribs.” Steiner recovered his SAW and successfully engaged and destroyed the enemy that had bumped him and the unit. The driver was found off the road about ten metres in front of the stricken SUV where he had been hurtled through the windscreen when the RPG exploded. “He was alive but it was obvious to me that he wasn’t going to survive,” Steiner reflects. “We called in a medevac and loaded him onto a chopper. We found out later that he died on his way to the nearest camp. While this is by no means the worst thing that I have seen, it affected me the most.” Looking back, he says that his service in Northern Ireland was great, a chance to do what he was trained for; in a six-month tour, his battalion lost one man. In the 1990s, his group enjoyed no casualties. However, Afghanistan was the most dangerous country that he has ever served. “I was lucky enough, if you can use that term, to have been part of the invasion of Afghanistan and for me that was epic. It was dangerous but what came later in my opinion was far worse. The Afghans have done to us what they do best. They knew they could not defeat us, so they waited. What followed our invasion was a constant war of attrition. To put it into context, during the thirty-eight years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, over 700 soldiers died. Since
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Which begs the question: “What exactly is a trunk monkey?” In Steiner’s words it refers to a rear gunner in an armed vehicle and is a term used among military personnel in Iraq. Steiner perfected this role and made short work of approaching enemies with his SAW. But how does Trunk Monkeys differ from the multitude of other likeminded books of heroics and adventure? “Trunk Monkeys doesn’t ignore the facts and shows the good and the bad. I hope it gives an insight into what it was like to operate in a post-conflict environment like Iraq. We all saw the news reports about “Route Irish” (a notorious 7.5-mile stretch of highway in Baghdad known for its suicide bombers
and drive-by shootings) and IEDs, but these reports never gave an idea of what it was like to live under the constant threat of death. I hope in some way I have conveyed this feeling of dread that we all shared. Every day that I climbed inside my vehicle, it felt as if I was climbing into a coffin.” Steiner looks out of the rain-lashed window as if lost in thought. Was the hard cash worth it? Were the endless scenes of death and destruction worth it? The day he left Iraq for the UK, ISIS was only thirty-five miles to the west. “For all our airstrikes and firepower that we sold to the Iraqis, none of these things are slowing the enemy - an enemy we created and allowed to flourish by destabilising the region. I hope if nothing else that Trunk Monkeys gives you an idea of how what is happening today has gotten to this point and the problems that we will face to stem the flow of extremism. I would bet my life savings on the fact that airstrikes and weapons won’t be anywhere near enough. Indeed, we are all going to get sucked in again because the only way to stop what’s happening is by committing ground troops.” Steiner throws his head back and drains his glass. “We need to send in our military. It’s time to wipe them out.”
INTERVIEW LEWIS STEINER
2001, over 400 British soldiers have perished and over 3,000 if you group all deaths of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) personnel.” Steiner reflects on the past where he could earn $145,000 and more a year but now you can halve that – not good at all when every day could be your last. “Ten years ago when we owned Iraq and called the shots, there were thousands of us running around the country. And now? The Iraqi government call the tune and most PSD teams are locals. Until the next invasion, the need for people like me will be on the decrease. The few companies that still employ people for PSD in hostile environment missions demand a minimum of six years in the army and at least two operational tours. You also need an SIA (Security Industry Authority) Close Protection licence. With that being said, infantry and basic medical skills are needed and not “spooks” or SF. Just solid infantry skills and mental robustness.”
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I N D U S T R Y
UPDATE
WE KEEP WATCH SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Things change constantly and rapidly within the contracting industry so this month in the first of a series of regular columns we’re very pleased indeed to have Paul Hutchinson, MD of Associated Risks Group based in the UK, join us to keep everyone updated on legal issues.
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would just like to start by apologising for my Rod Gilbert style rant on “International Firearms courses” in the last issue, I will try to calm down and I promise the medication will start to work. Talking of medication…
Medical training in Close Protection is for most a subject that is avoided until their current certificate is about expire. For year’s medical courses where overlooked, students usually attended physically but mentally managed to be elsewhere. Medical training is one of the most important skills any CP operative should know and continue to practice and yet for most it’s avoided, just like any casualty they tiptoe past! Lets take your principal; threats fall into three category’s; Unintentional Injury, Intentional Injury and Embarrassing Situations. Generally the biggest threat is from medical situations in the unintentional category, such as cardiac arrest, chocking, angina or strokes. Accidents like falling from a horse, sports injuries or incidents on the ski slope are a common occurrence. However the biggest killer in the world today is still an RTC, Road Traffic Collision.
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The issue is this; your medical training could save a life whether it is the client, a team member or God forbid
one of your own children. A friend’s son was about 10 years old when he started to choke on a bit of bread, they were 35,000 feet in the air at the time! Needless to say good fortune or good training, he managed to unblock the airway and his son was fine. But he was it… the only medical response available! Medical training should be realistic and relevant to your Task. I have seen details over the years with Med-kits or Trauma Bags the user has no understanding of, or the reverse, no medical kit at all. Medical courses such as FPOSi (First Person on the Scene Intermediate) are basic but should be a basis to start from; courses such as MIRA (Medicine in Remote Areas) have raised the bar but as we move forward new courses develop such as the FREC (First Response Emergency Care) be aware that the FREC course “a career in the emergency services, ambulance services, the event medical sector or those who work in high risk workplaces.” has been developed for the Medical industry, not Close Protection. Then there’s the matter of skill fade “If you don’t use it, you lose it” I frequently work as a First Responder for a private Medical company in the UK covering all manner of medical emergencies just keep my hand in. Think of it like this, you’re getting paid to keep your skills up to scratch. I think you will find that’s a “win-win!” Stay safe
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CLAW GEAR AVICEDA FLEECE HOODY
RAL 7013, or Brown Grey, is a colour that is being picked up by many manufacturers for tactical clothing. We take a look at a great mid-layer garment from Claw Gear to explain why.
GEAR ON TEST
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t’s very interesting to see how the tactical gear and clothing industry has “trends” every bit as much as the fashion business and recently I’ve noticed that a number of European manufacturers have begun to offer garments and kit in “RAL 7013”. So what is “RAL 7013” and why is this colour suddenly so popular? In 1927 the German Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung (State Commission for Delivery Terms and Quality Assurance) invented a collection of standardised and numerically referenced colours which has been continually expanded from that day on. If you check out www.ralcolorchart.com and search for RAL 7013 you’ll find it in the “Grey” pallete; RAL provides a colour standard for all manufacturers to adhere to. In the tactical world this colour works in a wide broad range of ways. For professional end users the Brown Grey colour blends into a broad spectrum of environmental settings and can be perfectly combined with other blockcolour or camouflage clothing or equipment. Brown Grey gear is becoming increasingly popular because it works very effectively in all settings; it’s equally at home in towns and cities as it is in the backwoods. It’s a subtle and clever tone that allows the user to visually blend into their surroundings. RAL 7013 is the colour predominantly used by the Austrian Armed Forces so it’s hardly surprising to see Claw Gear, who are based in Steyr-Gleink, being at the forefront of this colour adoption. Claw Gear are highly innovative in what they produce not just in terms of cutting edge design and their use of the most up to date fabrics but also in their choice of colour options. Claw Gear have worked this colour into their entire range of tactical clothing and recently they sent me one of their Aviceda fleece garments to trial. This lightweight mid-layer garment is extremely comfortable to wear and the modern styling allows a full range of unrestricted movement. It’s made from a 100% polyester fleece fabric which looks and feels great, and high quality YKK zips are used throughout. The fleece itself is water repellent and breathes extremely well, making the Aviceda a superb layering piece. I especially like the low-profile hood which works perfectly in conjunction with a hard or softshell outer layer, effectively eliminating cold spots around the neckline. The Aviceda also benefits from two lower, mesh-lined handwarmer pockets, pockets on both upper arms with velcro patches for team/unit patches, and an inner pocket which allows routing for comms cables; the outer
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pockets are neatly trimmed with black fabric which gives the jacket a visually stunning appearance as well. Weighing in at just 410g the Aviceda is easy to pack and takes up minimal space in a pack, so it’s absolutely ideal if you want to stow it away “just in case”. Overall it’s a superbly designed jacket made of high end fabrics and components, and the finish of it just oozes quality and attention to detail. If you’re in the market for a new performance fleece jacket in the very latest “tacticool” colour then I would thoroughly recommend you take a very close look at the Aviceda. Claw Gear is currently available direct from the manufacturer although I’m led to believe that it will soon be more available in the UK. The Aviceda costs €74.90 and is available in RAL 7013, Black, Coyote, and Solid Rock (grey) in sizes small to XXL. For more information please visit www.clawgear.com
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BIOLITE NANOGRID
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A pair of BioLite SiteLights come with the NanoGrid set; these are directable and dimmable lights powered by the PowerLight that can be hung on closed loops or angled in any direction with a custom friction hold design. The system allows you to connect up to four SiteLights for 40ft of overhead off-grid lighting (10ft cord per SiteLight); you can think of these as spotlights that are particularly effective for reading and writing after dark as each SiteLight offers an additional 150 Lumens of illumination. The blurb that came with the NanoGrid set told me that I could expect a battery life of up to 72 hours from the PowerLight on its lowest setting with no additional SiteLights connected; turning up the power, adding SiteLights, or using the PowerLight as a charger for other electrical devices (yes, it really can charge your phone, notebook or Kindle as well!) would mean a much shorter battery life which was not unexpected. This was all well and good, but how did the NanoGrid REALLY perform? Well, the honest answer is outstandingly well. The PowerLight in fairness was mostly used on its own and in using it every night for nigh on three weeks it only needed one top-up charge from my Solar Charger and one from my notebook via a USB connection when I had power! It was truly staggering, and could easily have been charged solely from the Solar Charger alone! Weighing in at just 210g for the PowerLight and a miserly 55g for each additional SiteLight and with an absolutely minimal pack size for the whole thing the NanoGrid proved to be a thoroughly indispensible bit of kit and I can totally see why the BioLite NanoGrid was awarded ‘Best In Show’ Winter Gear at the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City this year. If you need a lighting solution for “on the move” then this really is it, and at £78.95 it’s worth its weight in gold! For more information on the NanoGrid and to check out the other great devices in the evergrowing BioLite range please pay a visit to www.military1st.co.uk
GEAR ON TEST
s you’ve probably guessed I spend quite long periods of time away in quite lonely parts of the world testing and evaluating clothing, footwear, and equipment. My last three week testing trip took me to the Haute Vosges area of France, where rolling “ballons” meet forests that literally go on for miles. Of course I will always try to find a base camp to pitch the main tent to make life a little more comfortable but it’s by no means unusual for me to pack a small pack and head off overnight. Because of this I am constantly trying to find ways to save weight and reduce my pack size and as I was searching through the Military1st website prior to the trip in their “New Arrivals” area I happened to come across something called “BioLite”. Upon doing a little digging their website told me that this “system” was something just a little bit special; BioLite was founded by Alec Drummond and Jonathan Cedar. Their flagship stove technology was inspired by a philosophy of applying efficient design to real world problems. The story on the website went: “Alec and Jonathan met at the design consultancy Smart Design in New York City, where they quickly bonded over their interest in sustainable design in 2006. Alec, frustrated that all efficient camping stoves required petroleum fuel or batteries, had the idea of a wood-burning stove able to utilise its own thermal energy. Jonathan, an avid camper, quickly brought his engineering background to the table and the two began the design process. Countless nights, weekends, and prototypes later, the BioLite CampStove was born.” At the time of writing the BioLite team has grown to 38 full time members and together has over 50 years of product development experience and holds more than 30 utility patents! This in itself is very, very impressive and shows what determination and application can achieve, but from the initial BioLite CampStove a whole family of exciting, innovative and above all highly practical devices has come into being. Having read up on the system but not wanting to put all of my eggs in one basket with something that I’d not tried before I contacted Military1st and asked if I might take the NanoGrid setup on my testing trip. This complete and compact light and power system consists of two key elements, the PowerLight and SiteLight. The BioLite PowerLight, featuring a Quick Light button for low to nolight conditions, combines patented texture Edge-Lit 200 Lumen lantern with a powerful 250 Lumen torch and a battery large enough to refill up to three smartphones. The lantern provides warm even light with no hot spots while the flashlight mode is great for use around a dark campsite; there’s even a neat battery indicator which allows you to easily keep track of the charge level.
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MISSION PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
38.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 52 x 24 x 32 cm
Internal hydration sleeve Ventex system back panel Adjustable hip pad/harness Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Multiple compression straps Hydration/coms outlet Side carry handle 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock SRP £84.95
RANGER PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
>GET THE
TACTICAL ADVANTAGE
36.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 46 x 33 x 26 cm
Multiple compression straps 4 point, Ventex system back panel Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Side carry handle Internal hydration sleeve Internal retaining straps/bungees Felt lined exterior utility pouches Hydration/coms outlet 2 x Velcro ID panels 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock SRP £84.95
IN ALL AVAILABLE GREEN & BLACK E V LI O , E T O Y O V-CAM, C
LOGUE S / FREE CATA FOR STOCKIST 0327 74 4 TEL 0123
RECON EXTRA PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
20 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 45 x 22 x 20 cm
Internal hydration sleeve Internal retaining straps/bungees Felt lined exterior utility pouches Hydration/coms outlet Multiple compression straps 4 point, Ventex system back panel Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles Grab carry handle MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings 2 x Velcro ID panels, 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock
SRP £54.95
TACTICAL
MIDI PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
22 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 43 x 23 x 26 cm
Internal hydration sleeve Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles 2 x side stow pouches Internal Nylon utility sleeves Mesh back Compression straps MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock
SRP £45.00
MINI MODULAR PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
19.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 42 x 23 x 34 cm
Mesh helmet hammock located on front with compression straps for adjustment Internal hydration sleeve 2 x External side pouches Hydration/coms outlet Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles Multiple compression straps MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panel 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock
SRP £45.00
ONE DAY MODULAR PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
13.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 19 x 20 x 43 cm
Hydration/coms outlet Multiple compression straps Internal mesh pocket to accommodate hydration bladder Shoulder straps with QR buckles. MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panels. 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock
SRP £26.50
SHOULDER PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
10 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 31 x 20 x 16 cm
Retaining straps/bungees Exterior utility pouches. Mesh back panel. Shoulder straps with QR buckle. MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings. 2 x Velcro ID panels. 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock
SRP £29.95
SPECIAL OPS POUCH Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:
5.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 20 x 15 x 18 cm
MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior front External mag/phone pouch Sectional internals Fold out compartment Removable shoulder carry strap Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panel 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock
MEET THE MAKER: CARINTHIA
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MANUFACTURERS PROFILE - CARINTHIA For 60 years Carinthia, a trademark of the Gold Eck Textile Corporation, has devoted itself to insulation technology using both, natural as well as synthetic fibres for use in most extreme conditions. For over 25 years, they have concentrated on the development of Technical Polyester Insulation for demanding conditions. Their aim? To achieve maximum efficiency with an optimal warmth to weight ratio for operators “at the sharp end”!
T
he Goldeck Textil GmbH Holding based in Seeboden offers two well-known brands for sound sleeping: Carinthia and Gold-Eck Austria. The company regularly modifies its corporate strategy to meet all the demands of the market. The brand name Carinthia stands for insulation garments and sleeping bags for civilian as well as military use. Deliveries are made to nearly all European countries. In the product range of sleeping bags and bivi bags, Carinthia has become one of the leading European producers within the military field. And thanks to our good friends at www.spec-se.com it will now be fully available in the UK! For many years Carinthia has been doing research in the processing of synthetic and down fillings. Carinthia thermoinsulation provides the perfect equipment for any expedition or mission. Outdoor experts are constantly included into the development process resulting in high - performance customised sleeping bags, tactical and outdoor products that perfectly meet the requirements in any situation. Their inhouse research and development department carries out the necessary lab and cold chamber tests for any new developments. The main component of all the Carinthia products is the G-LOFT fibre, which is produced in their Seeboden headquarters Carinthia garments are developed specifically for challenging mission environments. Their individual thermal
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insulation products filled with G·LOFT insulation, are the result of an intensive R&D program. Following extensive testing, many European military forces opted for G·LOFT insulation. Their high insulation garments and their high quality sleeping bags are used by regular military as well as special-forces units in operational deployments and normal field exercises. Even under the most extreme climatic conditions G·LOFT offers superior performance along with the comfort required for effective rest. This extraordinary quality has been achieved after years of systematic research using the natural properties of goose down as the benchmark.
REDUCING THE BURDEN
If you’re at all interested in performance clothing and gear then you’ll probably be no stranger to the Carinthia brand; at shows I always make a point of stopping at their stand to check out their latest offerings and I’m rarely disappointed! Thanks to SPEC-SE Carinthia products are now going to be a whole lot more available in the UK so let’s have a look at some specific models that will be amongst the first brought in. First up some of the key clothing models; The G-LOFT MIG (Medium Insulation Garment) Jacket features: • fixed lined hood with elastic draw-cords, adjustable in two directions • two way front zipper • all outside zippers are water-repellent • elastic cuffs • two spacious lined insulated front pockets and one inner pocket • two pockets on the upper sleeves with a velcro fastener for insignia • one pocket on the lower sleeve • arm pit zips for ventilation • elastic draw-cord on the waist line • comes with compression bag • machine-washable This jacket is a cracker; it’s multifunctional but not overly bulky (650g in size M). The outer shell fabric is the excellent Gore Windstopper, with the G-LOFT insulation inside which maintains
85% of its warmth even when wet! It’s available in Olive, sand, and Black. Next up are the G-LOFT LIG (Light Insulation Garment) Jacket and Vest; both of these benefit from light weight and small pack size so they’re ideal to have tucked away in your kit as a “just in case”! Features shared by both jacket and vest are: • two way front zipper • all outside zippers are water-repellent • two large front pockets and one inner pocket • elastic cuffs • elastic draw-cord on the waist line • comes with compression bag • machine-washable These are both very tough, very versatile garments with a great warmth to weight ratio, and the jacket can even be stowed away into its own pocket!
GETTING YOUR HEAD DOWN
In addition to some great clothing Carinthia are also extremely well known and respected for their sleeping systems, offering a wide range of sleeping and Bivi bags. SPEC-SE will be bringing in one of their most popular models, the ultra versatile “Tropen”. The Tropen is a light-weight sleeping bag with an extremely small pack size and minimum weight. Its remarkable feature is its vapour permeability which is very important for hot and humid tropical nights. The Shelltrans shell fits loosely over the inner structure (again with a G-LOFT fill) and provides an extra layer of insulation with no cold spots. This construction ensures reserve warmth for cool, damp nights. In warmer weather the bottom part of the two-way zipper can be opened for ventilation. The hood is equipped with a mosquito net which can be folded out of the flap if required (it is in the front part of the bag and stored behind the flap with press studs.) The net can easily be attached around
MEET THE MAKER: CARINTHIA
Carinthia thermal insulation products offer unbeatable performance in 3 decisive areas: • Highest thermal insulation • at a low pack size (compressibility of the filling) • and low weight Furthermore, the key criteria of durability and comfort that they provide are essential to professional users of their sleeping bags and high-insulation garments.
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MEET THE MAKER: CARINTHIA
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the hood by means of the small zipper. The zipper is nonsnagging so that you can always get out quickly and easily. The Tropen is available in two sizes, both of which already haves NSNs! Now a good sleeping back is always a real bonus, but of course you always need to be prepared for whatever the weather might throw at you. To this end Carinthia have a really fine range of Bivi bags, from straightforward to massively technical! All Carinthia Bivi Bags and Bivi Tents have the revolutionary gas permeable GORE-TEX laminate as their top, outer material; this is 100% waterproof, windproof and vapour permeable. What’s new is that the new laminate is also gas permeable. That means that their Bivi Bags can be closed completely without having to keep a ventilation slit open for fresh air. The fresh air permeates through the material itself. The benefits are obvious: 1. The warmed air stays inside the Bivi Bag resulting in a much better insulation effect. When the outside temperature is –10°C, for example, the air temperature inside the head area is +3°C. 2. In really bad weather and precipitation the Bivi Bag can be closed completely and remains absolutely waterproof. On the base of all the Bivi bags is a highly waterproof and cold-flex durable laminate. Some of the key models are the Mountain, Explorer and Observer Plus models. The Mountain; This Bivi bag is of minimal stuff size and weight. It is mostly used for mountaineering or as part of survival packages, but it is also suitable for every soldier who wants to be protected from the elements. The outer shell is made of laminate, which is waterproof, windproof and vapour permeable.
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The Explorer is a more comfortable Bivi bag with a tent pole arch in the head area (single pole supported). There is enough space at the head end for equipment that needs to be at hand day and night. The L-shaped access opening can be closed with 2 zippers. The specially designed storm flap ensures that the zippers are sealed to be absolutely waterproof. The 5 loops on the back of the Explorer keep an insulating mat in place. Upping the ante considerably is the Observer. This is the perfect sniper Bivi bag with self-standing double pole support. Two tent poles form a small dome at the head end which provides enough space for the user to handle a rifle or other piece of equipment. The Bivi bag slopes down from the shoulder to the foot end preventing straight lines which are easily spotted. The L-shaped opening makes it convenient to get in and out of the bag which can be closed with 2 zippers. All zippers are protected by a specially designed storm flap to make them absolutely waterproof. The big observation opening at the front allows an observation range of 180° and can be closed completely in bad weather. The user’s rifle and
CARINTHIA REALLY DO HAVE YOU COVERED!
It has to be said that Carinthia really do provide everything you might need in terms of cold and wet weather gear. SPEC-SE are obviously “testing the waters” by bringing in just a small part of the overall range initially, but we’ve been told that they will look to bring in more from Carinthia in due course. I know I harp on about this but don’t expect Carinthia gear to be available at “budget” prices; this is high performance, high specification kit for professional users who need to operate effectively in any given theatre. What you get for your money will be completely fit for purpose, and tested in some of the most extreme operating environments in the world, so take my advice and give Carinthia kit a long, hard look! For more information on the individual models please visit www.spec-se.com, or Carinthias own website www.militarysleeping-bags.com
MEET THE MAKER: CARINTHIA
spotting scope can nevertheless still be placed in position through an observation slit. Both the observation opening and the access opening are fitted with a mosquito net. There are 5 loops on the back of the Observer to hold an insulating mat in place.
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WALTHER Pro
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TOOLS AND FLASHLIGHTS At IWA 2015 Umarex unveiled a complete new range of knives, tools and flashlights under their “Walther Pro” brand. We’ve been testing three models of these and now share our findings. A few years ago now I was given a folding knife from the “Walther” range to test and although it was okay, it was just “okay” although the price was pretty keen. You can imagine I’m sure that with this experience in the back of my mind I was somewhat sceptical when the new Walther “Pro” range was presented to me in Germany. The range was comprehensive to say the least, but were the new models any better than the old? I was told at the show that Umarex had gone back to the drawing board with the new Walther “Pro” range and that they had spent a great deal of time, research, and money on getting things right this time , even to the point of recruiting a whole new team of seasoned industry experts to work on the range. New elements, materials and processes had been sought out and set up; for instance the steel in the new knives and tools is very high quality, not a mass produced product and the design so good that the latest versions had to be distinguished from the regular Walther brand. Walther Pro was designed from the ground up with this in mind; it costs slightly more than the regular Walther kit but the quality does warrant that and prices are not so high that it takes the new models out of reach. ARMEX, the UK distributor for the Walther Pro range, were so confident in the new models that even after expressing
my concerns they were happy to send me a PL70R flashlight, a Rescue Knife, and a Tactical Tomahawk to test; my brief was to try and trash them if I could! The new PL70R is supplied with an ICR 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery but is otherwise the same in design as the older one; there was nothing wrong with the design of the older model but the battery life was nowhere as good as the new one. The flashlight is made of anti-reflex aircraft aluminium and has a high-quality aluminium reflector and scratch-proof lens. It has a clever Temperature Protection System (TPS) and Multi Battery System (MBS) with a charging indicator.
The Walther Pro Rescue Knife was really the one that I had most reservations about given my prior experience with the old blade so I approached testing this with some vigour! This folder is designed for professional rescue personnel, and it shows. The rectangular button at the base of the blade and the recesses at the top of the blade allow it to be opened even with a wet or gloved hand. A flipper provides opening assistance and protects the index finger when the blade is extended and the liner lock engaged. The 90mm long titanium grey coated drop-point blade is made of 12C27 Sandvik steel and has a short serration for sawing. A glass breaker is integrated into the rear of the handle, and nonslip rubber grips are screwed onto each side of the rugged housing giving the 208g knife a very positive feel. The knife comes with its own sturdy nylon pouch, and loops on the rear allow it to be worn on the belt horizontally or vertically. In use this is a really great tool for everyday carry. It feels robust and durable and when I tried the pry technique which resulted in the old model breaking the new “Pro” knife shrugged this off with alacrity, not even the dark grey finish to the blade being affected. I’d like to spend more time with this knife but my initial impression is that it is a million miles removed from its forerunner both in materials used in its construction and overall performance. Retailing iro UK£65.00 this is a good buy in my opinion and would make a perfect gift as it comes in a cracking “Walther” presentation box! Overall after working with the knife, tomahawk, and flashlight for a little while I’ve come away very impressed that Umarex really have finally got it right with their new Walther Pro range. Money and time have obviously been wisely invested and the net result is a great range that is absolutely worthy of your consideration if you’re looking some quality items, sensibly priced. For more information on the models reviewed and the rest of the range of Walther Pro tools and flashlights please visit www. armexonline.co.uk
WALTHER Pro
It can be powered by the included 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery for optimal run-times, or alternatively can be powered using two CR123A lithium metal batteries or three AAA alkaline/ NiMH batteries. The PL70R boasts a stunning 910 lumens when used with a 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery and still has an impressive maximum output of 430 lumens when used with AAA NiMH rechargeable batteries. You can choose your light output from 100 %, 40 %, 10 % or Tactical Defense Strobe (TDS), the latter of which is quite mind numbing and could be a real benefit in a tricky situation! It comes with a charging cradle that can be connected by means of a 1m cable to a power charger unit both of which are included, or a USB port (5 V). An adapter for a charging socket in a car is also supplied (12V / 24V). The Beam Adjustment System (BAS) is a simple single-hand operation and in use the PL70R is straightforward and intuitive to work with. The PL70R retails in the region of UK£90.00 and for this you’re getting a rugged, technically up to the moment flashlight for your money! It’s great to see a Tactical Tomahawk in the new “Pro” line as in recent years the good old “hatchet” has undergone something of a resurgence with professional police and military users; more and more operations are undertaken in urban environments, breaches and searches all requiring a “one tool” approach. The Tomahawk from Walther Pro is really ready to tackle any job required! Equipped with a synthetic handle mated to a durable 420 stainless steel blade, this tool feels like it means business as soon
as you heft it. The black coated blade measures 123mm, while the entire axe 420mm long including a composite glass-breaker handle. There’s also a 70mm rear spike on the opposite end of the blade, which is perfect for prying. The Tomahawk comes with a sturdy sheath which just the job for protecting you and it, as the blade has a good, keen edge to it! I’ve used the Tomahawk for various tasks, chopping wood, prying open planks nailed together, and even used it to smash an old window to simulate a breach. The blade gives it a great weight and feel in the hand and makes chopping a cinch. For most this will be more at home as a handy tool than as a tactical implement but at iro UK£60.00 it’s a great bit of kit.
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BOOK REVIEW Glock – The Worlds Handgun
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GLOCK – THE WORLD’S HANDGUN
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will come straight out and say this; if you have ever been in any professional firearms setting then undoubtedly you will have used one of the many models of Glock handgun available today!
The Glock series of handguns represents one of the greatest steps forward in pistol design since the introduction of the venerable Colt M1911. Inspired by the Austrian Army’s request for a new sidearm in 1980, the Glock company set to work designing and developing a revolutionary new weapon that combined reliability, firepower and the very latest in material technology. Within two years it had been adopted by the Austrian Army, but such were its qualities that within a decade the handgun was a dominant presence in global military, law enforcement and civilian markets. More than 2.5 million have been sold to date, and they are in use with more than 50 nations. In the USA alone, the Glock has taken 65% of the law enforcement market! This collectors guide follows the evolution of Glock from concept through to being a real market leader, and explains each of the many variants and calibres, starting with the original G17 and working through to the very latest Gen 4 models. Looking at the Glock’s practical use, the story is both dramatic and, at times, controversial. Glocks have been fired in earnest in the most varied of contexts; users include the British Army, The French Naval Commandos, Geramn GSG9, the FBI and dozens of State Police Forces in America. Add its pervasive appeal in civilian handgun markets, and the Glock currently stands as one of the most influential sidearms of the last 50 years. Illustrated with more than 200 colour and black and white artworks and photographs, “Glock” is an expertly written account of one of the most important handguns in the world today. The author, Chris McNab is an experienced specialist in outdoor survival techniques and military fitness training and has written over 50 books including titles in the popular “SAS and Elite Forces” series.
Author: Chris McNab Publisher: ISBN: 978-1Price: £19.99
Amber Books 78274-256-2
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‘Stand-by’ ‘Stand-by’ Level 4 Covert Urban Surveillance Operators Course (Blue Skills)
Setting the training standards in the commercial arena
BOLT vs SEMI
BY TRAMPAS SWANSON
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s a lifelong hunter, recreational shooter and former Law Enforcement SWAT sniper, it is safe to say, I am a huge fan of long range, precision shooting. Having reaching several milestones in my life through the use of the industry standard, Remington 700 based bolt action rifle, I have still always kept an eye on the continuing advancements with semi-auto rifle technology. With their higher magazine capacity and faster ability to load and reload, it was always an ashamed they would never be as accurate as my beloved bolt action. With all those moving parts, there is no way a semi-auto high caliber rifle such as a .308 could perform like a bolt gun, right? In this article, we will take a look at key components for building an AR style precision .308 calibre rifle like the one recently built here in house that could help you answer that question for yourself.
DAWNING OF A NEW ERA OF SEMI AUTO RIFLES
Until the Knight’s Armament SR-25 started its deployment with US Navy SEALS and US Army snipers under the military designation of M110 roughly 20 years ago, it was been a general understanding bolt action rifles were simply more
MEET DEVIL DOG ARMS
With the recent trend of shooting enthusiasts building their own AR platform rifles, there has been a good portion of shooters and companies alike trying to replicate what Knights Armament provided to the military at a better cost via the AR10 and slightly modified LR308 models. While there have been some very good rifles built off of these designs, they all have fallen a bit short in their goals. In 2010, one company was founded in Zurich, IL with the sole intent on specializing in precision AR style rifle manufacturing, thus giving serious rifle shooters a more affordable solution to the SR-25. I present to you Devil Dog Arms, the company that will change the way you look at precision shooting with the AR platform forever. I had the great pleasure of meeting Joe Lucania, CEO of Devil Dog Arms earlier this year at the industry
FIREARMS: Devil Dog Arms Precision Rifle Build
DEVIL DOG ARMS
accurate. What was sacrificed in volume of fire as well as second shot follow up times by the traditional bolt action rifles was outweighed with its more precise shot placement and range. Due to machining and technological advancements in semi-auto rifles, the gap between bolt and semi-auto accuracy started closing at a lightning pace with the SR-25 on the battlefield setting the pace. Over the past couple of decades, real world data has been accumulated both on static competition ranges and down range in the hands of special operations warriors that have made the firearms industry rethink its traditional views. As data rolled in over the war torn past 14 year period for the military in particular , it was discovered the semi-auto rifles were holding their own in the field against the bolt action sniper rifles and becoming quite the overall advantage. The SR-25 gained worldwide notoriety which sadly led to sky-rocketing price increases on the civilian market for those shooters who wished to own one. Currently, the Knights Armament SR-25 retails for over $6000.00 US.
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FIREARMS: Devil Dog Arms Precision Rifle Build
SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas during the shows range day. Joe was kind enough to walk me through the wide range of their AR platform rifles before letting me get behind one of their signature .308 rifles to engage gong style targets set out into the desert at 800 and 900 yards. After missing low on my first two shots to see where the scope was doped in at, the following 8 shots from the MagPul magazine struck steel at each distance. Once I was done shooting, I spoke again with Joe and the rest of his crew more in depth in regards to the .308 series. I was impressed with how crisp the trigger felt breaking the shot and the extreme lack of upper / lower movement between the two parts which is usually a thorn in the side of most AR10 platform rifle’s as far as accuracy. According to Joe, the key is the design being based more on the SR-25 specs rather than AR10 / LR308 versions. The big difference between the SR-25 and the Devil Dog Arms (DDA) is Joe’s company has built theirs in a rock solid billet configuration. As I discovered, DDA not only sells complete rifle packages but all the components to build your own rifle as well.
BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION
In the passing weeks after SHOT SHOW, I could not get over how impressive the DDA rifle was and how with a few minor personal preference tweaks based on my shooting style, their rifle would be the perfect .308 semi-auto rifle. I finally decided to reach out to Joe and explain what I had in mind for a custom build project. Joe and the Devil Dog Arms staff went out of their way to make sure this project was off to a great start by providing a rock solid foundation by means of a matched billet set of DDA upper and lower parts. A week after the arrival of my receiver parts at my local gun shop, Second Amendment Gun and Range, a beautiful hexagonal shaped 15 inch free float rail Joe and I discussed at great length back in Las Vegas arrived at my home. This rail not only locked onto the upper so secure you would swear it was one solid piece but it also allows for a bipod to be mounted far enough forward to give the rifle a great balance when shooting prone or supported. Exclusively produced by UniqueARs for Devil Dog Arms, this meaty handguard has a smooth finish with pre-drilled holes on all sides down its entire length to add supplied accessory rails wherever you wish. This design is perhaps my favoUrite of any I have seen by far on the AR platform. RealiSing the bolt carrier group needs to be smooth and mated well with the upper, I decided to also choose DDA for this set up as well. I had originally looked at several other manufacturers in order to offer more diversity in the build but none of the other products I found matched the precision and craftsmanship of the DDA carrier and bolt. Combined with a BCM Gunfighter charging handle, the action was smooth and easy to manipulate.
BARREL CHOICE
Having a great start to the project rifle in hand, it was time to seek out the heart to this shooting beast. With this decision, I chose to take a cue from Knight’s Armament and contacted Krieger barrels. This company is the driving force behind not only the SR-25 platform’s success but several other rifle designs that have taken top honours in the amateur and professional competitions. I spoke with the marketing director at Krieger and explained what I had in mind.
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After our discussion, I was instructed to decide on what muzzle break I wanted to go with and send it and the stripped rifle bolt to Krieger. As my goal is to shoot the project rifle suppressed and unsuppressed equally, I had my friends at Surefire send over a suppressor ready flash hider. Once it arrived, the bolt and muzzle device were in the mail to Krieger less than 24 hours later. Upon receiving my package, the engineers at Krieger took their standard M110 20 inch stainless steel barrel blank, chambered it in .308 and cut it to match the supplied bolt facing. Each barrel Krieger builds is single point cut, hand lapped and thoroughly inspected before sending to its new home. When the barrel arrived back to my shop, the muzzle device I had originally included was installed and tuned to the proper position. Without even shooting the finished rifle, I was already immediately impressed!
FINDING THE RIGHT TRIGGER
As I had learned during my time at SHOT SHOW, Devil Dog Arms and I both share a fondness for a series of triggers made by a company called Hiperfire. This company offers a new dynamic to the AR based platform through a totally redesigned trigger group with their HiperTouch line. Instead of the amount of force the hammer has striking the firing pin being directly inverse to the weight of the trigger pull, the two parts are independent of each other’s actions now other than to fire. With the assistance of two overhead mounted power springs, the hammer actually has 30% MORE power while giving the trigger LESS felt pull and over travel. I chose a HiperTouch model 24E for our build project which ended up giving each shot a true “glass rod breaking” feeling. Set at just over 2lbs, I could not feel any slop what so ever and extremely little creep in this scalpel-like trigger.
STOCK, GRIP AND MAGAZINES
Once the main components of the build were secured, I needed to decide on several other key factors of the basic structure, such as which stock, grip and magazines I would run on this project. I turned to the most popular choice on the current market, MagPul of course. With their line of PRS stocks, it seems no precision AR platform rifle these days can bear to go without its counter-balancing heft and wide range of adjustability. Having run these stocks in the past with other ARs I own, this combined with my personal favorite MagPul MIAD pistol grip with customizable front and rear straps, would aid in getting a jump start on the rifle’s initial comfort. The 10 and 20- round magazines were also supplied by MagPul to offer the best feeding option on the market for the .308 platform. These magazines are tough, easy to clean and light weight enough to help offset the extra heft once fully loaded. For general purpose shooting, these magazines would be a perfect choice in rounding out the rifle’s ground work.
OPTICS AND MOUNT
AMMUNITION OF CHOICE
Federal Match Grade 168 grain, boat tail hollow point ammunition in .308; I could end this section on that statement alone. Why? Because it flat out performs. The FBI snipers use it, most every SWAT sniper unit that I have ever encountered during my time as a Law Enforcement sniper uses it and I have a little over 15 years of personal experience of using it, including taking top honors in competition with it. We all use it because we trust Federal Match Grade ammunition to do the job quality precision ammo is meant to do, fly straight, group well and efficiently destroy what it strikes. Are there other loads and brands on the market that can do a great job? Yes, of course, but in a personal ten load test by eight different manufacturers, the Federal “Holy Grail of ammo” not only outperformed the others out of the Devil Dog project’s Krieger barrel during its break in time, it has time and time again outperformed the others in my bolt action sniper rifle left over from my LEO days. Good job Federal! Holding just at ½ inch MOA in a 3 shot group and 0.7inch 5 shot group during the first 100 rounds fired from the Krieger barrel on the Devil Dog project, I was quite impressed. The weight of the barrel and solid billet construction of the upper / lower seems absorb much more of the recoil which allows your scope to stay on target more than its bolt action counterpart.
FINAL TOUCHES
With the addition of a stable and fully adjustable bipod for prone shooting, I decided to give the entire rifle project a complete DuraCoat finish. This helps protect all the metal surfaces from rust, dirt and damage as well as break up its outline by blending into the Florida environment. By adding a very comfortable Viking Tactics padded sling in MultiCam pattern, the entire project seemed to tie together well. To transport the rifle project to and from the range and during long trips, I chose the NANUK hard case. This case is sturdy enough to support a full size man standing on top jumping up and down! (Yes, I personally tried it and no you will never see my gorilla routine unless you visit us in Florida.) Offered in Tan, Black and Green, I went with the Tan color in hopes of it drawing less heat when left in our endless Florida sun. Measuring just over 55 inches long, 17 inches wide and 6.6 inches tall, this case easily fit our rifle with scope mounted. With an empty weight of around 26.6lbs, this case isn’t the heaviest hard case I own, but it does make you appreciate the smooth rolling wheels on the bottom. There are four stainless steel reinforced eyelets located around the case to make it fully lockable and airline approved allowing me to easily transport our Devil Dog project anywhere I wish for a shooting event.
IT’S A WRAP!
With now having roughly three months under my belt shooting the fully completed Devil Dog Arms .308 project I have had to rethink everything I thought I knew about precision rifles. With the help of all the great companies who went out of their way to help this project come together, it is clear to me the market is finally able to allow shooters to build their own precision .308 rifles just as well as they have been with the 5.56 platform. Based on my recent personal experiences of building and shooting this project, I no longer believe the sacrifices out weigh the benefits of a bolt action over semi-auto precision rifle. This rifle was able to be built for roughly half the price of the industry semi-auto precision standard, Knights Armament SR-25. In our staff’s experience, our build has actually been able to produce better end results as well! It is needless to say how impressed I have been with all components that went into our build in order to produce the results we have seen thus far. As with any rifle, every firearm has its own preferences, even those of the same make and model. The goal of this article was to show the end user what is available on the market to be able to build the precision semi-auto rifle that fits them. Feel free to contact us and share your builds with us as well and please take the time to check out all the great companies who made this article possible. ‘Til next time, Train Hard and Watch your Six out there! For more information on all the options offered please pay a visit to www.devildogarms.com
FIREARMS: Devil Dog Arms Precision Rifle Build
Next, what precision rifle would be complete without good quality glass? For the Devil Dog Arms project, a scope would need to comfortably handle being able to get the shooter on target out to 1000 yards. I decided to go with the Viper PST 6-24x50 Front Focal Plane model from Vortex Optics. With so many great options on the market for scope pick from, I chose Vortex due to their perfect balance of quality, price point and great service in my personal opinion. Taking all three of these factors into account, I have never been disappointed or regretted a purchase from them. The Viper PST 6-24x50 offers the shooter CRS zero stop tactical style turrets for fast adjustment while shooting. This model comes with an illuminated reticle in 3 options of configuration. My personal choice for reticle’s is the EBR-2C (MOA) which offers a very fast shot hold over adjustment and easy to use hash marks for distance and speed estimations. The 30mm tube offers all the light needed to squeeze off shots in very low light situations. Of all the scopes I have owned in the past, the Vortex Optics Viper PST is one of my favorite all-purpose utility scopes I have ever used. Mounted to the rifle using a cantilever style American Defense Recon series mount, the scope held secure without need of adjustment after over 100 initial rounds. This mount is built rock solid and perfect for the AR platform regardless of chambering due to its forward design allowing for optimum scope eye relief. The mounts are strong and easy to set your scope into with the benefit of American Defense’s awesome customer service and tech support.
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TECH AND TOOLS
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GRAY’S CUSTOM KNIVES: THE WANDERER
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t this year’s Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, I was fortunate enough to meet Craig Burhart, the founder of Skallywag Tactical. Since meeting, Craig and I have had the opportunity to develop a great working relationship and friendship through the love of great blades and field testing some of the rock solid creations built for the Skallywag crew by a small, hardcore knife shop called Gray’s Custom Knives. Craig generously offered to introduce me to the owner of Gray’s Custom, Javan Roberts and I couldn’t say YES fast enough. Javan’s company has been cranking out awesome knives over the past few years under by the Skallywag banner as well as Gray’s Custom Knives that have really started to get noticed by current and former top SPEC OPS warriors. The latest of these top shelf knives has been geared towards the growing population survivalists or “bushcraft” community, titled “The Wanderer”. Javan was kind enough to send a sample of this new blade to me a couple of months ago to give it a whirl and report my findings for our readers. Unlike most other companies, Gray’s Custom Knives listens to the end users and takes what they have to say to heart in providing the best product they can for those whose lives may one day depend on a Gray’s blade. In the cold business world of selling knives or anything else for that matter, this is a rare gem! Like its Old English poetic namesake, this Bushcrafting tool conveys the meditations of a solitary exile in which is often the case of this unique hobby of honing one’s wilderness
By Trampas Swanson survival skill set. In the simplest of forms, the Wanderer holds the key to sustaining life along one’s travels into the wild when wielding by the properly skilled individual.
As the guys with Gray’s Custom Knives state, the Wanderer was very much inspired by the Ray Mears “Woodlore” knife, but I can assure you, this blade is definitely cutting its own path through the industry. With its wide spine and razor sharp 4.5 inch blade, each knife is made from CPM4V heat treated to an aim hardness of 62/64hrc. The overall length of the Wanderer is right at 9 inches, hollow ground with a deep etched Gray’s Custom makers mark. The handle scales are made of green micarta with vulcanized fiber red liner and attached with Gray’s Custom brass hardware.
CARRYING COMFORTABLY
For the past couple of months, I’ve been carrying the Wanderer in the provided Tec-Lok equipped kydex sheath that held the blade close to my body with the grip just above the belt line for easy access without the annoying flip flop of more traditional sheaths. While I originally was dismayed to have to part with my beloved Gray’s Custom produced Aculeus, it did not take long to get used
to carrying the Wanderer. The sheath positions the knife on the belt in a way that allows for ease of draw and returning of the blade safely and efficiently with very little wasted movement. This can set up can be carried effortlessly in a nonchalant, politically correct, everyday low profile carry. While the swamp critters here in Florida may not care to notice a robust fixed blade on your belt, it usually can get more than a discerning look in line at the local bank or post office. A quick thought before moving to the knife itself is the suggestion of an optional leather sheath being offered for the Bushcraft diehards. These individuals would be those who would really enjoy the Wanderer’s design but haven’t found themselves on the kydex bandwagon yet. Purists would enjoy a quality leather option for stropping the blade in a pinch.
PROS AND CONS
A couple of things I really enjoyed about this knife over the initial 60 days were the ease of clean up the CPM4V steel construction allows for and the razor sharp edge retention. Unlike carbon steel or typical stainless steel, these blades don’t need to be treated like a baby in oiling them after every use. In my nonstop time with the Wanderer, I have used in salt water induced environments, through tree sap, poly filament fishing line, meat, dirt, etc. without any noticeable scratches on the blade or nicks in the edge profile. A quick wipe on a hand towel or pants leg and the Wanderer is ready to go again.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I found the Wanderer proved just as well-balanced in the hand while performing daily tasks as it did after removing it from the shipping package when it first arrived. The spear point blade and jimping on the back of the spine help in piercing materials such as canvas tarps, processing wild game or impromptu leather working. It’s been my past experience with spear point blades; they felt more like a cheap chef’s knives from my kitchen knife block than it did a survival tool, but not the case with the Wanderer. The heavier weight of the Wanderer’s wide spine puts it in more in the control range of a high end wrench from Snap On tools than a cooking blade from Walmart. Retailing at US$425.00, the Wanderer falls in line with high end production knives while getting the quality of a completely custom American made knife with far superior materials than that of commercial name brands. In recent weeks, Grey’s Custom Knives has decided to walk a different path than its former partnered company, Skallywag Tactical, but their drive to produce top quality knifes versus high quantity from cheaper materials is what will hold them head and shoulders above other competitors going forward. In my opinion, Grey’s Custom Knives has developed a winner in the Wanderer on their first venture into the world for Bushcrafting. With the mentioned recent internal moves and consolidation, I see only more great things coming from these guys very soon! Check them out on Facebook at Grey’s Custom Knives and show this great small business your support!
TECH AND TOOLS
Like all things “Bushcraft”, comes labour intensive duties often involving tools of the trade. If I had to find one drawback to the Wanderer’s design, it would be in the scales used for the handle. While the squared edges offer a great retention for a fighting knife in being able to keep the angle of the blade in position for cuts and traps, this particular Bushcraft tool would benefit from a more rounded profile like that of a spade, shovel or other tool grip. My idea of the perfect grip for a knife like the Wanderer would be that of the last 5 inches of any given shovel handle found in the local hardware store. The rounded profile would be easier on the interior of the hand during prolonged cutting tasks such as drawing motions, rolling the blade along craving or simply more mass to filling the hand to prevent muscle cramping. In my opinion this issue can be quickly resolved once purchasing this knife with a Dremel tool and three minutes of spare time. Another option would be either a spliced section of garden hose or rolling the grip with everyone’s favorite duct tape. Considering how quick a fix this issue can be, it’s hardly a bad mark against a great blade in my opinion.
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DESERT FIRE Regular readers of my book and media reviews will know that it’s very rare for me to delve into the world of fiction so it has to be something pretty special if it’s to make it in here; “Desert Fire” really cuts the mustard though!
BOOK REVIEW Desert Fire
I recently reviewed “Born Fearless” by former SAS soldier “Big Phil” Campion, and I recommended it as a thoroughly good read. Now Phil has followed other of his esteemed Regiment colleagues by utilising his vast experience of matters military and private military to move into the world of storytelling. Colonel Gadaffi’s youngest son, Sultan, has been kidnapped by Tuareg warriors armed to the teeth with illicit NATO weapons. Sultan Gadaffi has escaped from Libya with a fistful of dangerous secrets, and is being held, along with a kings ransom in gold, in a fiercely defended Libyan desert stronghold. The British Government is desperate to stop Sultan sharing his fathers deadliest secrets, and needs a black-ops team to seize him before it’s too late! They want ex-Special Forces operative Steve Range, the go-to man for any black-ops missions, to lead an ultra-covert mercenary group to seize him from his near-impregnable desert stronghold. If Range’s “Blackstone Six” team can somehow overcome the enemy, then they will earn themselves gold bullion worth $500 million. But as the bullets begin to fly and the body count rises, Range realises that he’s been double-crossed. Unwilling to lose the gold, he begins to contemplate cutting a deal with the very man they came to rescue. That’s the basic premise of the story, and in many ways it’s a familiar theme, but what stands this book aside from the majority of the others out there is Phils intimate understanding of how these things really go down. His obvious knowledge of the kit and weaponry is pretty encyclopaedic, whether it be from the Maximi that Range carries into battle, or the SpecOps Chinook that he and his colleagues manage to “borrow” for part of their mission. The battle sequences themselves also have you right on the edge of your seat, and at times you can almost hear the rounds going downrange and smell the cordite. When Phil gets things going, his effective narrative style really drives all of his characters forward at breakneck speed. It’s not all “gung ho” though, as the book also shows the meticulous planning that really goes on behind any mission, and the obvious professionalism and intelligence that all of the operators share. It shows in no uncertain terms that some bonds will never be broken.
Phil Campion is a veteran of military operations in just about every conflict prone corner of the world, both as a soldier in the Armed Forces, an elite SAS operator, and as a mercenary soldier. He lives with his partner, Wendy, and their children and continues to work as a much sought after operator on the private military circuit. Author: Phil Campion Publisher: Quercus ISBN: 978-0857384447 Price: £7.99
All in all I found “Desert Fire” very hard to put down once I’d started it, with great action, some memorable characters, and a well thought out storyline. Luckily for us this appears to be the first of many “Blackstone Six” thrillers from “Big Phil”!
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GEAR ON TEST: Fold ‘Em Gear FlxSHOT
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FOLD ‘EM GEAR FLXSHOT
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By Trampas Swanson
ll too often, I find the most useful devices are those so simple that I slap my head and say, “Why the hell didn’t I think of that?” This was the case when I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Sturm of Fold ‘Em Gear, LLC during the SHOT SHOW Industry Day at the Range this past January. It was the end of a long day of observing and shooting all the new guns set for upcoming release throughout 2015 (tough job, I know). Before boarding the bus to head back to the hotel, my wife and I made the final loop through the last section of shotgun booths. Between the Benelli and Browning booths, there was a huge sign with duck silhouettes which read FOLD ‘EM GEAR. Underneath, several men and women were shooting skeet with various shotguns while wearing these compact 3 shell devices on their forearm and belt. When I walked up and introduced myself as the “internationally famous” writer with PMCI Magazine, the gentleman that I first met was named Steve. Judging from my cheesy smile, Steve knew right off, I was just giving him my best friendly but tired greeting. As it turned out, Steve Sturm was the owner, operator and creator of this neat shell carrier that got my attention. As I was shown a Fold ‘Em Gear shell holder, I learned it was called the FlxSHOT. While holding one, a hundred different uses rushed to mind with Steve’s beloved ducks being the very last of them. I explained to Steve and his staff, while I did grow up shooting a duck or two, I do not consider myself an avid duck hunter. What I do enjoy is any good piece of handy gear
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By Trampas Swanson for tactical and defence purposes. In the shotgun gear market, you will probably find much more hunting gear than tactical with no practical application to cross from one application to the other. In theory, the FlxSHOT device from Fold ‘Em Gear seems to be a good example of an exception to the norm, but time in the field would determine the final judgement.
Molded in everyone’s favorite Flat Dark Earth, the FlxSHOT is a flexible polymer device designed to hold 3 standard shotgun shells ranging from .410 to 12 Gauge securely via rare earth magnets the company calls Shell-Loc technology. Removal of a stored shell for reloading is lightning fast and easy but if you are trying to make a shell purposely fall out, you will wear out long before this device does as I found out the hard way.
About a month after Steve and I spoke at SHOT SHOW, I had a package arrive from Fold ‘Em Gear containing five FlxSHOT devices to try out. I immediately called another one of my fellow writers, Craig Reinolds to come by and check these out. I had told Craig about these carriers soon after returning from SHOT SHOW and wanted him to be a part of the field testing. Craig went his way with a pair of carriers and I went mine for the following months running the devices to develop our field notes.
FIELD TEST #1
Over the testing process on the range teaching, I found the FlxSHOT carrier made for a great way to mount 3 extra shotgun rounds to a tactical plate carrier via the rear mounted clips. Coming from a Law Enforcement background with SWAT teams, one of the tasks most often needed for a shotgun is that of breaching doors by blasting the lock and hinges. Usually these shotguns are small and have a very limited magazine capacity. Having extra rounds to finish the job at your fingertips mounted high and in your work space could mean the difference between life and death. I did note something important about the device’s use of a rare earth magnet to contain the rounds that would be very important to the end user before going out into the field. Every manufacturer uses a different mixture of brass components to make up its shells, some being much more magnetic than others. Using Federal’s Tru Flite 12 gauge buck shot rounds; the shells would simply fall out of the carrier, completely unfazed by the magnet. On the upside, every other type of ammo and brand that I used, held very well from Winchester to Remington, even other styles of 12 gauge buck shot rounds made by Federal. Despite being primarily built to house a 12 gauge shell, I even threw a few .410 and 20 gauge shells into the FlxSHOT carrier just for fun. The carrier did a good job holding them in by its magnet and bottom end pocket. Everything from 2 ¾ to 3 ½ inch shells worked well aside from the previously mentioned load.
During a staff meeting at the end of last month, I spoke again to fellow PMCI Staffer Craig Reinolds about his thoughts on the FlxSHOT carrier. This is what Craig had to say. “The FlxSHOT seems to be primarily advertised for duck hunting. In my opinion, I do see this mainly as a duck, quail or some type of bird hunting accessory. I can see a valid use in 3 gun events or any other type of shooting sport which includes the shotgun and a need for fast reloading. It attaches well to the belt and makes additional rounds easily accessible. It does work well attached to my arm or the butt of shotgun but depending on activity can move around which can be aggravating. Belt mounted is my preferred use for the FlxSHOT; it works okay in the woods as long as you are not going through heavy brush. I did not lose a round but I could see how it would be possible if not paying attention. Shorter shells sink deeper into the pocket past the magnets but catch if shaken before losing them. If I was hunting with bird shot loaded in my shotgun already, it would be nice to have a variety of other loads in case I run across larger game, slug, 00 Buck, so on. I think it is a good tool to have in the tool box for those times you need it.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
Once Craig and I compared notes and exchanged ideas on the FlxSHOT carrier, we both agreed it was a brilliantly simple idea for a tool that has yet to reach its fullest potential and made for a fun T&E. With its segmented “pods”, this carrier appears it could easily be cut down to a 1 or 2 shell carrier in order to fit into tighter areas or to supplement a full size carrier as well. The use of Velcro could facilitate the FlxSHOT being mounted directly on the side of a shotgun for a 3 Gun event or to a Velcro equipped tactical shirt or jacket. What I was the most impressed above all else was the inventor, Steve Strum himself. Steve remained in close contact throughout the summer and always seemed to be very open to any criticism of the device and eager to hear suggestions for better versions. The FlxSHOT is not the end all of shotgun shell carry for everyone, but it is a very good start! With new ideas having already been discussed via design tweaks, color options and more, look for the FlxSHOT carrier from Fold ‘Em Gear to do great things in the coming year! For more information on this innovative piece of equipment go to www.foldemgear.com/flxshot.html
pmcimagazine.
GEAR ON TEST: Fold ‘Em Gear FlxSHOT
FIELD TEST #2
HEAD TO HEAD
pmcimagazine.com
HEAD TO HEAD For this issue of PMCI we decided to ask our two tame contractors who have worked “The Circuit”, one British and “new skool” and one American and “Old Skool” the same question to see where there are similarities or disparities. This time my question to them both was “how do you prepare physically before a contract and how do you keep fit with very limited resources in-country?”
Rob S (USA) So how do I physically prep for a security contract? I have consulted with many clients for many years who ask me about getting ready for overseas “merc work” or even “younglins” for their selection. This question can be a tough one to answer. That is it would be tough if I was looking for the politically correct marketing of complex programs of the current time. Ha! But here we go, ready for this? The answer, do less. Yep, less. If you are genetically cut out for this job and have been trained (skills) right, almost everything will be about preventing injuries. For example, if you walked into selection and aced it without much prep simply because you are mentally stable, physically capable and avoided getting injured then you understand what I’m getting at. Less is more. Having owned gyms and personal training companies in the past and in a time before the internet and all its lies, aka marketing fairy tales people want to hear, we used to study and test everything, no guessing, find what worked. My clients usually had plenty of money and very little time. They cared not about being seen with a trainer (some even hid the facttalking to you Quantico boys ha ha), but they wanted results. So we tested and tried many, many programs. Funny enough, most programs of physical training worked well towards a progressive goal. Some much faster than others, but the ones that led to injuries due to such mistakes as improper form, to fast of speeds, repetitive poor form injuries and over training, the biggest culprit, always slowed progress big or stopped it completely. So things that don’t cause injuries, that part was easy. This narrowed what we did considerably. Next was time constraints. My clients were busy saving the world or controlling it (yes, officers and politicians I speak of you) and they had no days off and no spare time. This meant I needed something that could be done in small bites daily or one mid-sized bites once or twice weekly. So keep it simple, avoid injury and do the least possible to get a result. Less! I try to start my physical prep work up with Doctors visits and chiropractic visits to ensure I’m healthy, up to date on shots and my alignment is good. Too many people forget it starts at base health. I’ve seen guys sent home because their blood pressure spiked or a back injury flared up they hadn’t taken care of. Believe me we all have injuries suffered as a result of combat and other uncontrollable factors, but if you knew about
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it ahead you could get it taken care of or be better prepared. Go see your docs first. So we move onto the actual physical stuff. As a strong believer in Pareto’s principle, I look for the 20% or less that will produce 80% or more of the results. That means something I can do almost anywhere, that is quick and simple. Remembering that getting fit is different than maintaining fitness as well. My goal is to keep my strength, my endurance and my health up, maybe even improve it on a contract, all while working our typical 14+ hour nights and seven days a week start to finish. I want to train as I will be when working. Heard something like that before? It may not be what you think. So, I split my training into 3 categories, strength with endurance is one. Flexibility maintenance is another. Posture and movement is the last. These all have crossovers of course but you will get the idea. Warm ups? I don’t really warm up so much as check my joints to ensure they have range of motion and no injury flare ups or such. For me hip and shoulder injuries in my past from parachute and well, fights. LOL I use a bit of movement typical of Russian martial arts guys, simple slowly move each joint and see or feel how it flows through its motion from neck to toes. Again it isn’t so much a warm up as a safety check of my body. We always try to condition to react on demand. You don’t do stretches and bends before using the stairs when the elevator is out, you don’t do push ups before lifting the car off your wife to retrieve your credit cards from her purse after the accident, you just do, well it. Onto the training; let us keep it simple. Yeah KISS. I have found that the majority of my body can be worked with only 4 simple exercises and I can maintain my overall fitness, health and keep them. I do one arm alternating clean and presses progressive 20x10 tabat style (twenty seconds of lifting and ten seconds rest, repeat) as my base. I prefer dumbbells but have used everything from sand bags to local kids. That’s another story. My method is work from light to heavy, if possible, over six to nine sets. I do four reps, two each arm, and rest ten seconds then repeat till I can’t do anymore or I hit the nine max sets. It’s simple and it works. Usually I rest for one or two minutes max then onto the next exercise. My next exercise is Long step farmers walk lunges up to one hundred steps max. Put on your ruck, grab a spare ruck for the front (weight vests work too), then grab two heavy dumbbells (again sand
Pic courtesy of “MGunz” Paul J Roarke of ‘Corps Strength’. See PMCI Issue 6
Richard S (UK) When we leave the military and head straight out on to contracts in hostile environments, you already have a high standard of fitness. The problem is keeping and maintaining that standard of fitness when operational and working long days. Another problem, which I am sure everyone has experienced it, is the location you are operating from. When you’re out in the middle of an Iraqi oil field or stuck in the middle of a city, it’s hard to maintain you cardio. Some time the only thing that is available is a running machine and a set of weights. Being a runner back home I don’t particularly like throwing weights about; on one occasion my team was operating from the centre of Basra city with a 30 x 20 meter patch of grass. Going back to my military roots I downloaded the bleep test from iTunes, marked the set distances out on the grass and I religiously did a bleep test every night. Again facilities can change depending on contract type. For instance if you’re working DoD, I was working from a FOB in Wardak province. The FOB had a 3 mile perimeter and was situated on the side of a mountain. It was also situated at 8,000 ft, which again added to the training you committed to. The gym was awesome and had every weights machine you could think of. If you’re a fitness monster you’re probably going to hate commercial contracts. Long days, horrendous food, and hard to get your hands on protein powders. There are ways to get around this, some guys use to bring protein back from leave or DHL parcels to a local collection. Be prepared to conduct some form of fitness test. When I left the military and pushed out on my first contract in Iraq the company I was contracted to required you to complete a 2-mile run in full equipment carrying weapon systems. I also had to complete a mile and a half weighted stretcher run wearing full kit. Some companies standards are higher than others, the way I looked at it, the higher the standards the better the contract was. Overall if there is a bunch of squaddies or veterans bunched up together in one spot, be sure there is gym equipment or a fitness regime.
HEAD TO HEAD
bags, kids etc work here) Start your long extended stepping lunges and go for a walk, you will automatically take shorter and shorter steps as you progress towards that one hundred and most times along the way you will hit a point you can’t do another, ditch the weights and keep going but always keep your form proper. You may do all one hundred in which case next time use more weight, baggage or kids. These two alone are more than enough exercise to keep fit for work but some may desire a tad more, to these we simple add in tradition weighted dead hand pull-ups and overhead military press-ups. Again I do each 20x10 style but a max of 4 sets on these. At this point I may have only worked out for 10 to 20 min max. But that is all it takes. My lungs feel like they want to burst and my body will ache. I will do this 4 exercise routine about two and max three times a week to get fit and one or max two times a week to keep fit. Once I am at my job or if my own schedule requires it, I do only one of the exercises a day and take one day off from them every four days. It works. How long can you keep this up? Don’t we need variance to keep progressing and such? How long? Well I have clients who have done this for over ten years with no injuries and have gotten super fit and maintained it. This isn’t a program for a croxxf*t competitor or a bodybuilder, or even a distance runner. But it is a base fitness system for a mil contractor or human being. Flexibility, range of motion and movement; I’m older yet I can easily touch my toes and such. That is pretty normal flexibility is a fit person no matter the age. Although I can get 90% into splits as well they are not required by most for ideal flexibility. Again people make getting that extreme flexibility a massive goal and usually rush or force the process and get injured. You need to accept your bodys real ideal range of motion, sadly most never work up to it so they don’t know what it is or they force it and get injured damaging their ability. I prefer the old style stretching after a hard workout and only the muscles worked. Simple get into a stretch then do contact and relax into the stretch contrast style. Maybe stretching each movement for a minute or two total. It works for me and allows me to maintain my range of motion and for my clients allows them to get into theirs over time. What about movement and posture. This is the only more complex area of working out I use. I’ll tell you what I do, but this is a case you should buy the books, videos and take a class or two. I prefer the awareness through movement techniques like Alexander and Feldenkrais styles. But other moving meditation like advanced Tai Chi and such can be great too. What is the number one complaint physically I hear on assignments that require long standing or vehicle hours, back aches. These moving programs virtually eliminate those issues and improve your work endurance by leaps and bounds. Not to mention when you do work in a suit you look healthy with that good posture. So what do I do for physical prep before my work details? I keep it simple. You may be unfit, unhealthy, overweight or injured. I suggest caring for those first. After that just don’t get injured!
pmcimagazine.com
Advanced Security Protection
Blackstone Consultancy
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AKE Group
Blue Hackle
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Ambrey Risk
Blue Waters Partners Global
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Antipirates.Org
BP Global
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APPDS
Britam Defence
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Aquatic Marine Ltd
British Maritime Solutions
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http://britishmaritimesolutions.com
Protect Asia Group
BW Offshore
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Secopex
Calibre International Security
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http://www.calibre-international.com/
Aspida
Chilport
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http://www.chilport.co.uk/
Associated Risk Maritime Risk Management
Chiron Resources
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http://www.chironresources.com
Bancroft Maritime Security Solutions
Clearwater Special Projects
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http://www.bodyguarding.co.uk/
Bechtel Corporation
Control Risks
http://www.bechtel.com/
http://www.control-risks.com
Black Pearl
Decatur Maritime Security
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http://www.decaturms.com/
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Drum Cussac
Hudson Trident
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Dryad Maritime
ICTS
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Edinburgh International
IMSA Ltd
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Elite Maritime Protection Services
International Executive Recruiting
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EOS Risk Management
International Maritime Security
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Erus Maritime
International Maritime Security
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Espada
International Security Network
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Ex Military Recruitment
ISC Gulf
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Exploration Logistics Group
ISSG Sea Marshalls
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G4S Maritime
Janusian Risk Advisory Group
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Genesis Security Group http://genesissecurity.com/
Global Executive Outreach http://www.geo-ops.com/
Global Risk Security http://www.globalrisksecurity.co.uk/
Global Solace http://www.solaceglobal.com/
Global Strategies Group http://www.globalgroup.com/
Grail Security http://www.grail.co.za
Halliburton http://www.halliburton.com/en-USage
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Hart Maritime http://www.hartsecurity.com
Hill & Associates http://www.hillassoc.com
HP TerraMarine International http://www.hpterramarine.com/
Kroll
MUSC
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Longmoor Group
Naval Guards
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Lotus Maritime Security
Neptune Security
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NNK Group
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NYA International
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Magregor Protection Services
Ocean Marshalls
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March Security
Ocean Protective Services
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Maritime Risk International
Oceaneering International
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Marsec
Olchon
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MAST
Olive Group
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McRoberts Maritime Security
Orchid Security
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Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre
Oxberry Risk Strategies
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Minimal Risk
Pilgrim Group
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MSS
Pilgrim Security
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http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com
MTResolution
Pistris
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http://www.pistris.com/Index.html
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Protect Asia Group
Securescot
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http://www.securescot.com
PVI Ltd
Securewest International
http://www.pviltd.com/
http://www.securewest.com/
Raven Special Projects Ltd
Security Networking Events
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http://snespecialprojects.com/
Red Cell Security
Security Networking Events
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http://snespecialprojects.com/
Redfour-MSS
Securoquest
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http://www.securoquest.co.za
Saladin Security Group
Shield Risk Consulting
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http://www.shield.eu/services/maritime-security/
Saladin Security
Shipguard
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Salama Fikira
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SMS
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Tor International
Tactical Intel
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Trojan Securities International
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Tor International
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Blackstone Consultancy
Torcuss
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Pilgrim Group
Triskle TSL
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Maritime Risk International
Triton Security
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http://www.tritoninternationalltd.com
International Maritime Security
Trojan Securities
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http://www.trojansecurities.com
Raven Special Projects Ltd
Veritas International
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http://www.veritas-international.com/
Salamanca Risk Management http://www.salamancarm.com
Sea Marshalls Ltd UK http://www.seamarshals.com
SEAL http://www.sealsecurity.com/
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