Fred Rowlands

Fred Rowlands Fred “Garfield” Rowlands is a 21+ year Navy veteran who spent his career in strange and diverse places like Diego Garcia, Wintering Over in Antarctica, the Southern Border, and Burbank CA. Has spent over 30 years working in Military Physical Security, Law Enforcement, and Private Security, and has “more luck than a cat has lives” supposedly. He now resides in NW Florida with his wife and a French Bulldog named Kane.

Bolle Gunfire 2.0 Safety Glasses, One Set to Rule Them All

When I started Military Security work, safety glasses were almost non-existent. Later in my Law Enforcement years, they were often of dubious quality compared to today’s standards but the idea of one set that was useful and included lenses to wear indoors and outdoors hadn’t become a “thing” yet. Today, thankfully we have Bolle Safety […]

Chopping Through Jungles or the Front Yard, the Spetsnaz Survival Machete Chopper is Your Tool

At the homestead one Saturday, I’d finally grown tired of the overgrown shrubbery in the front yard, and the time for trimming and clearing out weeds that didn’t belong there was long overdue. I let Layla out for supervision, then grabbed the Spetsnaz Survival Machete Chopper that I’ve been using for the past few weekends, […]

Glock 30 vs Springfield XDS 45 Cal Range Day Shoot Out

Going to the range is always fun, getting to shoot more guns and some awesome Black Hills ammo makes it even more so. In this case, I was testing my new Glock 30 with its 3.78″ barrel and comparing it to my old CCW pistol a Springfield XDS with its 3.3″ barrel. I wanted a […]

The Acebeam Terminator M2-X, a Palm Sized Powerhouse

Flashlights are one of the most used and needed devices today next to cell phones and even they include a flashlight demonstrating our need for light when we find ourselves in the darkness. I was taught not to fear the dark and how to see with minimal light, blue light (shudder!), red, and green light […]

Being Prepared, Hurricane Season is Coming

As the calendar turns to April, here in NW Florida we start thinking of hurricane season which is just around the corner. People like to talk about SHTF and Loss of Civility but this is Florida, we get a hurricane somewhere every year so being prepared isn’t just a catchphrase, for many it’s a way […]

Leave The World Behind It’s Just a Movie Right?

As “apocalyptic thriller” movies go, this 2023 Netflix movie is a bit different. My wife and I watch these types of movies because sometimes they are interesting or action-oriented etc and I often poke fun at many things we see, the typical “I think they missed the mark on that one” stuff. But I’ll give […]

A Retirement 34 Years in the Making

34 YEARS, who thinks that far ahead when joining the Military at 18? When I joined right after high school I couldn’t imagine making the commitment for 6 years, let alone the 21 years I ended up serving. But THIRTY-FOUR years? When I served with Todd, as I knew him then in Puerto Rico, I’m […]

The MTM Hypertec Chrono 2, Bold Style and Strength thru Simplicity

I’ve had many watches in my life, my first was a simple wind-up Timex that still works, telling time and day. Most days I don’t wear a watch, not because I don’t have one but because I can’t program/reprogram the one I have. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great watch but it has more […]

McGuire Army Navy, Your Complete Source to Gear Up

As a child I remember Herb Phillipson’s Army and Navy store in Utica NY. The tall racks of seemingly endless amounts of gear, uniforms, clothing, firearms, and more created memories that have endured a lifetime. Phillipson’s is gone now but replacing it, at least online, is a store that seems to hold as much wonderful […]

My New EDC Folder, the M16 by CRKT

I used my S&W Extreme Ops Tanto for at least 7 years and it served me faithfully but times change and it was time for an upgrade. Enter the Columbia River Knife and Tool, (CRKT), M16-14DSFG, a very specific knife designed by renowned knife maker Kit Carson. Kit retired as a ranking Master Sergeant and […]