Men's Lifestyle

Worst War Movies Ever | Don’t Waste Your Time on These Stinkers

Back in May around Memorial Day, we listed some of our favorite War Films that are guaranteed to entertain and keep your interest. We could have easily added a couple of more as the genre always has some worthy additions by Hollywood’s filmmakers. This year’s blockbuster “Dunkirk” could easily make its way into that list.

But today’s list is going in the opposite direction. These are some of the worst war films, in our humble opinion out there. In every genre, especially one as chocked full of entries as the war film category, you’ll have plenty of lousy films, that are just groan worthy from military veterans and war film buffs alike.

So watch these following films…if you dare. But as a word to the wise. You may turn it off before it is over. As some of these films are just plain awful. Normally we’d say, drum roll, please. Instead, we’ll play a dirge. In no particular order here is your Wall of Shame of Worst War Films:

Battle of the Bulge (1965) – Despite a stellar All-Star cast of Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas, Charles Bronson, Dana Andrews, George Montgomery and James MacArthur this one got nearly everything wrong. The uniforms, the tanks, the history was skewed horribly.

Less than a minute into the film, the narrator, William Conrad uttered this: “To the south lay Patton’s Third Army, to the North Montgomery’s Eighth”….What? Field Marshal Montgomery’s Eighth Army, for which he rose to fame in the desert, was in Italy, not the Northern edge of the Bulge. That should tell you right away that this stinker was not going to get things right.

The German Tiger Tanks were actually M-47 Patton tanks and the American Shermans were portrayed by M-24 Chaffee light tanks. Filmed entirely in Spain, the terrain resembled the wooded, hilly Ardennes, not at all.

The film wasted a good performance from Robert Shaw, as the fanatical SS officer Col. Hessler who was tasked to break through the Allied lines. Shaw’s Hessler was loosely based on SS Colonel Joachim Peiper. No mention is made of the counter-attack from Patton’s forces from the south, the 101st Airborne’s holding of the key road junction of Bastogne or the Allied air power, which after the skies cleared, decimated the Germans on the ground.

Instead, this film would have you believe that the only thing that stopped the Germans from reaching Antwerp was the lack of gas. The climactic tank battle at the end was another loosely based big tank battle at Celles. In the film, the Germans wipe out the American forces. In reality, it was the opposite. The 2nd Armored Division left 88 German tanks smoking in the hills. This film was so bad that General Eisenhower came out of retirement to excoriate it for its lack of historical accuracy.

Inchon (1979) – This stinker was produced by the religious leader Reverend Sun Myung Moon, head of the powerful Unification Church in the 1980s. He put up $30 million of his own cash to make this limp, tepid offering. The production costs ballooned up to $46 million, which would be near $150 million today. Sir Laurence Olivier was paid $1 million bucks to play General Douglas MacArthur and it is clear, he was there for the paycheck only.

Rev. Moon claimed that the spirit of MacArthur visited him during the filming giving his blessing to the project. OK…does anything else need to be added here?

The cast of Olivier, Ben Gazzara, and Jacqueline Bissett was wasted here with dialogue as dry as a buffalo fart. Olivier looked more like Emperor Palpatine than MacArthur in this one. And Moon threw in a little sex action between Gazzara and a Korean hottie while cheating on Bissett who was his wife at home to take away from the rest of this potboiler I guess to show that the war was the cause of marital infidelity. It was actually filmed in 1979 and Moon shopped for three years for a studio to release this turkey.

I didn’t make it thru the original release, falling asleep in the theater and guarantee if you are having sleep issues watch this and it will do the trick. This one was so bad that MGM didn’t even release it on video. You can find it on YouTube if you care to.

Pearl Harbor (2001) – Michael Bay took a 90-minute action film about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and squeezed it into a 3-hour 3-minute monstrosity that took severe creative license with the actual history. Starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale who are involved in a complicated love triangle during the and immediate aftermath of the Japanese attack that kicked the U.S. into World War II.

Pearl Harbor had a huge operating budget of $140 million but made a respectable $450 million at the box office. Some of it was filmed in the huge Baja Studio that James Cameron built for Titanic. And the ship scenes filmed there were still visible (the wreck of the Arizona) a few years later when I got to work on the beginning of a Narnia film there in 2009.

The numerous factual inaccuracies were pretty numerous, the Marlboro Lights in a sailor’s pocket…was inexcusable. A pretty amusing scene is where Affleck is talking to Colonel Doolittle in his office and behind the Colonel are his trophies for air racing. Look closely and there is an F-86 Saber jet from the Korean War. Affleck’s supposed action in the “Eagle Squadron” with the RAF is flawed. No American Army pilots were allowed to join. Only civilians. And what in the wide, wide world of sports is the intelligence officers and Beckinsale listening to during the Doolittle Raid? It certainly wasn’t radio chatter from the planes over Japan. They were on strict radio silence.

This one at least had some good action scenes during the actual bombing of Pearl Harbor which Bay did well although again inaccurately and had the always enchanting Beckinsale in the lead. A curious decision was the one to portray Mrs. Ben Affleck (Jennifer Garner) as a dowdy nurse, perhaps to take away from Beckinsale’s draw.

Redacted (2009) – If you’ve never heard of this one, don’t be alarmed, you aren’t missing anything. Normally I love the films of Brian De Palma but he swung for the fences with this one and missed. De Palma took a real incident about a rape of a young Iraqi girl and the murder of her family and tried to create an anti-war film about the U.S. involvement in Iraq. Surprisingly, some of the medium’s most well-known critics loved this film. Don’t waste your time, it was unmitigated trash, exploitation. He tried to shock the audience, right down to a slide show of gruesome pictures of Iraq’s war dead. We aren’t told who killed them, or who they are…it is just supposed to shock the viewer.

The message? here is that the war is making monsters out of American youth? I don’t know. It is kind of murky there but De Palma goes full-blown exploitive with the two Americans being the cartoonish, one-dimensional villains in the scene.The one perpetrator even wears a helmet mounted camera to catch the ugliness on film as the antithesis of the combat footage we’ve seen on screen during the war.

This was one of De Palma’s lesser efforts, the dialogue is atrocious and totally unbelievable for any grunts and sounds like a cliche machine.The way these guys interact with one another is a joke. Is this a unit that went to Iraq together or did they meet on the set just ten minutes before? It was just a crudely done, poorly defined film that even the “found camera footage” is unbelievable. It was a one-dimensional bit of schlock that is best left to the imagination.

Revolution (1985) – Ok, I know “The Patriot” also taking place in the Revolutionary War took tremendous liberties with the historical facts. But the cast at least made it entertaining. Revolution was one of the most horrible films I think I’ve ever been subjected to. A few years ago, I hadn’t even heard of it, and a friend of mine, said that I absolutely, positively had to watch it.

Well, I did and I agree with the original review published in 1985 with its release that it was quite probably the worst film of the year. The casting was absolutely ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong, I love Al Pacino. Some of his performances are legendary stuff, Scarface, Heat, the Godfather saga. But casting him as a trapper caught up in the Revolutionary War is a head scratcher. Where was he trapping? In Brooklyn? His accent is not American Revolution-esque unless we had a lot more Italian immigrants in the colonies than what has been reported.

Speaking of accents, Nastassja Kinski, who back in the day was quite the box office draw, has a completely different one from the actresses who play her mother and sisters. I guess we’re supposed it ignore it or assume that she was adopted.

The British characters led by Donald Sutherland, are the unequivocal bad guys here. And just in case you don’t see it first hand, the director makes sure that you do by making most of them kiddy-diddlers. Pederasty aside, it is still a horrible film that is just not worth your time. The director wasted some nicely filmed battle scenes in Yorktown by making a boring, yawner who…like the ones listed above, took great liberties with history.

There are several more we could have listed here but you get the idea. And please feel free to chime in with some of your own Hall of Shame War Films. So with Labor Day Weekend upcoming, if you’re not making one last run to the beach this summer and you’re content with sitting home and watching some of your favorite war films, do yourself a favor. Skip these five. You’ll be glad you did.

Photos courtesy: IMDB

Courtesy of Special Operations.com and written by STEVE BALESTRIERI

Overland Essential | Midland Radio MXT275 | GXT1000

I’m starting to consider myself an Overlander now, but I’ve only been at it for a couple of years. Still a green horn by all accounts and measurements. So I constantly refine my personal equipment, vehicle and loadout after each trip. It’s the only way to get better. Figure out what worked, what didn’t, and what adjustments need to be made to the vehicle. With limited space on board, the items I select need to serve a legitimate purpose and not just end up as dead weight. They also need to be robust enough to endure the rugged environment. These items that make the final cut become Overland Essential. And the MXT275 from Midland Radio is one such item.

Midland Radio Video Review:

Midland Radio has been manufacturing 2-way radios since the 1950’s and was the first company to introduce a 14 channel FRS radio. Since then, their products have continued to lead the market with constant innovation and refinement. With a full line of portable 2-way radios available, I selected the MXT275 as our “base camp” radio along with a pair of GXT1000 handheld units for use on foot, or bike, or kayak. As a family of four that adventures together, I felt this set-up would offer the most flexibility and range at a great price.

Midland Radio MXT275

The MXT275 is a compact portable 2-way radio that sports a powerful 15watt base station. This Micromobile unit is small enough to be mounted just about anywhere. My Toyota Tundra serves double-duty as a work truck as well as our Overland vehicle. So I chose the center console as my mounting location for several reasons. There is a 12v plug in the console which is required to power the MXT275. Additionally, I can easily route the antenna wire from here under the carpet and rear seats to place the magnetic antenna on the roof via the rear sliding window. And finally, I can store the entire unit out of sight when not in use. All in all, a pretty seamless 10-minute install.

Although Midland advertises up to a 50-mile range in perfect unobstructed conditions, we live in Northern Michigan which is heavily wooded and expect far less range in this environment. However, we have not experienced any lapse in comms between the MXT275 and the GXT1000 handheld units when the boys push out from the campsite. With plans to head out west next season to the vast expanses of Colorado or Utah, we’ll get to test that long range capability. But for the time being, these radios from Midland have served us reliably.

Midland Radio MXT275 Spec Sheet

Midland Radio GXT1000

For use beyond the vehicle, I chose the Midland GXT1000. These small handheld units pack a powerful 5-watt punch offering up to 36 miles of range. Again, in perfectly un-obstructed conditions. This kit includes a pair of handheld units along with rechargeable batteries, a base station and headsets all for $89.99. Furthermore, the charging station includes both AC and 12v plugs for charging flexibility while in the vehicle.

A handy feature found on both the MXT275 as well as the GXT1000’s is the NOAA Weather Alert Radio with Weather Scan. This automatically locks on to your local weather channel and alerts you to severe weather in your area. On a 4 day trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this summer, we found ourselves in a bit of a pinch. Setting up camp in a remote logged out area away from civilization seemed like a great way to watch the sunset over Lake Superior. Out of cell range, I was unable to check the rapidly changing weather over the lake. As we settled into our rooftop tent for the night, we had no idea what we’d wake up to.

Around 4am, I thought I saw a flash of light through my eyelids. Maybe it was just my imagination. As I lay there, I start to hear the familiar rumble of thunder. Peeking out the window, I see a large fast moving storm cell. The detail of the clouds revealed in the dark sky with each lighting strike. Illuminating the angry mass of clouds as if someone was turning on and off a light switch within. I grabbed the Midland Radio and pushed the WX button. The radio scanned for a local NOAA Weather channel. Once locked on, the bad news hit us loud and clear.

We found ourselves in the path of a severe thunderstorm with winds exceeding 40 mph. The next 15 minutes mimicked ground zero of an artillery barrage. I counted around 40 lightning strikes within 5 miles of us. With nowhere to take refuge, we just hunkered down and hoped that the odds were in our favor. As I watched from our window, a tree on the edge of the clearing took a direct hit. About a half of a mile from our tents and way too close for comfort. It was as beautiful as it was terrifying. And another important learning experience. In the future, I’ll pull up a full weather brief for our area of operation prior to departure.

Final thoughts:

In the video, Scott and I are exploring areas closer to home. Driving our trucks in Northern Michigan and getting ready for Overland Expo East. Good 2-way comms allowed us to warn one another of obstacles on the trail and game plan our route on the fly. GMRS radios are a great way for a group traveling together to have reliable communications. More powerful HAM radios are a good solution in the event you need help from outside the group over greater distances. But require each user to have a license. Just a couple of considerations when selecting a vehicle radio for Overland travel. However, the compact size and transmit range of these Midland products allow you to outfit your rig with an affordable and very reliable set-up.

“Midland Radio Corporation develops consumer products such as all hazards/weather alert radios, GMRS two-way radios, citizen band radios, marine radios, and bluetooth intercom systems. It has manufactured two-way radios since the late 1950s and was the first to introduce a 14-channel FRS radio to the market. In addition, as a manufacturer of land mobile radios, MRC supplies analog and digital portables, mobiles and base stations/repeaters for government entities such as forestry, public safety, etc., and other commercial users. Midland is the U.S. affiliate of an international group of companies with offices in Bulgaria, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. MRC is headquartered in a distribution facility in Kansas City, Missouri, which houses its entire U.S. operations.” ~Wikipedia

Is the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M the next James Bond watch?

Omega Watches recently unveiled a new photo on their website featuring Daniel Craig in his Bond-esque tuxedo showcasing their new Seamaster Diver 300M. For those unaware, Omega has exclusively taken the spotlight on James Bond’s wrist since 1995’s GoldenEye, which then featured Pierce Brosnan as the British spy. Every wristwatch worn by Bond since then has been a model from Omega’s Seamaster line, replacing the classic Rolex Submariner worn by previous Bond actors.

The Seamaster Diver 300M debuted in 1993 so this year marks its 25^th anniversary and what better way to increase marketing appeal than to revamp an already iconic watch with some new bells and whistles to celebrate its anniversary. Interestingly, the upcoming Bond film slated for release next year is being colloquially referred to as Bond 25, referring to itself as the 25^thinstallment in the series by Eon Productions. This photoshoot and collection of events have led to some speculation that the new Seamaster 300M will be next watch for the next Bond film.

Though it remains to be seen, the new Seamaster 300M would be a worthy successor to Bond’s collection of luxury wristwatches. Along with some technical upgrades, the new model also features a new ceramic bezel and ceramic dial with a laser-engraved wave pattern that is sure to garner a lot of gazing eyes. Starting MSRP for the new Seamaster is currently $4,750.

All photos courtesy of Omega Watches

What’s the best Home-Defense carbine for the new gun owner?

Let’s face it, there are more than enough articles detailing rifle setup or reviews of home defense carbines With the ever-growing list of friends, family, and acquaintances that have little to no shooting experience, they tend to ask the same typical questions:

“What’s the best rifle I can buy?”

“Can’t I just go cheap?”

“I know what you’re saying, but I really like that tiny Sig P290. Can’t I just go with that? A rifle seems like a bit much”

“Can’t I just build it? It looks easy on YouTube.”

“Can you show me how to set it up?”

“I don’t know about LMT, I’ve heard Rock Rivers’ are just as good on this blog.”

I’ve seen varying reactions from the staff at your average gun shop. Some people are helpful, some get annoyed, others exploit a new buyer for the sake of an easy sale, and the absolute worst is the staff member who seizes the opportunity to belittle you. While some folks come to me lacking maturity in their line of questioning, I always provide the best and simplest advice I can give. There’s nothing to lose here, and if someone decides to bet their life on your recommendation, I really hope you gave them a real answer based upon a combination of real experience and some research. This article is my recommendation to a new buyer interested in protecting their home. With that, I’m keeping much of the information in this article basic.

When writing this article, I chose two carbine length multipurpose rifles, tailored slightly towards close quarters battle (CQB). The first question is “why carbine length? Don’t we have better options with respect to short barreled rifles (SBR) and AR pistols?” Yes, there are better options, but I have no desire to deal with SBR laws when traveling across state lines. I have even less of a desire to deal with how the BATF chooses to interpret the legality of an AR pistol on any random day of the week. Furthermore, a 16-inch barreled AR-15 will handle a close quarters fight just fine. You may be hesitant as a new shooter to approach the concept of an AR-15 style rifle over a pistol, so let’s assess the “why” — My main driving factors for choosing an AR-15 style rifle are: high-capacity, maneuverability, dependability, and accuracy.

Now, let’s get into the weapons. I chose two different models from two different manufacturers.

Rifle1: Daniel Defense M4 V11 in 5.56mm with 16inch barrel (Pictured on Top)

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 in 5.56mm with 16inch barrel (Pictured Below)

Here’s why I chose these manufacturers, quality parts, quality labor, quality control. Take whatever stance you want, but Daniel Defense and Bravo Company Manufacturing are known for this. Am I saying you’ll never get a bad gun off the line? Nope. I’m saying that you are far more likely to get a dependable weapon out of the box. If there is a defect, both companies take their customer service seriously, and will make it right.

All those points aside, if you decide to make a rifle your duty or home protection weapon, and it has yet to be fired, you’re a moron. Never bet on an unproven piece of life saving gear. Do not get caught up in the “it’s mil spec so it’s basically the same” mindset. That “mil spec means it’s good to go” argument is the equivalent of saying, “to build a house all you need is a roof.” The extra steps these companies take before shipping a weapon are leaps and bounds above other manufacturers, and that is why I chose them.

Now, there are plenty of other manufacturers that make quality AR platforms such as LMT, Colt, Triarc Systems, LWRC, LaRue Tactical, Knights Armament Co, etc. and they are top notch. Even during my service in the military I bet my life on Colt for years, so please do not think I am stating these other manufacturers are unworthy for duty or home defense. On the other hand, if you are considering building a rifle (I recommend that for more experienced individuals), do not make your first home defense rifle a build. I’ve seen it all when it comes to builds. Build your first and make sure it runs — Clint Smith would agree with me. With that noted, let’s move on.

Weapons System Overview:

Rifle1: Daniel Defense M4 V11 in 5.56mm.

Barrel- Cold Hammer Forged, government profile 1:7 twist, Chrome Moly Vanadium Steel

Rail- Keymod 15inch

Gas system- Mid-Length

Gas block- Low profile pinned

Muzzle Device- Daniel Defense Flash Suppressor

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 in 5.56mm.

Barrel- Cold Hammer Forged, government profile 1:7 twist, MIL-B-11595E Chrome Moly Steel

Rail- Keymod 15inch

Gas system- Mid-Length

Gas block- Low profile dimpled with set screws

Muzzle Device- BCM Mod 0 Compensator

I can get into further detail, but I’m not a damn brochure, look the rest up yourself.

The barrel- Both rifles are government profile and cold hammer forged, a solid decision with respect to durability. There are some who would urge you to seek lightweight barrels, but I like versatility. There are also days where training is high round count and long in duration; I have no interest in sacrificing accuracy, or increasing the level of heat on my handguard if that can be mitigated with a slightly heavier barrel. In fact, I am also a big fan of the heavier SOCOM profile barrels as they handle a higher volume of fire. Bottom line, I like a workhorse that I can depend on.

Moving onto gas systems- I’m a pretty big proponent of the mid-length gas system on a 16 inch barrel. It allows greater dwell time and creates a far smoother recoil impulse than a carbine length gas system. During training sessions, I believe you’ll find recoil management a tad more manageable than a “snappy” carbine length system during a rapid string of fire.

Gas blocks- Pinned or dimpled with set screws? Honestly, if done right it doesn’t matter. However, if done wrong the weapon won’t run. This is an area where a quality manufacturer is important. Over the years, I have had plenty of friends shoot their personal weapons in a course side by side with me, and some lesser manufacturers have been known to cut corners in this area. I’ve seen some of those guns run like sewing machines, then one day, not function…. All due to poor gas block installation or cheap materials.

Muzzle device- The muzzle device in both systems work just fine, but they are nothing to write home about. The Daniel Defense Flash suppressor works as intended, it dissipates muzzle flash, and helps direct recoil where it needs to go. The BCM Mod 0 Compensator does neither task very well. It does an okay job of flash suppression, and an okay job of compensation. If you are thinking of installing a large muzzle brake on your home protection weapon to aid in recoil management, don’t. The muzzle flash, combined with the deafening noise will be a less than pleasant experience should you have to fight with your rifle indoors.

Regarding Rails- both work fine, Keymod or MLOK, I really don’t care. It does not impact my ability to shoot well, and the systems are durable. If I were to pick from the two manufacturers, I prefer the BCM rail system. It’s lighter, and the lockup is simplistic but tough. For you gear-nazis, MLOK accessories will have greater longevity with respect to accessory availability, and it is a more durable system than keymod.

Last, but not least, Bolt Carrier Groups (BCGs)- There’s a ton of options out there, so I’ll say it like this, get yourself a full auto BCG. The AR-15 was designed to run with the full auto BCG. There are better options, but a Mil-spec, carpenter 158 steel, high pressure tested, magnetic particle inspected, heat treated and shot peened, with properly torqued and staked gas key screws are essential to reliable operation. The Daniel Defense and BCM BCGs are a fantastic example of a perfectly executed Mil-spec BCG; however, the BCM BCG has become the “gold standard” throughout the shooting community. You would not be wrong with either choice.

Rifle Setups:

Rifle1- Daniel Defense M4 V11 (Pictured on Top)

Optic- EOTECH EXPS 3-2 (Tan)

Iron Sights- Daniel Defense fixed iron sights

Foregrip- Strike Industries SI LINK angled foregrip

Light Source- Arisaka Defense 300 series with Surefire SR07 pressure switch

Buttstock- BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD Stock

Other- Magpul PMAG Coupler

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 (Pictured Below)

Optic- Trijicon MRO

Iron Sights- Daniel Defense fixed iron sights

Foregrip- Strike Industries SI LINK angled foregrip

Light Source- Arisaka Defense 300 series with Surefire SR07 pressure switch

Buttstock- BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD Stock

Other- Magpul PMAG Coupler

Kit for your setup are where some folks tend to skimp once they purchase a quality rifle, sometimes…. They skimp even if their rifle is garbage. But here’s the takeaway, positive target ID, a fast-reliable optic, and a weapon that feels instinctive to operate are just as important. If it looks cool, but works sometimes, or is not user-friendly, move on.

Optics: The EOTECH EXPS series- are great close quarters optics, practically parallax free (not totally), large window that promotes situational awareness, and ideal donut style reticle make it a force to be reckoned with. Now, I am fully prepared for all my EOTECH haters to crawl out from the rock they are hiding under screaming things like “thermal drift!” In my experience, all the EXPS models I’ve run work great. Even the one I used during my time in Special Operations through parachuting, climbing, rucking, FAST roping, and extended shooting sessions during extreme cold weather (the polar vortex of 2015), I’ve had no issues. My biggest complaint is battery life, 1000 Hours. You do not want to be in a position where you go to turn on your optic in the middle of the night only to see a big fat nothing. I always play it safe and change my batteries every 3 months.

Moving on to the Trijicon MRO- the thing is bomb proof, parallax is a bit rough on this optic, but I haven’t found that to be an issue. In stark contrast, the battery life is amazing at a whopping 5 years in constant on. What is very hard to beat, is the price. If you wait for an online sale, you can roll out the door with one for approximately $375.

Iron sights- It’s like this, yea, it’s more money to spend; on the other hand, batteries and electronics fail. Iron sights are a constant you can count on, so buy them. Light Source- Arisaka Defense makes solid kit, and the 300 series are cost effective and reliable. They are also relatively small, light-weight, and take up very little real-estate on your rail system. Add a surefire pressure switch and you’re in business.

Flashlights are a non-negotiable item, if you can’t identify what’s in front of you, you are combat ineffective. BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD stock- Highly durable (I’ve drop tested their stocks before at 20+FT…. they hold up), with a fantastic cheek-weld. The BCM SOPMOD stock makes reflexive shooting just a tad more instinctive. Strike Industries Angled foregrip- I just like them, no other reason, find what works for you. Their slim profile allows me to get a solid grip around the rail system, and the forward notch aids the shooter in keeping the rifle pinned to your shoulder with ease. Lastly, the Magpul PMAG coupler- “What’s better than one thirty round magazine?” Two thirty round magazines mounted side-by-side. I can’t predict the future, but 60 rounds of 5.56mm in your home defense rifle should be more than enough to end most engagements. I’m not saying 60 rounds are all you’ll ever need, but I am saying that the odds are in your favor.

Lastly, all the top-notch gear in the world does not make an effective combat shooter. I know plenty of businessmen that own expensive firearms they don’t know how to run. If you plan to invest in a home defense weapon, then plan to invest regular money in constant training. You owe it to everyone as a responsible gun owner, you owe it to your family, the innocent neighbors across the street, and most of all, yourself. Even if you’re not a combat shooter, you need to train like one. The whole reason you are making this purchase is if something “might” happen. Well, if something “might” happen, then training is the other 50% percent of that dangerous hypothetical.

About the Author: Jonathan Fietkau is a former SOTACC from 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, and a graduate of the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course (SFAUCC). He is a combat veteran of Iraq, and other theaters of operation, with previous service in the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions.

What I Learned from My Trip to Tail of the Dragon: Prepping for a Long Motorcycle Ride

There are few things more exciting in life than checking something off your bucket list. One of the big ones on my list was to take a long destination ride on my bike through the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and Tennessee.

I had done a few day trips here and there, which totaled a couple hundred miles, but this would be my longest journey yet at 700-miles just one way. I had to make sure I was sufficiently prepared, and if you’re heading on a long trip yourself sometime soon, here are some good guidelines to get you started:

Make sure your bike is ride-ready. This isn’t a ride around the block where you’ll be able to push your bike back home if something goes wrong. First and foremost, you need to do a full inspection of your bike, from top to bottom. Re-check the torque specs of all the critical bolts and nuts. Are your tires in good shape? Are you due for an oil change? Are you due for a maintenance inspection? Do all your lights and indicators work properly? Its imperative you get all those things done before you go on your ride, not after.

Do you have the right gear for the ride? Sure, most people might have the jacket, helmet and gloves, but there’s way more to gear than just that. You need to think about the temperatures and climate you’re going to be riding in. I was leaving very early in the morning for my ride, and the temperature was in the 50’s. It was also the beginning of June, and by the middle of the day, it would be somewhere in the 80’s. I not only wore weather resistant riding pants that had good ventilation, but I wore thermal underwear as well, and in addition to my jacket, I wore a fleece mid layer and a wicking breathable base layer. The key is layering up properly with the ability to remove whatever you don’t need. I also brought a couple different pairs of gloves with me so I could change them out during the day as it got warmer. Big Tip: When you pack any of your gear that you might be switching out during your ride, make sure you pack it at the top so it’s the easiest to get out.

Create a plan if riding with others. On our ride, there were a total of 4 people riding together. This is much more challenging than just riding by yourself somewhere. You need to consider many different things, the majority of which are stops. You have fueling stops, restroom stops, and stretching stops. If everyone you ride with has the same bike, you will probably be on the same fueling schedule. However, this is almost never the case, and some people need to stop for gas sooner than others. Make sure you plot on the map, based on assumed mileage of the smaller tanks, where the gas stations will be along the way. The people with bigger tanks can just top their tanks off as they stop for the others. You might be riding with some people who have smaller bladders or people who have fatiguing joints that might also need to stop more often. Obviously, when you stop for gas, you can also stretch and use the rest room. However, the average bike can last at least 2-3 hours of riding before needing to fill up. That’s a long time to be seated in one position.

One of the most important parts of the ride is technology. When you are riding a with a group, no matter how short or long the ride, communication is key. Having communicators on the helmets to talk to each other is probably one of the greatest assets you could have. Instead of flashing your lights or waving your arms to get one of the other riders’ attention, all you have to do is talk. You can let the group know if you need to stop for any of the reasons mentioned above. Or, you can just talk to have a conversation. Riding 700 miles is a daunting task in itself, but its also quite boring when the road is straight, and you are humming your favorite song to yourself. What’s nice about communication devices is that you can switch from talking to your buddies, to listening to music, or hearing directions from the maps you have set up on your phone or GPS unit. Before you go on your ride, make sure all your electronics are fully charged up. Also, don’t forget any of your charging cables that go with your devices so you can keep them charged when you get to your destination.

Plan, plan and plan. Plan for everything and nothing. Pack a first aid kit in case there’s an emergency on the road. Pack a tool kit if you need maintenance on the road. Call the hotel, motel, or Airbnb that you’re staying at to confirm your reservation and make another reservation as backup. The last thing you want to do is show up at your destination tired and dirty with nowhere to stay. It’s not like you have a car where you can sleep in the back seat if necessary. Take an actual map in case your technology fails. Pack extra money in a couple places in case you lose your wallet. Give your travel itinerary to friends or family so they know to check in from time to time and make sure you are on the same schedule you planned out. But mostly, plan to have the best time of your life!

I had an amazing time on my trip to the “Tail.” There were ups and downs, accidents, and mother nature doing her worst. There were aches, pains, but still tons of smiles. I took some of the most amazing pictures when I was there, and the actual “Tail of the Dragon” was exactly as described. I had the perfect experience because I prepared for the trip by following the steps laid out in this article. If this is also on your bucket list, I highly recommend checking it off as soon as you have the opportunity.

Alexander Demsky is a motorcycle enthusiast and Category Director at MOTORCYCLEiD.com, an online retailer offering the greatest selection of motorcycle gear, parts and accessories.

Op-Ed: Stop throwing gear at the things you suck at and train instead

“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” — Miyamoto Musashi, “The Book of Five Rings”

Getting “cool guy” gear and tricking out your firearm is awesome, I have several mods and bits of gear I swear by. I routinely trick out my firearms with parts that I feel give me a performance related edge. It is important to realize, however, that these modifications and accessories are not solutions to any shortcomings in technique though. If your skills are lacking in any area, stop attempting to compensate for those shortcomings by applying external additives. Instead train in the fundamentals and perfect the things that you suck through rigorous training.

If you suck at marksmanship, spend more time at the range shooting and practicing the fundamentals of marksmanship through dry-fire off the range. If you suck at reloads, do more reload drills. If you suck at drawing from a holster, practice drawing your gun more often. It all sounds so obvious but far too often people spend the money on equipment instead of training. You will get far better at shooting with a base model gun and 1000 rounds of ammo than you will with a tricked-out gun and 100 rounds. For a couple hundred dollars a month you can afford to shoot and improve consistently. For the cost of around $1000 a year, you could take a training course (should you feel that such a thing would benefit you). I’ve seen guys spend far more than that on an optic for a gun they shoot once a year. If you can afford to do both, go for it but the main thing is that experience and training are far more valuable.

High-speed gear and tricked out guns are cool as hell but you look like an asshole with all that expensive stuff if you suck at using it. If you’re like me, you don’t have a big budget. So, spend your money on improving your skills rather than attempting to buy skill by way of external additives. A Tapout shirt doesn’t make a fighter, gym clothes don’t make someone an athlete, and “operator” kit doesn’t make you a gunfighter. Train efficiently, safely, and often if you want to be a better shooter. The guy with a couple of simple guns and a whole lot of hours behind them will always be a dangerous customer.

Article written by Kurt T. for Newsrep

Featured image: The author’s kit while in Ukraine.