Training operations were a huge part of my last contract. Here I am watching a simulated personal watercraft attack off the East Coast. Being a part of the safety team and an advisor, the boat I was in was tasked with observing the client’s movements and reactions to a threat from personal watercraft (better known […]
photo of the day
Photo of the day: Grab your gear and go!
Grab your gear and go. In the military, especially in Ranger School, you are taught and instructed to never have more than one item out of your ruck at a time. It was always entertaining to see some guy in the position next to me with both boots and socks off just as that fateful high pitched squeal […]
Combat hunter tracks prey: 3rd Recon Marines learn techniques of a predator
The Marine Corps Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa Japan had to be one of my favorite deployments. Learning how to operate and survive in a jungle environment is vastly different than a desert or woodland environment. There are also threats native to the jungle that you must be aware of. I remember attending a […]
Photo of the day: Mobility EDC Pack
I made this mini go-bag from spare parts and by cannibalizing from gear I already had as part of my packing list on a whim in a hotel room. It took me a while through trial and error to get it just right, combining seemingly unfitting parts together to make something useful as a whole. The entire kit is irreversible as […]
Trip Prep: Take only what you need
The course I took from Kyle Defoor a few years back was one of the best experiences I’ve had attending a shooting course. His professionalism, attention to detail, real-world experience and no bull-shit attitude were second to none. I’ve been following Kyle over the years to see what gear he recommends and his overall minimalist […]
Active SERE kit: Concealed and ready for deployment
An active SERE kit differs from any other survival or task kit in that it must be concealed on your person ready for deployment, not unloading. Survival in any form for any environment is an act of prevention and or recovery, best enacted by preparation. A particular set of tools must be removed from a SERE loadout kit to […]
Photo of the day: Recon Marines prepare for extreme hike in South Korea
I remember going through the South Korean ROK Marine Mountain Warfare training center. Those ROK Marines were damn machines during the entire training course. I remember going up into the mountains one day, probably covering a few thousand feet in elevation, and they smoked us. Obviously, this is their backyard and they better be good […]
Photo of the day: Staff writer Nick Betts on set with Noveske rifle works at Area 20 Ranch
Area 20 ranch is just under 1000 acres of privately owned land outside of San Diego, California. They are quickly becoming the premier training facility for West Coast SEAL teams as well as a hub for photography and video productions. Photo by Matt Lingo
Photo of the day: Small unit insertion in the Diyala province of Iraq
Small unit insertion in the Diyala province of Iraq sometime in ’06-’07. This was my first unit. Named Task Force 300 because the Squadron had roughly 300 shooters and a gigantic Greek commander. Of those 300: 22 would die, 1 in 3 would earn a purple heart, and all would collectively earn a Presidential Unit […]
Photo of the day: If it ain’t raining we ain’t training
If it ain’t raining it ain’t training in the Pacific Northwest. Pictured here are the Nomad 9, Glock 19, S&W Shield, Maglula, and KCI USA Glock 19 magazines.