ACR Hot Shot Signal Mirror

 
Submitted by scottmurphy

I have 3 different signal mirrors.  The one I like the most is the ACR Electronics Hot Shot Signal Mirror.  It puts a "red dot" site on the target you're trying to signal.  This helps you line up the sun, mirror and target.  I've used it to signal overflying aircraft with a lot of success.

ED -- SM, I can't fault you on your choice of mirrors.  The ACR is an excelent mirror, and as you said, it has the "red dot" feature to assist you in aiming.  One other thing I like about this particular lash up is that it comes with a whistle and a float, so you can take it on the water with you.

Check out the ACR Hot Shot here.

Byrd Multitool

 
Submitted by Redleg Geek

The original SpyderRench was made in Japan, but was so expensive to make, Spyderco discontinued production for about five years. Now it's made in China by their Byrd Knife subsidiary. Byrd makes the same thing under its own brand name, differing only in the shape of the thumb hole on the blade. Street price for the Spyderco is about $102, while the Byrd is about $87. The two Chinese versions are actually slightly better than the original Japanese one, but that is a quality tool, too. I keep the Spydercos in my collection, but the ByrdRench in my go bag.

Check out the ByrdRench here.

Field Munchies

 

Submitted by Eric Daniel

I had an epiphany about butter the other day. Back when I was stationed in Germany we had an opportunity to train with some German tankers.  Now I’d heard all the jokes about why we were, at the time, patrolling the German borders instead of the German army (“the only nation that doesn’t respect Germany’s borders is Germany,” or “German tanks don’t come with breaks,” or “The problem is, once the German Army gets to the border, it tends to keep on going…”) but I tell you, those guys were flat out aggressive.  When they went on the attack, they took it to you.  There was no creepy-crawling in those Leo IIs.  They were on the move all the time, and by on the move I mean moving flat out.

Anyway, adding insult to injury was the apparent fact that these panzer guys did all this on a diet of black bread and butter.  Any time we were laagered up together for an AAR there they’d be, sitting on their little efficient field stools with a tin of butter and a square of black bread, having a snack while the O/C explained to us how they just handed us our asses.  At the time, what I really found intriguing was the little aluminum tin they had for keeping the butter.  It was about 1.5” tall, 3” in diameter, and has a three lug locking lid.  Inside was a plastic liner, and the lid itself had a rubber gasket to seal it.  I glommed on to one of those tins in an attempt to emulate them (black bread and butter is quite tasty, actually) but maintaining a supply of bread and butter was always an issue (they got theirs delivered with LOGPAC.) 

Anyway, the years go by and there I am, sitting on a hill looking at a bunch of Seabees go about their business (we were doing recon and surveillance training) when several thoughts went through my head.  First, the wheat snack bread they put in the MREs now isn’t half bad, and second, when it get’s really really hot, the issue cheese spread isn’t very appetizing.  That’s when I had my epiphany.  “What if I broke out my old West German butter tin?”  That would be nice, except that it gets a whole hell of a lot hotter in the Mojave than it does in Bavaria and the idea of carrying a tin of butter soup around to dip my bread in didn’t sound all that appealing. That’s when brainwave #2 occurred.  Use that European wunderfood, nutella.  For those of you who’ve never had it, nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread that goes very well with bread.  It’s tasty, and unlike butter, it will soften, but not melt completely, in the heat, so even on the hottest of days, it’ll keep it’s form well enough to spread, and used sparingly, a tin full of nutella will last me several weeks. 

Now if I can just get one of those Leo IIs…

Get a German Army butter tin here.

Flashing your Friends

 

Submitted by Eric Daniel

A couple years back, I was sitting in on a training meeting at NTC with an active duty 1SG and his subordinates.  The topic of the meeting was the First Sergeant’s concern over troop dependency on technology for mission accomplishment, specifically navigation and communication.  He was worried that the joes were becoming too dependent on gadgets to figure out where they were and communicating between teams on the ground, as well as with supporting aircraft (helicopters mostly) in the air, and that they were losing core soldier skills.  At one point, seeing as how I was the only guardsman in attendance, he asked me, since we lacked all the modern high speed gear that the AC had, how we managed to get from point A to point B.  I replied, “With a sextant and a rutter, just like everyone else…”

Seriously though, this got me to thinking about non-verbal communication.  One of the stock tools we used extensively in the forest service for communicating, or at least getting the attention of, aircraft was a signal mirror.  It wasn’t so much an issue that we couldn’t communicate with the aircraft, generally we could, it was just that it was usually pretty difficult to rapidly orient them and get them to our location (“Yeah, look for the guy next to the tree…”) By using a signal mirror, we could flash them from ten miles out and steer them right to us with little fuss or cluttering up the net with useless traffic. 

The mirror I’ve had and used for the last 20 years is a laminate mil-spec glass mirror.  I’ve had several additional mirrors over the years, mostly plastic or metal, but these have never stood the test of time and abuse that my glass one has (to be fair, I view the plastic ones as truly emergency use.  The mirror itself is covered by a protective sticker which you peel off to use the mirror.  Once the sticker comes off, the plastic is really easy to scratch and dull, so the mirror ought to be replaced with a new "covered" one as soon as possible.)

In looking up a source for my 20 year old mirror online, I discovered there’s quite the controversy going on about these mirrors.  The one I have is a Vector 1 style, manufactured in Japan.  Another style available is made by the S.I. Howard glass company.  Both of these mirrors are made from tempered laminate glass, and feature a “retro-reflective” sighting hole in the center of the glass.  This retro-reflective sight provides you with a “fireball” aiming point to help you accurately flash your target (if you put the spot on the target, then the sun is being reflected properly.)  Other glass signaling mirrors may resemble the Vector and Howard mirrors, but only these two have the retro reflective finish in the center for aiming.

Having a signal mirror goes way beyond martial and firefighting applications.  There’s no reason what so ever for someone going abroad out of doors to not carry one of these for emergency purposes (for you maritime adventurers, either get a USCG approved lexan mirror that floats, or get a glass one and run a float through the lanyard loop.)  They don’t take up a lot of space, they’ll last you forever, and it might just save your life some day.

The Fodder is Always Tastier on the Other Side

Submitted by Eric Daniel

A couple months ago I remember seeing a story about Gordon Ramsay helping the British MoD develop a cookbook for use by military cooks in the field (by way of explanation British soldiers are issued either individual 24 hour rations (when they’re on the go) or squad sized, ten-man 24-hour rations (for when they‘re not.).  Unlike American T rats, with the ten man rations there’s some actual cooking involved.)

This got me to thinking about all the informal MRE recipes we came up with or passed around, as well as experimenting with foreign rations when we trained with other countries (for the life of me I’ll never understand how the French can call dry toast and coffee “breakfast“.)  Even now, I look back fondly upon the tinned “indische kip” (curried chicken) I picked up from the Dutch CAT team in 1991 (it was probably the best tasting “field” food I’d ever had, but absolutely had to be eaten warm, otherwise it was just scary) and German black bread and butter was always good in the morning (in addition to the regular mermite delivered green eggs and ham of course.)

Since then, food in the field has gotten real complicated.  It seems that every 6 months they're coming out with a new ration which is better than the last (last I heard, the Army was fielding an "assault" ration for use during the first 72 hours of combat.  What are you supposed to do if you end up fighting longer than 72 hours, wait for different issue?)

I’ve a trip to the Ukraine coming up, and I’m thinking this might be a good opportunity to take along a couple MREs and see if I can’t do any trading with the locals (not sure yet if we’re bringing our own snacks yet or eating on the economy as it were.)  With all the multinational action going on, especially in Afghanistan, anyone try anything noteworthy?

Mustering for Grog

Submitted by Eric Daniel

Way back a long time ago, while I was tanking with the Washington National Guard, my unit had a Dining In following our annual training.  What made this event memorable was the fact that there was a representative from our “sister” armoured recce unit from Canada, and he brought with him something I’d never seen before -  1.5 liters of government issue 151 proof ration rum.  As the Sergeant explained, the Canadian government authorized the issuance of a rum ration to soldiers in the field for a period of 30 days or more.  Now, I know the Royal Navy used to issue rum to its sailors up through 1970, and I know there’s at least one German fallschirmjäger company out there with a bar in the basement (run by the First Sergeant) but this was the first I’d ever heard of government issuing honest to god alcohol to its joes.

Needless to say, that bottle was tipped into the grog to the detriment and enjoyment of all.  This was all ten years ago and I’m curious if this is still the case; while I can remember drinking beer in the unit run canteen when I was in the field at Graf, I haven’t seen beer in the field in ages and I know it’s expressly forbidden to American soldiers now, but I was curious if the Canadians still issued rum (or if any one else has a similar program) or has this tradition also died on the altar of political correctness?

The Parahooch and the Assault Shelter

 
Submitted by Doug

Another couple of options for tactical shelters include: the Parahooch and Tipis from Kifaru and the camping outfitter Sierra Designs which makes shelters, bivy bags and sleeping bags.

ED – Doug, interesting gear here.  As a completely minimalist approach, the Parahooch looks like a winner, since it’s extremely lightweight (11 oz. without the optional pole kit) and freestanding (you don’t have to tie it off on a tree or “something”) and appears to be less complicated than the tarptent design.  The “hooch” is made of UV resistant and waterproof paraglider fabric and is available in two colors; white and coyote brown.

The Sierra Designs solo assault shelter (which is said to be an issue item for the Navy SEALS) looks like a good all around choice as well.  Though heavier than the parahooch by almost 3 pounds (packed weight is 4 lb. 6 oz.) the assault shelter is also a stand alone tent.  You do not have to stake it to anything in order for it to work (with the tarptents, at a minimum, you have to be able to stake the corners to the ground, which would limit it’s utility in sandy or soft soil situations where the ground wasn’t firm enough to hold the stakes, or in snow.)  The assault shelter is similar in design to the ICS except that it is of a single wall design (there is no rain fly, which saves on weight) though it also comes with an attached “lean to” type vestibule over the main “door” which can be staked down, tied off on a tree branch, or connected to another assault shelter to increase covered area.

Improved Combat Shelter

 

Submitted by Sean Gilday

The Army issues a Combat Shelter half ICS (Improved Combat Shelter NSN: 8340-01-521-6438) in the ACU pattern that’s damn good. The NYARNG gets them to all the snuffies. Before that the same shelter was available  Woodland. It was made by Catoma for one.

It has a floor, rain fly, and insect netting and can fit your ruck and weapon all comfortably inside.

ED – Sean, good call.  I tried to look up the ICS with the NSN that you provided and I could only find one civilian supplier.  I also looked at Catoma, and while they do offer a number of interesting military shelter options (most under 6 pounds in weight) the ICS was not among them.

Some notes on the ICS. The shelter itself is made from flame resistant rip-stop nylon and comes with a detachable waterproof rainfly suitable for three season use which also provides a vestibule for gear storage.  The fly can also be erected as a stand alone item without the tent.

Check out the ICS here.

CarMD

CarMD Gives Military Families Peace of Mind, Saves Time & Money

Is your check engine light on now or has your family ever experienced car problems while you were away on deployment? It could be something simple like a loose gas cap. But what if it's something serious...or expensive? CarMD®, which costs under $100, can diagnose the problem in seconds...and usually pays for itself in one use.

"Being in the military and having a young family is rewarding and it can be challenging at times.  Something that's really nice to have while I'm on deployment is CarMD. It's really easy to use.  My wife will use it when our check engine light comes on to see if it's something serious or not so serious so she'll know if she needs to take it into the mechanic while I'm gone."  - Richard A., SrA., U.S. Air Force

CarMD is a handheld tool that plugs into a hidden port under your dashboard. All cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans built since 1996 and driven in the U.S. have this technology. (It's the same place your mechanic plugs in those expensive shop tools). Just turn on the ignition, wait for 4 beeps, and the tool displays a light that is green (all systems go), yellow (possible problem), or red (service required). CarMD can even catch a hidden problem before it triggers the check engine light on...great to inspect a used car or for peace of mind before a road trip, especially for young military families.

If the light is yellow or red, just plug the CarMD tool into your PC via its included USB cable. You'll learn the most likely fix, plus get estimated parts and labor costs in your zip code from CarMD’s extensive online database. You can print a complete report that even the un-mechanically-inclined can understand. It empowers you to decide whether to attempt the repairs yourself or take it to a mechanic. It’s also a great way to keep mechanics honest when they give you an estimate. And CarMD costs about the same as most repair shops charge for a single diagnostic.

You can quick check an unlimited number of vehicles with each CarMD tool and run up to 6 diagnostic reports each month for up to 3 vehicles.

Whether you're a self-proclaimed backyard mechanic or you've never even changed your oil, CarMD is a great tool to have in your glove compartment. It can save you money; save you time and give you (and your family) peace of mind.

Take advantage of Military.com's partnership with CarMD. Get $10 off your purchase today when you buy online at www.CarMD.com/ADN.

Why Military Personnel Need CarMD

- Save hundreds of dollars in repair costs
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Check out the CarMD here.

If it ain’t Rainin’ we ain’t Trainin’

 

Submitted by Eric Daniel

Had an interesting experience the other day.  My Guard unit went out for a three day jaunt into the wilds of Camp Pendleton to conduct some dismounted reconnaissance training.  Now, granted, we were technically “on base” but since we’re a leg unit, we have to support ourselves; no barracks, no latrines, no water sources, etc.  We were responsible for everything.

With this in mind, when I started to pack my kit, I had to pause for a minute to think about what I was going to do for some form of shelter.  That’s when it dawned on me that the Army really hasn’t advanced past the WWII era canvas shelter half when it comes to individual shelters.  Yes, they have great and wonderful expanding and self-erecting medium sized tents, which weigh 300 pounds and fit nicely in the back of a 1.25-ton trailer, but there’s nothing for the individual.

Now I’ve heard all the arguments about this before, “you can’t use a tent in combat” and  “you just need to use what’s available to you in the field, namely, use brush and trees or dig out a shelter” being the most often cited ones, but we’re not talking combat here, we’re talking bivouacking in the field.  Moreover, on most bases where you conduct training, chopping up the flora or digging in the ground is strictly verboten, so those really aren’t options.  The bottom line is, if you’re going to be out in the field for longer than a couple of days in really crappy weather, it’d be nice, tactical situation permitting of course, to have the ability to get out of the rain. Those gortex bivy sacks we’re issued now are nice for snow or a light drizzle, but in an out and out downpour you really can’t get into it fast enough to prevent the sleeping bag from filling with water, and that’s assuming that you jump in with all your wet clothes on.  In those situations, you’re probably better off just putting on your wet weather gear and trying to sleep through it.

So, I started doing a little research.  There are a number of companies out there that make good, ultra light, 1-man tents.  Unfortunately, most of those are alpine supply companies like MSR, The North Face, and Mountain Hardware and their products tend to be a bit, well, colorful (now this is not to say that these folk wouldn’t make one of their tents in a different color fabric as a custom order job, but that’s probably not a realistic option for the Joe looking to purchase one tent) and have a lot of parts.  In fact, the only company I found that made an honest-to-God military style tent was Eureka, who makes both 1-man and 2-man systems, with a reversible woodland/desert camouflage pattern rain fly to boot (as an added bonus you can opt to just use the rain fly as a stand alone shelter if you don’t need the additional wind protection.)  The only downside to the Eureka tent is weight; the one man tent, complete, weighs just over 6 pounds, though it is certainly something you could spent your entire military career sleeping out of.

Another interesting option, and certainly one of significant weight savings, was to go the engineered tarp route.  The folks over at Tarptent make some awesome, lightweight (18-oz. in the case of their 1-man shelter) shelters that are easy to set up, roomy, and keep the rain off of you, and the color is even reasonably tactical.  In addition, they also provide, free of charge and publically available on their website, the plans to build your own first generation tarptent out of what ever material you choose.

So my solution?  I snapped a couple of ponchos together, brought some bungees, 550 cord, and a handful of lightweight aluminum tent pins and lashed a lean-to to a tree limb and slept like a brick through two straight nights of continuous rain.  Granted it got the job done but I was completely dependent upon that tree being there for me to tie off on.  In the future I might have to look seriously into either some shock tubes I can erect to create a free standing dome for my ponchos one of those tarptents.