HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. — Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind assumed Air Force Special Operations Command during a ceremony in the Freedom Hangar on December 9, 2022. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. presided over the ceremony where Bauernfeind took the guidon from Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, who will serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon. During his tenure, Slife led the air commandos to become a pathfinding force paving the way for critical initiatives such as palletized effects, employing Mission Sustainment Teams, and steering resources to armed overwatch. He also implemented…
Author: David Reeder
Galvion, a world leader in innovative head protection systems and power and data management solutions, has been awarded a framework contract by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to supply its flagship Batlskin Caiman® ballistic helmet system. This announcement places Galvion as a significant supplier of higher-performance helmet systems, typically used by Special Operations Forces (SOF), to any NATO country wishing to purchase through NSPA. The contract was awarded following extensive user trials conducted by the lead user nation under the supervision of the NSPA. The contract duration is three years, with options to be extended to a maximum…
We all know adding an optic to your AR-15 will enhance your shooting However, which one should you choose? A red dot or a scope? You’ll find out by the end of this guide. Let’s dive in! What Is A Red Dot? Simply put: It’s a optic with a red (or green) LED dot in the center. They’re light, parallax-free, fast, and contain a glowing, simple reticle. The best part? You can keep both eyes open while firing. Even better, you can use a iron sight alongside the red dot (known as co-witnessing). This allows you to aim from a variety of…
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) — Air Force leaders announced one step forward in delivering battlespace command and control. In addition, the Robins AFB has completed two necessary environmental assessments, with a finding of no significant impact, leading to four new missions at Robins Air Force Base. Those new missions include a Battle Management Control Squadron, an E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, or BACN, squadron; a Spectrum Warfare Group; and an Advanced Battle Management System Family of Systems, or ABMS FoS. Completing the two environmental assessments clears the way for the construction of facilities, personnel assignment, operations designation, and…
After 47 adventure-filled years of publishing Soldier of Fortune Magazine, I decided it was time to move on to other long-awaited projects, including writing books about the SOF adventures. So, after giving it considerable thought, I am passing the torch to reporter Susan Katz Keating, who has contributed to SOF and has been a friend of the magazine since the early 1980s. Susan first connected with SOF years ago when she took out an ad in the magazine looking for mercenaries. She can tell the story about how that went. Later, SKK facilitated PEOPLE Magazine to support retired Col. Jack…
In a nation that has become a sound-bite society, we have a public and therefore a jury pool that is increasingly vulnerable to simplistic, misinformed answers to complicated questions. This has certainly been true in recent years, with print and electronic media having disseminated false perceptions about such topics as Stand Your Ground laws and Castle Doctrine. RELATED STORY: Threat Anatomy: 6 Examples of How Bullet Placement Can Stop Danger We are told on editorial pages that with Stand Your Ground laws and Castle Doctrine in place, anyone can kill anyone and get away with it by claiming “I was in fear…
Whenever a new potential gun owner asks what handgun they should get, they’ll often get a mixture of advice. Some will say just get XYZ brand, and others will say go rent some guns and see how they ‘feel.’ Feel is often touted as a very important part of owning a firearm, but what does that mean? If it feels good, is it good to go? People justify their weapon selection by how it feels, but feel is a very open term. Admittedly hand size and gun fit are important, and today we are discussing what feel means and how…
FALLS CHURCH, Va.: An Army Medicine Soldier was named the U.S. Army’s Best Shooter for 2022. Spc. Paulo DaSilva, Jr., a 68W combat medic, excelled in the Army’s recent Best Squad Competition to receive the honor. Da Silva is assigned to the Medical Readiness Command West’s Reynolds Army Health Clinic at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The Army’s Inaugural Best Squad Competition, replacing the Best Warrior Competition, was held at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., from Sept. 29-Oct. 7. The Army’s Soldier and NCO of the Year were also named. The NCO of the Year was also an Army Medicine Soldier…
There’s more to giving someone a firearm than buying a Beretta off the shelf and handing it over. Do your homework for state/federal laws.
After a decade rocking a bone stock third generation Glock 19 – finger grooves and all – I thought it was time to give the gun a little upgrade. As covered in previous articles, the Gen3 G19 is probably one of the most popular compact(ish) 9mm pistols ever made, and I’ve been carrying the same one off and on since at least 2012. Sure, sure, the pistol had been released as far back as 1998, and I was late to the party, but I still got in the door during the model’s heyday. Although surpassed generationally by the Gen4 and Gen5 variants, the Gen3 remains…