Happy Camper Bus - active posts from Military Life community

11th hour,11th day, 11th month

2008-11-09T17:41:13-08:00

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

Clifford Williams

2008-10-30T17:10:38-07:00

I ran accross this tomb stone in the old Santa Cruz, Ca. Grave Yard. Anyone have any information about Clifford Williams? I looked on “google” and found that the Steamer U.S. Suwanee was a U.S. Navy warship. It was wrecked on a rock in the Shadwell Passage of Queen Charlotte sound, British Columbia. I am wondering how He died and came to rest in Santa Cruz.
baddog

Vote-In Honor of a Veteran

2008-09-23T14:18:06-07:00

During the history of our great “Nation, conceived in Liberty” millions of Americans fought a relentless battle against the enemies of freedom with no alternative but to succeed. When faced with such perilous challenges men and women have risked everything with tremendous courage, hope and perseverance to protect these freedoms. The most basic of these freedoms for Americans is the right to vote.

Since the ratification of the 26th Amendment lowering the voting age to 18 in 1972, our country has observed a 20% decrease in voting among 19-24 year olds. It has been estimated in recent elections that although this generation makes up 39% of the voting age population, less than 20% of them go to the polls. We must, therefore, look to young Nebraskan’s who are still in school to help lead us out of this trend by becoming active citizens and life-long voters.

One way we can try to instill the importance of voting into this age group is by using one of our most valuable resources-our veterans. The lives of these men and women are heroic as they made sacrifices to ensure our democracy and the freedom it sheds upon us all endures. By casting your vote you are not only selecting your preference for candidates and issues on the ballots, you are honoring our veterans and supporting our form of government.

Vote – Say “Thanks for your sacrifice”

See the military in action with Pelican cases

2008-06-21T14:46:15-07:00

CoTradeCo has always been proud to be authorized dealers of Pelican cases and the strength and durability of a pelican case have practically become a standard issue device to protect gear, even in a war zone.

Not only does the military use Pelican cases, but the Pelican line of flashlights is quickly becoming a standard as well.

Whether you need a stock protector case, a custom OEM foam cut for an exact fit, or cutting edge flashlights and lighting designs, CoTradeCo and Pelican can help.

In the video above we see a variety of Pelican products going through the paces in the back of humvees, on the field, carrying weapons and supplies, assisting engineers and mechanics at work, and more.

Call or order online

PH: 866-530-4804
FAX: 866-525-8219

Don’t hesitate to post questions or comments in the community blog or call or email for help with anything.

At Pelican, we sweat the details so you can focus on the mission. The watertight, crush proof and chemical resistant Protector™ Case has been thrown from attack helicopters and submerged for special ops to safely deliver sensitive gear where it’s needed most: right up front.

Our extensive array of professional lighting tools for all missions in the cockpit, on the ground, or underwater. From NVG-compatible and IR flashlights to heavy duty Xenon and LED submersible work lights. All are guaranteed for life and built tough for extreme conditions.

Some of the Pelican cases and lights at CoTradeCo used by the military:

Pelican weapons transport & storage cases

Pelican tactical flashlights

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New rapid deploy bridge technology spanning greater distances while protecting the environment

2008-06-03T13:03:23-07:00

Moses had to part the red sea. Soon the military will simply “plop” a bridge in place.

Introducing the new ERE Scissor Bridge Launch System from Ere Logistics based out of Alberta, Canada. This amazing sectional tactical bridge easily spans up to a 500 meter distance, laying 40 meter sections of the bridge at a time in under a half hour.

“There’s really no firm length – you cankeep going longer and longer with it, all in increments of 40 feet…”

...says Richard Richter, co-designer of the ERE S80T FR and President of Ere Logistics.

“The bridge is rated at 80 tons, and that’s a point load – that’s not a multi-wheeler load.”

New design, old concept

Richter is quick to explain they didn’t invent the concept. The ERE S80T FR is a re-designed, re-engineered modernization of a Russian military implementation dubbed the the TMM-3 from the 1950s.

Carried by a KrAZ class light armor engineering vehicle, the TMM-3 was a heavy mechanised bridge, especially useful in extreme cold climates where snow and ice were of particular concern. (See a TMM-3 being unloaded at YouTube ). The TMM series is a multi-span, trestle-supported, scissors-type treadway bridge transported on a variety of wheeled truck chassis and capable of supporting heavy vehicles/tanks. It consisted of a 4 section spans, and could be deployed by day and a well trained crew in around 45 minutes. (Learn more about the TMM and see many more pictures at JED The Military Equipment Directory ).

“We looked at that (the TMM) and felt it was cool, but didn’t like the way it worked. So, we redesigned it.”

While the newly redesigned ERE S80T FR appears to have some catching up to do on time, it is making up for slightly longer deploy times with decreased environmental impact, smaller required crews, increased point and span loads, and more flexible location deployment.[1]

Deploying an Ere S80T scissor bridge

The concept is simple. The S80T deployment vehicle carries one section at a time with support trailers transporting as many sections are required for the area being spanned. Back the deployment truck in place, set the support legs, balance and level the truck, and unfold the scissoring 40 foot bridge sections into place. If the spanned distance is less than 40 feet no support legs are required. Longer than 40 feet and the support legs are lowered. All of this is done by remote control adding safety to the bridge deployment in the event the rig were to topple.

Adding sections is even easier than the first, pulling the deployment vehicle onto the bridge. Removing the bridge takes approximately the same time as deploying it.

Some tactical bridge building history

As the video discusses, an understanding of tactical bridge history helps understand how vital this technology is. There are many tactical bridge systems that have been employed by the military through the years.

The Bailey bridge was introduced during World War II and allowed allied forces to build crossings where bridges had been destroyed. But the Bailey bridge was a massive undertaking requiring huge crews of trained personnel to erect. Richter says in the video…

“The Bailey bridge is basically an Erector™ set that needs put together.

Typically limited to spans of 60 meters, or 200 feet, the Bailey Bridge was a portable pre-fabricated truss bridge, with it’s key advantage being it’s modular assembly that did not rely on heavy equipment. Previously, tactical bridge solutions often relied heavily on cranes and other equipment that could be a liability in a war zone. Despite large crews required for assembly, the Bailey bridge is still considered a superior example of military engineering. Two examples of extreme Bailey bridge building include a Sangro River bridge in Italy, spanned 1,126 ft (343 m) and another on the Chindwin River in Burma, spanned 1,154 feet (351 m).[2]

Even modern tactical bridge system have various load, length, and deployment limitations. Modern military bridge solutions appear to be designed around various concepts to solve specific problems. The ERE scissor bridge is no exception. Despite it’s rapid deployment and potentially long lengths it currently cannot be deployed in depths larger than 3.5m (~11.4 feet).

Companies like WEFL , CNIM , and KMW currently engineer and sell a variety of different styles of tactical bridge systems including medium girder bridges, dry support bridges, air-portable ferry bridges, raft bridges, various modular assault bridges, and armored vehicle launched bridges.

Ere Logistics is still in the research and development phase and I suspect we’ll be seeing some major advancements and improvements in their design in the near future. For a non-engineer such as myself, it seems highly doable to mix the various rapid deployment bridge technologies into their concept and accomplish a wide array of bridge solutions using the same design.

Ere S80T tactical bridge and the environment

Environmentally speaking the S80T is low impact…

“If you’re using a single span of 40 feet or less, the impact is zero – you don’t even know we were there. You’ll see tire tracks going to the crossing, and then there’s tire tracks on the other side…If it’s over 40 feet, we have to put the support legs down, but that’s maybe 10 percent of the disturbance of walking a backhoe COMPARABLE through it – the leg comes in contact with the bottom and kicks up some sediment, and that’s all.”[3]

Environmentally sound design is one of the primary motivating factors for Ere Logistics. They are developing more than just bridge systems for military use. Their environmentally friendly off-road equipment includes environmental protection mat systems and off-road logistic vehicles and fueling trucks especially for the oil and gas industry.

They take environment protection very seriously and are translating that into ROI (return on investment) for their clients.

“When we pick up and leave, cleanup costs are zero, and prep costs are zero. A traditional bridge system, you need to look at the overall costs – your bridge system may cost X dollars, but your cleanup may be $20,000 or more.”[3]

This concern for environment protection is what really sets Ere apart. While recognizing the inevitability of oil companies needing to reach remote areas and military action, they are taking steps to mitigate the damage done to our dwindling natural environments. For a company based in Canada, that has some of the largest pieces of untouched wilderness, this is an important goal.

Visit the Ere Logistics website and enjoy the embedded video to learn more.

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¹ NOTE: These are observations based on the video and limited research I was able to do online. As far as I can tell only Richter and his partner deployed the bridge in the embedded video by themselves. As for load and flexibility of deployment I am extrapolating that information from what I was able to learn about the TMM and available information on the S80T.

² Wikipedia Bailey Bridge

³ Oil and Gas News article Environment and time saved by mobile bridging units

Body armor

2008-03-20T13:19:54-07:00

I just read that body armor is becoming very common on the battle fields that We are involved in. Even the bad guys have it. Worse the .223 and 7.65×51 rounds that We use are stopped by body armor. This a development like going from muzzle loading weapons to metalic cartridges. All of the rifles We now use will be obsolete.

Operation RE/MAX...military personnel can get in on real estate

2008-03-04T13:20:39-08:00

The Department of Defense and its MilitaryHOMEFRONT, the official DoD web site for reliable Quality of Life information, have announced a new awareness campaign for Operation RE/MAX, where military spouses, retirees, injured veterans and other ex-military personnel are are invited to attend on-base job fairs, sponsor informative “recruiting events,” provide personal mentoring and schedule training as needed with a volunteer RE/MAX broker; all at no cost to military personnel.

Participating individuals will also be given information on possible employment and how to go about securing a real estate license, including in many cases, how to get classroom instruction for obtaining a real estate license paid for by GI Bill benefits or with new CAA funds.

A similar pilot program from the CAA, co-sponsored by the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor will also provide educational benefits to qualifying military spouses.

See the full newsletter announcement as well as links to various other programs and more information.

How to take 2 minutes off your PFT Mile

2008-03-02T16:31:25-08:00

I found this great article
by Navy Seal and Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Stew Smith
at Military.com replete with
exercise routine scheduling tips and charts to not only improve your health but
specifically working towards a shaving time off your PFT mile. Written in response to an Army Officer
this article is good information for all of us.

An Army Officer emailed me with a goal of dropping two minutes off his mile run pace. This is not a tough goal to achieve if you are presently running a 10:00 mile and have a goal of 8:00 mile pace. However, as you can imagine, it gets much tougher going from 8:00 mile pace to 6:00 mile pace or faster. But the 10:00 to 8:00 pace can actually be done in less than a few months as long as you are not new to running.

If you are a beginner, you should always ramp up distance, pace, and intensity over a six to eight week period as described in the charts

See the full article with charts

Peace rally

2008-03-01T09:42:53-08:00

Join us as we mark
this 5th anniversary
of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Nearly 4,000 U.S. Troops Dead
30,000 U.S. Troops Wounded
Up to 1 million Iraqi Civilians Dead
4 million Iraqi Civilians Displaced
$1 Trillion Spent

Peace Vigil at Cannon Park, Carlsbad
Corner of Carlsbad Blvd. & Cannon Rd. near Pacific Ocean

March 15, 2007
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Please help us keep the focus on this message:
U.S. Out of Iraq Now. Bring Our Troops Home Now

This NCCPJ event is part of a national series of events organized by
United for Peace & Justice.

Veterans day...everyday...any day

2008-02-27T16:50:01-08:00

While this is not posted on or even near Veteran’s day, sometimes information just comes to you and you want to share it.

We don’t often think about the history of our holidays. Today I stumbled on an informative article at about.com:Us Military entitled, Honoring All Who Served by Rod Powers.

In it, as well as giving a nice descriptive history of the holiday, he discusses a common misconception that Veteran’s day is set aside to honor fallen American soldiers. When in reality Memorial day is the day the United States has set aside to honor those who died in war.

To those of you in the military this is probably not news. However, to a civilian such as myself it might be. Veteran’s day is a chance to honor and recognize ALL veterans. Especially now in these confusing times of wars on terrorism, and the seeming political divide, it is vital that we all take a moment to recognize that whether you support every military action taken by this country, there are nonetheless thousands upon thousands of men and women around the world, fighting for a belief larger than any one campaign or military operation.

Veterans, especially in our all volunteer military, have chosen to defend, and yes sometimes even attack, based on an underlying belief that this country and what it stands for is worth preserving and growing.

So this post is both about reminding us of this fact. And maybe not waiting until the next sanctioned holiday to say thank you and pass some respect to our nations veterans.

Make any day veterans day. Make some patriotic cupcakes and share them with family and friends. Go to your veteran friends or notice a veteran in public and say thank you. Heck give a veteran a patriotic cupcake (almost better than a thank you maybe).

I mean literally to go up to a service person you see in public and say thank you. Personally thank all your friends who are veterans. And if you don’t believe in war or can’t support the military and in turn you can’t thank those folks then you better get off your butt right now and start working harder to change the world.

This post is somewhat inspired and an extension of an early post I made about being nice in the modern age. There are people all around you who deserve some credit and thanks. People doing heroic or even thankless work. Well maybe we can make all work thank-filled, just by taking a moment to remember to do so.

Thank you. Enjoy the cupcakes.

Patriotic Cupcakes! image courtesy of ginamig276 at Flickr under a creative commons license.

Tell us your SHOT SHOW 2008 stories...get 10% off

2008-02-12T15:34:22-08:00

If you attended Shot Show 2008 we want to hear from you, and we’ll give you 10% off your next order.

Just sign up for a spot, and post a shot show story, then when you place your next order you will get the discount. See our Shot Show 2008 promotion page for more info and the nitty gritty details.

Hurry though, the offer is only good through the end of February!

Hopefully Stacy will post some more info about the show and some of the people and companies she met while she was there.

Don't mess with retired Green Beret's

2008-02-01T23:26:45-08:00

Smokey Taylor, an 80 year old retired Green Beret was brought before a court martial January 2007 and apparently left the whole thing, ‘feeling pretty good about it.’

After an burglar invaded his home on early December 17, 2007, Smokey investigated the suspicious noise and activity, .22 caliber pistol in hand.

When Smokey confronted the intruder he was threatened with at knife point. Smokey responded with a single warning. When the warning failed Smokey shot the criminal between the eyes.

While the actual legal matter of the shooting is unclear and not reported on the versions of the story I could find. However, the Court Martial was actually a trial by his peers. Smokey Taylor was charged with “FAILING TO USE A WEAPON OF SUFFICIENT CALIBER.”

“That boy had the hardest head I’ve ever seen,” Taylor said after his trial. “The bullet bounced right off.”

The bullet didn’t penetrate, but the impact was enough to knock the thief down, but managed to crawl out, get up, and run away, only to be apprehended by the Knoxville police several blocks away. The criminal is awaiting trial in the Knox County jail.

Smokey Taylor is the oldest member of Chapter XXXIII of the Special Forces Association. The “mock trial” was actually more of a celebration of Smokey Taylor and his endless heroism.

According to Chapter XXXIII President Bill Long of Asheville:

“Charges were brought against him under the premise that he should have saved the county and taxpayers the expense of a trial. He could have used a .45 or .38. The .22 just wasn’t big enough to get the job done.”

Counsel for the defense responded:

“He was victimized by old ammunition, just as he was in Korea and again in Vietnam, when his units were issued ammo left over from World War II.”

Once testimony was heard from both sides in the tongue-in-cheek court martial, Taylor was acquitted of all charges and given a round of applause.

In other news, Smokey Taylor was recently nominated to serve as Grand Chef De Gare du Tennessee.

While out wandering the internet, and clicking the Stumble button on my browser, I found this great story out of Brevard, Tennessee. The source of the original article is unclear. I am going to attribute it to the PC Free Zone, theodoresworld.net and written by Tribune Editor Bill Fishburne is a member of the Larry Thorne Chapter XXXIII of the Special Forces Association. Read the full original article here

Military Heat Grip CT

2008-01-29T19:04:30-08:00

It’s about time someone made a pair of gloves that won’t make you feel like your wearing a pair of gloves. These gloves allow your fingers to bend without restrictions (like other gloves with that kevlar) . They are tough, light weight and comfortable. You can’t beat the price either. A must have for you tactical gear.

Graffiti rock turned into memorial

2008-01-25T20:04:25-08:00

Off highway 25 in rural Iowa there was apparently a rock to the side of the road that was constantly covered in graffiti. People would paint over it and remove the graffiti, but that would just start the whole cycle all over again.

Well a fellow named Ray brought his artistic talents to bear and converted the rock into a military war memorial, and according to the site, the rock has been left alone since.

See all the rock veteran war memorial from all sides . Truly amazing work. Thank you.

Woowee! See stuff getting blown up

2008-01-19T16:57:40-08:00

Wow! I just never stop being excited about this internet thing. I just found this site, MilitaryVideos.net and I can’t get enough. The main page is loaded with videos of troops in action, exploding buildings, close air support, and firefights around the world. And military folks from around the world are posting there own pics. Check it out (then come back here and post some of your own here at CoTradeCo).

StrategyPage: News as history and all things military

2008-01-19T10:25:11-08:00

I’m just so danged new to the internet I’m constantly finding amazing resources for news and information. My latest discovery is StrategyPage.com .

Wanna know what is going on in military affairs? They cover armed forces around the world, and everything from electronic warfare to the history of the mandatory militia in the US and even a column by Jim Dunnigan (Author of The Perfect Soldier) called ‘Dirty Little Secrets’.

But it’s not all serious there was a joke section that had me in stitches.

Milo tells me that StrategyPage is like the Drudge Report for military news.

So, check it out. Get entertained. Get informed.

New resource links added to Well Armed Forces community

2008-01-06T22:32:46-08:00

Below are some new resource links I thought our folks in the well armed forces should know about. These have been added to the Well Armed Forces community

Most of these have to do with deployment and family support. I hope you find some assistance and support that you deserve.

Useful links

General military resources

MilitaryHomeFront.com

MilitaryHOMEFRONT is the official Department of Defense web site for reliable Quality of Life information designed to help troops and their families, leaders and service providers. Whether you live the military lifestyle or support those who do, you’ll find what you need!

Military.com
- Spouse and Family Benefits & Resources

Military.com offers news, resources, and community for military personnel and their families.

Know your benefits as the spouse or family member of a military servicemember or veteran—keep up with benefits and resources in the Insider’s Spouse and Family Benefits & Resources section, and find useful guides on deployment, careers, relocation, and more.

Deployment support

The Military Family Research Institute is a cross-departmental research program housed at Purdue University and funded by the Lilly Endowment and the Department of Defense, Office of Military Community and Family Policy. The mission of MFRI is to conduct outreach activities that assist military families in Indiana and research studies that provide insight into the quality of life of military members and their families.

Army resources

MyArmyLifeToo.com

My ArmyLifeToo.com simulates a community with a blend of civilian and military lifestyles and serves as the website of choice for Army families providing accurate and up-to-date articles and information on various topics…from Army customs, home and personal safety, managing deployment to understanding military pay.

You can always find these links in the Well Armed Forces community

Veterans Day

2007-11-09T21:24:49-08:00

Sunday is Veterans Day, let’s all take a minute to say thanks to someone we know who has served.