Feral Jundi

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Cool Stuff: Three DoD Contractors Receive The Medal Of Valor For Actions In Afghanistan

From right to left; Brandon R. Seabolt, William T. Nix, and Michael A. Dunne are applauded after each receiving the Medal of Valor during a ceremony in the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon, Aug. 14, 2018. (U.S. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Everett Allen/released)

A big hat tip to Adam who sent me this story. Two of the contractors  were involved in a counter-attack against the Taliban as the enemy tried to breach Camp Integrity with a car bomb back in August of 2015. They basically plugged the gap with return fire, and stopped the suicide assaulters from getting in. Unfortunately, one Green Beret was killed in this incident, but the actions of these contractors saved the camp from even more carnage.

The other contractor was awarded the MoV for actions on another incident in Helmand, December of 2015. It sounded like quite the fight, and his team overcame.

All of these men are former special operations. The contract they were on was under the Defense Threat Reduction Agency as counter-IED specialists or “irregular warfare analysts”. The companies they were working for at the time were CACI-The Wexford Group International and General Dynamics.

The Medal of Valor award has only been awarded to 14 civilians since it’s creation. It is a reminder to the public that contractors have definitely contributed in this war. –Matt

 

Civilian Contractors Receive Medal of Valor for Actions in Afghanistan
Aug. 15, 2018

Three retired soldiers were honored at the Pentagon yesterday for exceptional gallantry in action against an armed enemy while serving in Afghanistan as civilian contractors.

Retired Army Master Sgt. William Timothy Nix, retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Anthony Dunne and retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Brandon Ray Seabolt received the Medal of Valor, the Defense Department’s highest civilian award for valor.

Nix was working as a civilian contractor at a coalition base in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2015, when he heard the massive boom of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.

“I just grabbed a weapon and ran out,” Nix said.

Insurgents had breached the entrance at Camp Integrity, launching the deadly attack with a vehicle-borne IED and then using direct fire, hand grenades and suicide vests.

Nix and Dunne, a fellow contractor, rushed to the fight, teaming up with military personnel to defend the camp, suppress the enemy and evacuate the wounded.

“[The insurgents] blew the whole front of the camp. The gate came off. It collapsed the guard tower out there,” Dunne said, recalling that a suicide vest exploded 30 feet away from him. He thought he would die, he said, but he kept fighting.

Nix was serving as an irregular warfare analyst for the NATO Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan in support of the Resolute Support mission. Dunne was an operations intelligence integrator there.

Fighting was intense and the situation was chaotic, they recalled. Army 1st Sgt. Peter “Drew” McKenna Jr., who was leading the charge against the terrorists, was killed, as were eight Afghan contractors.

Their citations laud their heroism for exposing themselves to direct enemy fire, hand grenades, suicide vests, and other explosives to suppress insurgents who had breached the camp. Their actions undoubtedly saved countless lives at great risk to their own lives, their citations read.

Bravery During Attack in Helmand

Seabolt received the Medal of Valor for his actions in response to an attack near Helmand on Dec. 17, 2015. He had spent 22 years in the Army and was serving as a civilian contractor and counter-IED expert with the Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Agency.

(more…)

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Cool Stuff: BOLO Taxi Shirt

Filed under: Cool Stuff,Iraq — Tags: , , , — Matt @ 4:26 PM

Very Cool! If you have ever done work in Iraq, you would recognized the all too familiar orange and white Iraqi taxi cab on this t-shirt graphic. Check it out. -Matt

This shirt is made by harvesting the finest hairs off the fairest Princesses of the lands and mending it into the silkiest of shirts, or like 4.5oz 100% Ring Spun Cotton so It’s like sexy soft but not too thin so it won’t cling to your winter body like that pie did. It’s ok. Pie is delicious. No one’s judging you. Well maybe Steve is but no one likes him anyway.

Made in the USA.

Buy the shirt here.

 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Music: A Marine Christmas Song

Filed under: Cool Stuff,Music,Video — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 1:10 PM

A hat tip to the guys at SOFREP for finding this one. Merry Christmas to all of those contractors and military that are deployed, and to their friends and family keeping the home fires burning.

Merry Christmas to all of my readership, FB fans, authors, veterans, PMSC’s, associations, academics, journalists, think tankers and fellow bloggers out there whom have all contributed to the discussion about the ever evolving world of the private military and security industry. –Matt

 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Weapons Stuff: Syrian Rebels Create And Deploy A Remote Controlled Sniper Rifle

It always amazes me how resourceful and ingenious folks can be during desperate times, and especially in a war. Obviously this kid created a weapon system that fit his mission and worked well with his skill level, which was probably playing video games.

Now the question I have is if this will catch on with other rebel groups? Will this kid start a ‘remotely operated sniper system’ movement in this war, and what direction will it go for advances? How about automatic targeting or tracking? How about the incorporation of a laser rangefinder into this system.  Something like Tracking Point’s weapon system? We will see….

Although at the end of the day, I still believe humans operating the sniper rifle directly will account for more kill shots in Syria. It is the most practical, cheapest and most portable way of deploying that system. –Matt

 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Cool Stuff: Ultra-Ever Dry Superhydrophobic And Oleophobic Coating

This is some incredible stuff and just watch the video. Hat tip to Thompson on Facebook for finding this stuff. It is also making the rounds on FB and even some blogs are picking it up. The question is, what uses can you think up for this stuff?

Imagine coating your jacket and equipment with this stuff? Although I have no way to vouch for how durable this stuff is. I could also see coating sand bags or structures with this stuff to help keep out water. The big one would be for your boots, because that is one bit of kit that gets exposed to oil, fuel, and water. A tent coated with this stuff would be awesome. Check it out. –Matt

Buy it on Amazon here.

 

 

Ultra-Ever Dry Creates a Barrier of Air That Repels Water, Oil and Other Liquids.

Ultra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary nanotechnology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. This barrier repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating seen before. The other breakthrough associated with Ultra-Ever Dry is the superior coating adherence and abrasion resistance allowing it to be used in all kinds of applications where durability is required. Working temperature ranges from -30°F to 300°F. Ideal for use on cinder blocks, bricks, concrete trucks, boots and footwear, stairs, railings, clothing/apparel, fall protection, engines, building supplies, outdoor seating, gloves, electric motors, HVAC and more.

WHEN APPLIED THE EVER-DRY COLOR FINISH IS TRANSLUCENT WHITE. IT CAN BE USED ON GLASS BUT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE GLASS.

Link to store here.

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