Over the last few years, there has been a major need for disaster relief in several areas of the world. From the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, to the tornadoes that have ripped through the middle of North America, help is needed to augment the destruction that has occurred due to these natural disasters. Groups like the American Red Cross and FEMA are currently helping with aid efforts in these areas, but volunteers can’t travel to these areas without supplies and tools.

There are many different types of disaster relief equipment made for both those affected and those looking to aid in relief efforts. For instance, there are flat pack panelized structures that can be installed in a number of ways to support volunteer groups and also give displaced families a place to live while recovering from disaster. These types of buildings are simply put together and can be set up anywhere they are needed. There are three kinds of flat pack panelized structures available from ADS, Inc, a leader in tactical gear and tactical equipment supply.

First, there are mobile command centers, which can serve as a place for organization during critical times of group deployment. The centers are fully capable of technological data transfers in a variety of ways and offer leaders a transportable station for easy communication. Next, there are containerized housing units, with the ability to sleep up to 8 people in a climate controlled environment. Finally, commercial modular structures offer the ability to meet all codes and regulations in a certain area where building may be difficult for a client.

What makes these flat pack panelized structures essential to disaster relief are the attributes that make up these assemblies. They are not only lightweight and easy to transport, but offer a whole host of customizable options like color schemes and door and window size options. These buildings are also safe for living, with bacteria and mold resistance as a main feature. In times of disaster, flat pack panelized structures are an excellent option for organization and communication.

The men and women of our military forces are faced with a lot of difficult situations every day. There are elements of their surroundings that they may not understand or know what the local response is to American forces may be. The number of things that Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine infantry cannot control, but they certainly can control their ability to be comfortable in the tactical clothing that must be worn in the field.

Depending on what area a soldier might be in, the weather conditions that are faced may fluctuate greatly, making it difficult to find a clothing system that is both adaptable and easy to carry around. Fortunately, ADS Inc., a world leader in the supply of tactical gear and equipment, has a revolutionary clothing system available for soldiers all over the world. The GEN

III Extended Climate Warfighter Clothing System (ECWCS) is a major redesign of the last ECWCS, which was just a cold weather clothing system. Unlike the last generation ECWCS, the new GEN III system keeps soldiers comfortable in a wide array of temperatures and environments, from dry, warm or wet weather 60 degrees or higher to freezing cold temperatures pushing the negative 40 degree mark.

The new ECWCS is based on a seven level garment system that is tailored for many factors, including safety, comfort and strength regardless of the surrounding environment. The levels can actively support an infantry member in whatever type of situation they may find themselves in. These break down as follows:

• Level I: Light-Weight Undershirt & Drawers
• Level II: Mid-Weight Shirt & Drawers
• Level III: High-Loft Fleece Jacket
• Level IV: Wind Jacket
• Level V: Soft Shell Cold Weather Jacket & Trousers
• Level VI: Extreme Wet/Cold Weather Jacket & Trousers
• Level VII: Extreme Cold Weather Parka & Trousers

This system may be more proactive and extensive then previous ECWCS, but the GEN III is 25% lighter and has 30% less bulk when integrated into your load carriage and body armor. This is possible due to the stealth mechanics of Near Infrared Textile Technology and an unmatched garment design not found in other U.S. Army approved clothing systems. Whether the environment is cold like Greenland or scorching like Iraq, the GEN III ECWCS is perfect for infantry men and women who are faced an array of environments and missions on a constant basis.

The tactical equipment and gear that military men and women use when in service are incredibly important to their safety and comfort in dangerous situations. Every detail, no matter how big or how small, is crucial to the effectiveness of a piece of equipment. One of the few pieces of gear that every soldier has on them all the time is their uniform, which not only represents our country as a whole, but also provides a level of protection, wherever they are.

Choosing which type of camouflage pattern is best has become a major talking point for at least one branch of the military. According to an article from the Air Force Times, members of the Air Force are wondering why all Air Force gear hasn’t been switched from ABU and ACU to the new standard – MultiCam®:

“The Air Force is replacing the airman battle uniform and its combat version with what soldiers and airmen embedded with Army units already wear — the MultiCam. The brass settled on the tan, brown and green-patterned cammos in mid-February because it’s simply a better uniform. The pattern blends best with the Afghan terrain — the Army tested 57 before settling on MultiCam last year — and the material is flame-resistant and lighter weight than the ABU.”

Still, some Air Force infantry are wondering why it has taken so long to change from the ABU to the far superior MultiCam, which not only blends into surroundings, but also provide a level of comfort and breathability to the soldiers:

“I think it is a great idea to switch over to MultiCam,” said a staff sergeant, a joint tactical air controller in Afghanistan. “The Air Force has wasted too much money and time on its ridiculous ABU, which feels like canvas when it is worn.”

Added the airman: “The MultiCam is a superior design. It blends into the environment that we are fighting in. The MultiCam doesn’t get as dirty as ABUs when you’re in the field or outside the wire.”

Going even further, a poll of some 40 airmen found that the MultiCam was the only option that truly works for Air Force officers of all ranks. ABU isn’t providing the men and women of the Air Force with the protection they need. Thankfully, they should all have the MultiCam uniforms really soon.

A major part of military training is focused on mimicking real-world situations that may not be happening in the U.S., but in areas where deployment is active. Consider the difference between some Middle Eastern war zones and areas where Army bases are located. There are no battle situations occurring here, so training exercises have to carefully construct the most realistic conditions for training exercises.

While this may be aimed at infantry training more, Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) cadets still have to participate in realistic field training exercises. This was the case at Camp Pendleton Marine base last weekend, according to The Daily Titan:

“From Friday through mid-Sunday, cadets were in the field training in squad and platoon-level combat exercises. Armed with real rifles firing blank rounds and weighed down by 40-pound rucksacks and tactical gear, they practiced everything from patrolling formations to interacting with civilians on the battlefield.”

During this time, the cadets stayed in the field the whole weekend, eating packaged meals and switching between sleep and patrol at night, the article says. Wearing tactical uniforms and using tactical gear was a major part of simulating what it is like being in the field during missions, a major part of this exercise. The exercises also included role-playing scenarios that mimicked actual encounters with civilians:

“In many of the scenarios, civilians, who were role-played by other cadets, were mildly hostile toward the soldiers. They openly tested the boundaries of the platoons’ 360-degree security perimeters and spoke Spanish to make communication with the platoon leader difficult.”

It is important to see stories like this and realize that tactical training with equipment is just as important for ROTC cadets as it is for new recruits in basic training. Being able to effectively use the tools the military offers can be a very important skill to have, especially if you are made active after ROTC training is over.

Tactical equipment is important far beyond the needs of just our military fighting overseas or protecting U.S. bases all over the world. Consider the local police in your town or city – they need the same kinds of tactical tools – like tactical shields – to accomplish various kinds of missions, from drug busts to simple crowd control. However important this gear may be, finding funding can be difficult for smaller police operations.

In the case of a riot squad in Canada, this would have been the case were it not for a foundation’s generous offer to help pay for two tactical vehicles. The vehicles, according to The Province, are needed for the Vancouver Police riot squad:

“The $66,200 price tag to buy the two small UTVs and the two trailers they are carried on would be offset by a $55,000 donation from the Vancouver Police Foundation, which council also would need to approve.The need for the UTVs was spelled out in one of four reports into the June 15 riot last year following the Canucks’ loss to the Boston Bruins in the final game of the NHL playoffs.”

The article says that officers found themselves in harm’s way during these riots, running out of essential supplies like munitions, fire and emergency services equipment and shields. Although the squad already has UTVs – operated by a local ambulance service – these are too small to maneuver correctly in large, unruly crowds:

“Each UTV would be able to manoeuvre [sic] in crowded and tight areas such as sidewalks and laneways and could carry supplies and injured people. Aside from riots, the UTVs would also come in handy at large-scale public events such as fireworks nights, parades, holiday celebrations and protests…”

It is always important to remember that tactical equipment isn’t only for our brave men and women fighting for us all over the world – it’s crucial to the men and women protecting our communities as well.

With all of the controversy over Texas border patrol forces receiving little to no equipment ‘leftovers’ from the military, the question of how different local and state-level police fund tactical upgrades has been called into question. After all, the men and women who protect us at home need tactical equipment upgrades for SWAT exercises, search and rescue and other types of operations. A few months ago, we reference one police station in Ohio using seized funds to obtain tactical equipment that was essential for these types of missions. Now, another force is following suit.

According to PoliceOne, officers from various stations in Georgia are currently obtaining new vehicles and other tactical equipment with a percentage of seized funds:

“The money for these upgrades didn’t come from tight local budgets that suddenly loosened. It came from a program that gives local and state agencies a cut of the cash or assets seized while helping the feds bust interstate drug rings, take down white-collar criminals and make other cases.”

The article cites items like new SUVs and laptops as some of the recent upgrades obtained by the force. The program handing out a cut of the seized funds has been majorly successful, giving local police more of the tactical gear they require. However, there are critics of such measures saying that this may spur corrupt seizures:

“Some critics say the system creates a profit incentive and can lead authorities to seize property from people who aren’t even convicted or charged. ‘There is no penalty on the government for seizing improperly,’ said Atlanta defense lawyer Don Samuel, who also teaches law students about asset forfeiture, ‘so there is no disincentive for a trooper to not seize the money.’”

Although Georgia police seized a large amount of cash last year – $56 million – that amount pales in comparison to the amount New York cops pulled in – $699 million. How much new tactical gear will the NYPD be getting this year?

The surroundings of any given battlefield that military infantry deal with are a major factor when determining the best tactical equipment for our special forces. For instance, you wouldn’t send soldiers out into cold terrain without some sort of cold weather clothing system like the ECWCS, which can withstand freezing temperatures up to -40°F. Even though many soldiers are in warmer regions, you can’t always assume that the tools utilized by the military will always be in hot weather areas.

With this in mind, the Army tests all of its in-development gear at freezing temperatures. This is no different for communications systems, which are essential to the effectiveness of many campaigns. Keeping this in mind, the Army recently tested the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) for its ability to function in severe winter conditions. According to a report from the Army:

“Even after being frozen overnight at negative 35-degree temperatures in the severe winter conditions of Alaska, the elements of the Army’s second-generation tactical communications network backbone were up and running.  [WIN-T] successfully completed its Cold Weather Natural Environments Testing in January at Fort Greely, Alaska, receiving positive test results in the execution and in its recently released test report from the Army’s Aberdeen Test Center.”

The report says this approval moves the WIN-T into the next stage of testing, which will be a “strenuous” evaluation of the system within an operational unit currently using the Army’s Network Integration Evaluation paradigm. The main centerpiece of the WIN-T system is its ability to connect soldiers in a variety of ways:

“Similar to a home Internet connection, WIN-T Increment 1 provides Soldiers with high-speed, high-capacity voice, data and video communications to units at battalion level at-the-halt. WIN-T Increment 2 is a major upgrade and introduces numerous additional capabilities including an on-the-move communications network that reaches down to the company echelon for the first time.”

This type of testing protocol occurs with all infantry-based equipment and is crucial when considering the safety and effectiveness of our soldiers.

Tactical equipment is a very costly and important piece of military operations, especially in war-torn areas like the Middle East. Whether it is a piece of tactical armor or MultiCam gear, every item that our soldiers carry with them is important to have and keep track of. What happens to the equipment left behind when units are deployed? In a lot of cases, vehicles and other expensive items need to be left behind. For this reason, the Unit Maintained Equipment (UME) program was created.

According to a story in DVIDS, this program is the main line of accountability for all property left behind by deployed soldiers. This includes not only inventory, but also maintenance:

“Soldiers conducted regular checks and maintenances on the vehicles to ensure they were sustained to the highest possible standard. The UME personnel maintained 185 total pieces of tactical equipment, averaging eight vehicles per day. The service schedule was drafted to encompass all combat equipment by priority.”

The article says ammunition transporters were the most important items, “followed by logistical enablers and service support vehicles.” One Army official says UME maintained more than $57 million worth of equipment that could easily be sent over to aid troops in the battlefield.  A major function of this unit beyond its main goal was to keep necessary work within the military itself – saving the cost of hiring a private company for the same maintenance work.

Furthermore, UME was able to increase efficiency in the maintenance and upkeep of the items they were tasked with:

“…100 percent of all combat vehicles were kept up to date on maintenance in 7 months when it was expected to take the full 12 months to ensure all services were complete.”

Currently, the Army is looking into extending this program to the deployed units in the years to come.