For as far back as I can remember, as a police officer and as a member of the media, some government official or another has been calling for a ban on “assault weapons.” Sometimes those “assault weapons” are AR-style rifles, and sometimes they are “high capacity” polymer framed handguns. Not long ago, a man even more veteran than myself in law enforcement postulated a question: if AR-style rifles were banned tomorrow, what would you be carrying instead? If polymer framed handguns were banned tomorrow, what would you be carrying instead? The questions caused quite a stir of curiosity and I had to pass those questions on. Thankfully, in my line of work I can get responses from some true experts in the field. (more…)

As the faithful readers of the Blackwater Tactical Weekly know I once spent two weeks in New Orleans on contract to Blackwater. I’m home now and have had a couple of days to contemplate the gear I was issued to use while in N.O.. Certainly, the conditions varied from comfortable to, ah, less-than-comfortable, but the gear I was issued was sufficient to keep me at least able to survive. One of those items was a SnugPak Lite Sleeping Bag. Right on the stuff-sack itself it shows that the bag is rated to 32 degrees for comfortable sleeping, or down to 18 degrees for simple survival.  (more…)

When I went into the Army as a Military Policeman in 1982, I was issued half a tent, otherwise called “a shelter half”. When I asked what I was supposed to do with half a tent I was told, “Find a buddy that has a matching half.” Together we made a whole tent. When I went into the Maryland Army National Guard some years later – in a Light Infantry unit – I wasn’t even issued half a tent. I was issued two ponchos, one poncho liner and one sleeping bag. When I asked about shelter I was told to make a “hooch” out of a poncho. Then I was told that the sleeping back was optional in the field. “Fight light; freeze at night.” Oh, joy…  (more…)