In the future, a lack of U.S. air superiority and vast distances could prohibit quick
evacuations and negate the “Golden-Hour” response.
“We’re worried about future casualties because those distances [to hospitals] are so great,” said Air Force Col. Stacy Shackelford, chief of the Joint Trauma System in Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. For example, if a Marine was wounded on a remote island in the Pacific, the highest level of care available might be an independent duty corpsman. Evacuation to a higher level of care might take several days. For military medics, this scenario requires a new kind of training, new equipment and a new approach to casualty care. (reference Military Medicine Is Preparing for the Next Conflict June 14, 2022 By Janet A. Aker, MHS Communications).
So lets talk about what the “Golden Hour” means. The term is used in military wound care and medical settings to refer to the critical period immediately after an injury occurs. It emphasizes the importance of quickly providing medical attention within the first hour to maximize the chances of successful treatment and survival. This time frame plays a vital role in managing traumatic injuries because early intervention and immediate access to appropriate medical resources can significantly improve patient outcomes.
During the golden hour, the body’s response to injury and the potential for complications are still relatively manageable. Rapid medical care can help minimize blood loss, prevent infection, and alleviate pain. It also allows for efficient assessment, stabilization, and transport of the wounded or injured individuals to appropriate medical facilities for further treatment.
As mentioned, in our future wars using manned medical evacuation flights may not be possible. According to Marcin Frąckiewiczin, Drones, TS2 Spaceon 4 March 2023; in recent years, the use of drones in battlefield medical support has emerged as a promising solution to numerous logistical and safety issues associated with traditional methods. The use of drones has the potential to provide faster, more efficient and reliable medical support to soldiers in the battlefield. However, there are also a number of challenges and opportunities associated with this new technology. He goes on to state that the most significant risk
is the safety of the drones themselves. With the development of increasingly sophisticated enemy countermeasures, there is a risk that drones could be shot down or otherwise disabled before they can reach their destination. In addition, there are also concerns about the reliability of the drones and their ability to accurately deliver supplies in hostile environments.
The concept of the golden hour remains critical whether immediate medical evac is possible or not. We have to recognize that the sooner medical intervention is initiated, the greater the likelihood of saving lives or preserving long-term health and functionality. The military is actively engaged in evaluating how drones can be used for personnel evac as well as medical
resupply. Time is of the essence when it comes to managing traumatic wounds, and the golden hour serves as a guideline for healthcare providers to optimize their response and minimize the potential consequences of injuries. The question is – are we moving at the speed of relevance? If not – then we need to be. Please visit https://oakleafdefensellc.com/ for additional information or to get in touch!
You might not recognize it, but beekeeping and being a successful business manager have several similarities. First off, both require a strategic and organized approach. Just as a beekeeper needs to carefully plan and manage their hives to ensure the health and productivity of their bees, a business manager has to develop and implement effective strategies to achieve their goals and drive success.
Second, both beekeeping and business management require strong leadership skills. A successful beekeeper has to lead and guide their bees, while a business manager needs
to inspire and motivate their team to accomplish objectives and overcome challenges. In both cases the leader has to be present to get to know their respective team mates! Honeybees just like an employee workforce, don’t really have control over what their workers do. Like a beekeeper who “tends” to his or her bees, an effective manager should tend his or her employee base and be always aware of their needs at the organizational and individual level.
Both beekeeping and business management involve risk management. Beekeepers need to be aware of potential threats to their hives, such as diseases or predators, and take appropriate measures to protect their bees. Similarly, business managers must identify potential risks and develop strategies to minimize their impact on the organization.
Finally, both beekeeping and business management require adaptability and the ability to respond to changing circumstances. Beekeepers must be able to adjust their practices based on seasonal changes or unexpected events, while business managers need to be flexible and agile to navigate a dynamic market environment.
Something to think about, while beekeeping and business management may seem like different worlds, they share common principles of planning, leadership, risk management, and adaptability.
For a small business interested in providing services or supplies to the Department of Defense (DoD), although becoming a contractor might seem an overwhelming task, here are some steps to get started:
1. Research and understand the DoD procurement process: Familiarize yourself with the rules, regulations, and procedures involved in DoD procurement. This includes learning about the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). You may be consider working with a support firm who is experienced in doing business with the DoD like https://oakleafdefensellc.com/ because this first step can be overwhelming – but necessary.
2. Identify your capabilities: Assess your business’s capabilities and determine how they align with the needs of the DoD. Identify the specific services or supplies you can offer and how they can fulfill DoD requirements. This is part of your strategic planning. The DoD procures end items for the most part or services. If you are engaged in research and development, doing with the government will be through a different channel such as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or other similar funding programs.
3. Obtain necessary certifications and registrations: Your company must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. Note – you don’t have to pay for the free registration to get started. Next, register your business with the System for Award Management (SAM) and obtain a unique entity identifier through the https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration page. A business cannot participate in Federal Opportunities unless they are registered to do business with the government. As part of this registration you will need to communicate the type of small business you are and provide your applicable NAICS codes and PSC codes. If you are unfamiliar with these codes then a little help from Oak Leaf Defense will get you on your way. Consider certifications like the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification, if applicable.
4. Learn about DoD contracting opportunities: Explore various DoD platforms, such as the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) and the General Services Administration (GSA) eBuy system, to find contracting opportunities. These platforms often list solicitations and requests for proposals. I have written about these processes before and that a company that waits for an opportunity to be announced has likely missed that opportunity. The time to help shape a requirement or how it is set aside is during the market research phase where the contracting team seeks feed back from industry on how the procurement process might be planned. The other manner to find out what procurements are planned for the future is to participate for pallning reviews and industry days. For instance in my primary channel dealing with clothing and textiles, the DLA Troop Support Clothing & Textiles2023 Joint Advanced Planning Brief for Industry (JAPBI) is scheduled for November 15 through 16, Philadelphia-Cherry Hill, NJ. For information on this event please visit https://www.dla.mil/Troop-Support/Clothing-and-Textiles/Industry-Support/Events/ for registration information. Different buying agencies host similar events throughout the year.
5. Network and collaborate: Attend industry conferences, trade shows, and matchmaking events to meet potential government buyers and prime contractors. Networking and building relationships within the defense industry can help your business get noticed and gain access to opportunities. As mentioned in a related post found at https://oakleafdefensellc.com/blog-and-news-1/f/strategic-goal-of-entering-the-american-military-market our sister company Oak Leaf Defense will be participating at the upcoming DSEI military trade fair in London September 12 through 15, 2023, at the annual AUSA Conference in Washington D.C. October 9 through 11, the law enforcement and security trade fair in Paris, France MILIPOL November 14 through 17, 2023 and hosting a booth during the Supplier Showcase during the SHOT Show, January 23 through 26, 2024. These are some of the best attended trade fairs.
6. Develop a strong proposal: When responding to a solicitation, ensure your proposal is well-prepared, highlighting your business’s unique capabilities, competitive pricing, and ability to meet the DoD’s requirements. Tailor your proposal to the specific needs outlined in the solicitation. Proposal writing is a bit of an art so again, for the initial response you may want to consider having a profession contracting person help.
7. Be patient and persistent: Be prepared for a very long sales cycle. Review and award of a contract can take 5 to 7 months to complete. Winning DoD contracts can take time, so be prepared for a potentially lengthy process. Perseverance and responsiveness throughout the process can increase your chances of success.
Remember, it’s essential to consult with professionals with expertise in government contracting to ensure compliance with all regulations and maximize your chances of success. https://oakleafdefensellc.com/
Teaming with a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) can bring numerous benefits to a small business. Here are a few reasons why teaming with an SDVOSB can be advantageous:
1. Access to government contracts: The federal government has set-aside contracts specifically for SDVOSBs. By teaming with an SDVOSB, your small business can gain access to these contracts and opportunities that may be otherwise restricted. The key he
re is to communicate what your company is really good at as a “core competency” and where the SDVO small business can add value. For instance, Silver Oak Leaf Inc, is an expert at solicitation response, program management, supply chain management, communication and interaction with Defense agencies such as the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). Companies that we work with are normally experts in garment or fabric manufacturing where our company’s expertise is in the management of the contract.
2. Enhancing competitiveness: Teaming with an SDVOSB can help strengthen your bid for government contracts. Many government agencies prioritize contracting with SDVOSBs and may have specific goals or requirements to meet in terms of awarding contracts to these businesses. By teaming together, a company can team with the SDVOSB and increase chances of the team winning contracts.
3. Meeting set-aside requirements: Some government contracts have specific set-aside requirements, such as the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program. Teaming with an SDVOSB can help your small business meet these requirements and qualify for set-aside contracts.
4. Access to expertise: SDVOSBs often have specialized knowledge, experience, and networks in working with the government, especially in areas related to defense or security. By teaming with an SDVOSB, your small business can tap into their expertise such as bid preparation, schedule management, or inter departmental coordination, which is valuable in navigating government procurement processes and requirements.
5. Building relationships and credibility: Teaming with an SDVOSB like Silver Oak Leaf Inc which has had industry relationships in place since 2010, can help your small business establish relationships and credibility within the government contracting community. This collaboration can showcase your commitment to supporting SDVOSBs and working with diverse business partners, which can be seen favorably by government agencies and prime contractors.
It’s important to note that when teaming with an SDVOSB, it’s crucial to establish a business relationship based on trust, clear roles and responsibilities, and effective communication. For more information or to learn more about what a SDVO business is and how teaming might be helpful to your business, please visit https://silveroakleafinc.com/ and get in touch!
From the Defense Acquisition University we are reminded about the “Ten Commandments of Effective Contracts.” Although seemingly simple and straightforward, the Ten Commandments could be a great facing page for any acquisition professional creating or responding to DoD procurement efforts.
1. “Read the contract.” That includes reading the request for information, request for sources sought, request for bid and or proposal (RFB/RFP) and responses to contractor questions after a RFB/RFP has been published. That means everyone on the source selection panel must read the contract and associated requirements documents before initiating a source selection. that means that industry should read their bid proposal along side the RFB/RFP to ensure they have answered all the government’s information requirements.
2. “The contract is interpreted as a whole.”
Steps for the Acquisition Process
3. “Only the Contracting Officer may change or agree to changes in the Contract.” So to my colleagues in industry, it doesn’t matter what the helpful contract specialist or the quality assurance representative agreed to, until that agreement is institutionalized as an amendment to an RFB/RFP or a modification to a contract – its doesn’t count (meaning not legally sustainable). Remember – proposal requests are amended and contracts are modified.
4. “Requirements or material changes must be approved and documented.” While it might be acceptable following contract award and early in the spin-up towards manufacturing; to place advanced orders for material changes – you must follow-up quickly with the Contracting Officer (KO) in writing to describe what those changes are and which government official directed you to make that change. This ensure that the KO will follow-up with a signed modification as documentation. Don’t move forward and invest significant sums or manufacturing change plans until you have the signed modification in hand.
5. Approved and documented requirements take precedence over verbal requests.” See my comment above in number 4.
6. “No funding means no requirement.” Note to business developers – unless your customer has a validated requirement and associated funding, you don’t have real future business. The government cannot award a contract without a validated requirement and a valid funding Line of Accounting – not going to happen. This brings about the discussion on how best to meet future government needs. I have experienced two strategies: (1) Anticipate government requirements early on as described in some Advanced Planning Brief to Industry document or a Preplanned Product Improvement with the advantage being that both have an initial requirement concept in mind and likely some funding, or (2) “Build it and they will come” strategy. I believe that there was much more room for strategy (2) over the last twelve years of constant combat when the military services (mainly ground combat forces) refreshed much of their basic equipment, were open to new concepts and were well funded. However, I do not believe that this trend is continuing and with the draw-down in Afghanistan and US combat operations ending in 2015, I think focusing on existing requirements or incremental improvements is a more sustainable business development approach. I have heard the term “cost neutral improvement” several times.
Contracting Officer View form the Palace in Baghdad Iraq 2004
7. “The contract schedule takes precedence over the contract clauses.”
8. “Contract clauses take precedence over the other documents, exhibits and attachments.” The contract clauses flow from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and contain statutory language and direction that cannot be overwritten by a text narrative to do something otherwise. In reference to specifications – according to the uniform contract format, specifications are last in the order of precedence following documents, exhibits, and attachments (see commandment 9. below).
9. “Other documents, exhibits and attachments take precedence over the specifications.”
10. “Plain English takes precedence over technical language. Ambiguous language is interpreted against the drafter.” Now while I am not exactly sure about the practical application I believe this is similar to the baseball analogy that “tie goes to the runner!”
Now if we can just get the total solicitation page count decreased and the contract award cycle time faster, we would be doing great!
During a recent presentation by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, the Secretary said “leveraging innovation from small businesses and other organizations that develop cutting edge tech will be key to staying ahead of China in the ongoing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere.” I guess the key word here is “leverage” with a meaning of “to obtain a desired effect or result.” Ok I agree with the Secretary’s statement focusing on small business but probably not for the reasons he indicates. My position is that true innovation is not achieved by large defense contractors for numerous reasons (read The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton Christensen) so I agree with the assertion that the DoD should be focusing on small business.
I believe it is an over simplification to say as the Secretary has that “Additionally, it often takes too long to get new technology into the hands of warfighters.” Based on my work experience with the Rapid Equipping Force (REF) and watching then COL Bruce Jette and later HON Bruce Jette as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology work, its really about overcoming the numerous barriers to acceptance of the innovation (refer to the Diffusion of innovations which is a theory that seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread by Everett Rogers first published in 1962). Later in my own career as the Assistant Product Manager for the Army’s Rapid Fielding Initiative I was involved first hand and day to day with introducing innovative products into the forces with great success.
So what’s the problem? According to Secretary Austin the issue is “overcoming the valley of death.” JOHN DILLARD, Col., USA (Ret.) and STEVE STARK, senior editor, Army AL&T magazine recently published a nice description of understanding this challenge as when a program is lost in the valley of death and abandoned for one or more of the following reasons: financial, technical, doctrinal or organizational culture. So in order to evaluate if what the Secretary says is the problem facing new technology adoption by the Defense Department lets review the articles four reasons for failure.
Https://asc.army.mil
FINANCIAL A program or project manager (PM) is evaluated on three things: cost, performance and schedule. Dillard and Stark say time and money are everything in acquisition, but highlight that the timing of money is also important. If a new technology gets on DOD’s budget submission before the annual February deadline, it has a chance to be funded in the next fiscal year, which begins in October. However, that best-case scenario still leaves a gap of, at minimum, seven or eight months (this isn’t the norm). If a program isn’t in the budget request, it has to wait for the next one. It can take two years or more from viability for a program to get funded (this seems to be the norm). A small business cannot wait for two years to monetize their innovation – period.
TECHNICAL Again from Dillard and Stark, more than one program has been abandoned in the valley of death because a technology it depends on just can’t get past a technical readiness level that its requirement demands. Other times, technologies are overtaken by the speed of change in either advances in technologies or the nature of threats. I would like to add that I have seen that the initial development topic for a SBIR for instance, by the time the project progresses through the three phases, the requirement for that development has been overcome by either a new nature of the threat or more pressing requirements which sweep the limited funding away (yes – sweep is a technical DoD term for when a program loses its funding). Ore to follow on the nature of SBIR’s and why the vast majority of efforts never transfer to phase three and commercialization (adoption by the services).
DOCTRINAL The Army tends to want its acquisitions to fit within its doctrine. Its Big Six modernization priorities all fit within the doctrinal concept of multidomain operations. That’s because all six come from verified needs that have arisen as that operational concept evolved. A company could have a wonderful new invention or innovation, but if it falls outside that multidomain concept, it could come to a screeching halt. My comments clarify this barrier – in order for a PM to allocate resources he or she must have a validated requirement which normally is a United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) function. Then that doctrine is evaluated in terms of what are the material acquisitions needed to support that function? Since 1989 the responsibility to figure out what industry can provide to fulfill Army doctrin is held by the Army’s acquisition executive, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA(ALT)) who is responsible for the research, development and acquisition of Army platforms and warfare systems. This is the organization tasked with developing and fielding the systems for the Army – this is where innovation and technology insert happens. More on organizational barriers to the adoption of innovation within ASA(ALT) later.
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Most of the materiel the Army acquires is in the category of innovation—a new way of using something or doing something, rather than that of invention, or something entirely new (that is more the realm of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The technologies behind the Big Six ((1) Long-Range Precision Fire (Artillery) (2) Next Generation Combat Vehicle (Armor) (3) Future Vertical Lift (Aviation) (4) Network (5) Air & Missile Defense (6) Soldier Lethality) already exist. Again from Dillard and Stark, the Army wants better, faster, deadlier leap ahead in the states of those arts. The Big Six are acquisitions that are going to happen and will get past the valley of death. The acquisition culture, however, tends to be less enthusiastic when it comes to solutions that are genuinely novel, overtly impinge on a cultural norm or a well-established routine, or produce a “that’s not how we do it here” reaction. In defense of the acquisition PM’s I want to say that of course they are dis-incentivized to add in innovation. Remember the three things a PM is evaluated on – cost, performance and schedule. Asking a PM to add in an innovation that is not funded, will move his or her time frame out to the right (delay) for a performance ROI that is unclear would be unattractive for any manager. PM’s are not paid to innovate – they are paid to develop and field programs on time and to budget. Might as well post an “Innovation Not Wanted sign on the office door.
DoD 5000 Capability requirements and Acquisition
Ok so now we have some idea of the range of barriers to the adoption of innovation and why new technologies often or mainly never pass through the valley of death (remember the vast majority of SBIR developments are never adopted). So what do we do about it? According to Secretary Austin the Pentagon is taking a number of steps to try to tackle the problem – great! What are they?
Distribution of Total SBIR Dollars Obligated 2019
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs. Secretary Austin said the SBIR program provides funding to small companies to perform research-and-development work on technology that is tailored to the department’s unique technology requirements. Ok great – but from my experience working within the SBIR and SCCT world since 2017, the Army is the least successful in managing SBIR programs. I would rate the US Navy followed by the US Air Force as the most successful services managing SBIR developments and even within those two services as stated before, the vast majority of SBIR projects fail to reach Phase III. A quick review:
Small Business Program Phases
Description
Phase I
A Phase I award helps you focus on the feasibility, technical merit, and commercial potential of your research project.
Phase II
A Phase II award lets you continue the research and development efforts initiated in Phase I. Once you’ve reached your Phase I milestones, you can apply for a Phase II award, even before the end of the Phase II award. You may submit your application for a Phase II award up to six receipt dates after your Phase I budget period expires.
Fast-Track
The fast-track process allows you to submit both Phase I and Phase II in one application for review. The Fast -Track mechanism can minimize the funding gap between phases but requires a fully developed Phase II application/plan at the time of submission.
Direct to Phase II (SBIR Only)
If your project has already demonstrated feasibility but you have not received a Phase I SBIR or STTR, you can apply for a Direct to Phase II award and bypass Phase I.
Phase IIB
Some NIH Institutes and Centers offer Phase IIB awards for Phase II projects that require extraordinary time and effort beyond the standard Phase II period of 2 years. Refer to our Phase IIB FAQs for more information.
Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program
The Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program provides awarded Phase II and Phase IIB small businesses technical assistance and funding for late-stage development. Read more about the CRP program.
Ok sir – what’s next? Secretary Austin next noted that the Defense Department has opened new Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) offices in Seattle and Chicago, and other sites in Silicon Valley and Boston which are intended to help bridge the gap between the Pentagon and commercial tech hubs. Sounds super promising – until I visited the website to see what opportunities are open. The site advertises that DIU is the only Department of Defense organization focused exclusively on fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military to help solve critical problems. SO there must be numerous critical problems to work on right? Nope – according to the site there are currently zero as in 0 open solicitations. Here is the process:
We solicit commercial solutions that address current needs of our DoD partners.
You send us a short brief about your solution.
We’ll get back to you within 30 days if we’re interested in learning more through a pitch. If we’re not interested, we’ll strive to let you know ASAP.
Ok so DIU is not seeking any current solutions. What about DARPA? Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), established in 1958, is an agency within the Department of Defense (DOD) responsible for catalyzing the development of technologies that maintain and advance the capabilities and technical superiority of the U.S. military. Sounds a bit like the DIU mission statement? However, lets see how long a program takes to commercialize – on average, three to five years. Whoa there – 3 to 5 years? That seems to be a polar opposite of what Secretary Austin’s stated concern that “it often takes too long to get new technology into the hands of warfighters.”
DARPA Autonomous Vehicles
Anything else? Secretary Austin says the Pentagon has established a new Rapid Defense Experimentation reserve (RDER) being spearheaded by Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering HON Heidi Shyu (Ms. Shyu previous served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Acquisition, Logistics and Technology). Further, that the new initiative will “let us quickly see if promising tech and prototypes can help our warfighters,” helping the military identify its most pressing capability gaps and make funds available to test new technologies that that could be “game-changers.” The innovation areas currently in focus are:
development of trusted artificial intelligence and trusted autonomy
establishment of an integrated network system of systems
development of quantum computers and sensors
use of biotech to improve situational awareness
production of high energy lasers that can counter unmanned systems and missiles.
Given that Ms. Shyu is leading this effort I am hopeful that she and her team will be able to introduce valued innovation but my caveat is this is a Defense wide initiative and “jointness” is likely a screening criteria.
What is interesting is that Secretary Austin did not address the role and responsibility of the Army Futures Command which has the responsibility for Army modernization. Futures Command “complements” the other Army commands, Forces Command, Training and Doctrine, and Army Materiel Command and leads the following eight cross-functional teams:
Air and Missile Defense (Fort Sill); PEO Missiles and Space
Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (Redstone Arsenal); PEO Missiles and Space
Long-Range Precision Fires (Fort Sill); PEO Armaments and Ammunition
Network (Aberdeen Proving Ground); PEO C3T
Next Generation Combat Vehicle (Detroit Arsenal); PEO GCS
Soldier Lethality (Fort Benning); PEO Soldier
Synthetic Training Environment (Orlando). PEO STRI
So where does this leave us in trying to untangle Defense Innovation? As Secretary Austin says as “the goal here is simple: Connect with new talent who will help us compete and win?” Part of the challenge has to be recognition that at least for the Army, the members of the cross functional teams already have a full time job managing their assigned ACAT I and II Programs Major Defense Acquisition Program for procurement, of more than $3.065 billion or ACAT II programs procurement of more than $920 million in FY 2020 constant dollars.
I continue to be a firm believer in the SBIR program as a pathway for innovation. However, the challenge continues to be in establishing the topics that drive funding for development. For instance the national military strategy calls for innovation in personal protection for artic warfare down to -50 F but I can find no SBIR topics that deal with Soldier protection in this environment? There has to be an approved topic before a company can compete for that development funding. That seems to be part one of the problem – topics are often established based on industry relationships with the service SBIR managers as opposed to the SBIR topics being driven by the service program managers based on established gaps in performance.
The other issue I see is lack of tie in between the SBIR topic and the cognizant program/product manager who will ultimately assume responsibility for integrating the new technology or innovation into their program or establishing a new start. Its too late at phase II or III to align a SBIR topic with a PM, hoping that the PM will look favorably on the development. They wont – based on my previous comments about PM’s and cost, performance and schedule. Until these organizational issues are addressed, the “valley of death” will continue to consume new technology and innovation.
VALIDATED REQUIREMENT The Army buys virtually nothing without a validated requirement. These explain to Congress how the Army is spending its appropriations and they explain to the contractor what the Army wants, very specially. Requirements come from needs expressed by commanders and they can also come from Army leaders looking to close capability gaps. The Army Requirements Oversight Council vets and validates them—or doesn’t. The Army likes capabilities to follow doctrine. This is a cultural thing—the Navy often experiments with capabilities and builds doctrine around new ones
FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM (FYDP) Often pronounced FIEdip or FIDdip. FYDP is essentially a database that represents DOD’s “program” and financial plan—what DOD plans to do and how it’s to be funded—over the next five years and as approved by the defense secretary. That program is divided by organizations, colors of money and major defense programs. FYDP is part of the planning, programming, budgeting and execution process and gets updated twice during that cycle. FYDP connects Congress’s authorizations with specific military programs
TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION “Technology transition” is when a technology is sufficiently mature to move from research to development. It now has the potential to be a useful capability in an operational environment. However, just because it’s useful doesn’t mean it will get funded. Technology transition is not to be confused with technology transfer, which is the transfer of technology among government, industry and academia.
PROGRAM OF RECORD Programs of record are programs that appear in the FYDP and for which Congress has appropriated funding or intends to. Generally, approval of the program objective memorandum (POM) when the program is in the POM makes it a program of record. Congress funding a program means that it’s a program of record. A program that has a validated requirement and a line in the FYDP is a program of record.
I have been wearing boots since I was a little kid and in fact one of my earliest and best memories was a visit to the local shoe shop to buy a pair of Red Wing leather boots. As soon as we returned home, out came the mink oil and the weatherization process began. When you grow up in the Northwest of the United States, life outdoors is the norm and a good pair of boots is critical.
Issue Black Leather Boot
Fast forward to the late 1980’s and imagine my excitement when I get to have more boots and this time free, as part of my initial entry processing in the US Army during basic training. Basic black leather boot with a lug sole. The boots were pretty basic in construction and took some time to break in – which in todays world is not the expectation. Service Members want to put on a boot and have the fit already dialed in and go.
So what’s the complaint against Nike boots? Well lets first review the parts of boot and from my friends at https://www.militarybootsdirect.com/ there are four main parts of a military combat boot:
Cut Away Belleville Boots
Leather and nylon mesh upper: primarily constructed of thick, hard grain, rough out leather
Comfort insole: designed to help with ventilation and perspiration, but also to increase the comfort of the boots
Soft midsole: soft rubber layer, which absorbs shock and promotes comfort when the boots are worn continually, for long periods of time
Hard outsole: built to last a very long time and to protect the feet from the impact of rocks and other sharp objects
Because of the long wear, the design of combat boots has the hard leather upper supplemented with areas of woven nylon to promote ventilation, reduce perspiration and weight.
Issue Tan Combat Boot Grain Out
Where I really learned a lot about boots was beginning ins 2005 during my assignment with PEO Soldier and as the Assistant Product Manager for the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI). In this capacity I was responsible for procuring boots that were issued to combat brigades deploying to and from both Iraq and Afghanistan. So how many boots did we buy and was that enough to become an “expert” in military boots?
A little history is helpful as published by The United Stated Military Academy June 2007. Summary – “The Rapid Fielding Initiative Business Case Analysis, Army Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI) was developed in response to equipment shortages for Soldiers and military units supporting the Global War on Terror in Afghanistan in 2002. Support development teams that were sent to visit units and Soldiers both during operations in Afghanistan and after redeployment made three key findings:
(1) units were insufficiently funded to purchase needed equipment that was available either commercially or through normal supply channels;
(2) current fielding plans were not meeting the needs of the Army;
(3) Soldiers were subsidizing the Army’s underfunding of Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) by individually purchasing commercial-off-the-shelf equipment.
In response to the findings, the Chief of Staff of the Army tasked the program executive office for Soldier systems (PEO-Soldier) with equipping all deploying forces with the Soldier as a System (SaaS) Integrated Concept Team (ICT) equipment list to support Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF).”
Then MAJ Long; Issuing Equipment in Kandahar Afghanistan
Boots: “140% of the required number of pairs of boots is sent to each fielding site in a distribution of sizes because Soldier boot sizes are unknown prior to the actual issue. Additionally, boots are manufactured by three different vendors and sizing varies between the vendors, further complicating the matter.” So lets say a 5,000 person brigade was deploying to Iraq and each service member received two pairs of boots x 140% = that is 140,000 pairs of boots for one unit. By June 2006 the US had 14 combat brigades in Iraq, for a total of 127,000 troops. Lets assume they all got “RFI’ed” so 127,000 troops x 2 pair boots x 140% = 355,600 pairs of boots for 2006. That’s just one brigade and a lot of boots!
Danner Combat Hiker
In addition to being involved in the RFI procurements I contributed a little bit to boot development and creation – specifically by LaCrosse Footwear, Inc.’s / Danner boots Combat Hiker. The new boot was to be full-grain leather hiker designed with a rugged Vibram outsole for traveling over uneven terrain while carrying heavy loads, has a breathable Gore Tex lining and rubber surrounding the entire lower boot to protect against abrasion and damage from rock and scree. The boot provided tremendous ankle support while carrying packs. The rocks in Afghanistan are a lot different than the sand and dirt in Iraq and I wanted Danner to know that – so while waiting a flight to Kabul at Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan I boxed up a bunch of rocks and scree and sent them to Danner for insight (completely cleaned of debris and organic matter). I know the product team keep that box as a reminder to how different that operating environment was from those of their hunting or logging market segment.
Shoe Last
Back to Nike’s entry into the military boot market. One review from the company US Patriot reflected the following: “these boots ran a half size small, which I am told is not uncommon for Nike shoes. This provided a more snug fit than I desired. I found that I wasn’t a fan of the insoles on either rendition of the boot as they are basically the same thing. The padding location at the balls of the foot was thick enough to push my foot up into the roof of the boot. With the already snug fit, this added discomfort.”
Nike Military Boot
Well I didn’t know about that review during my visit to the Jungle Warfare Training School in Hawaii and I bought the normal size 11 M that I do for all military boots. Here are the issues I had then during training and more recently after my dependable Oakley’s finally wore out – the Nike’s became my daily wear for walking running 3 to 5 miles.
The primary issue I have is fit – the Nike boots don’t fit well and its not boot length – its how the boot fits over the mid foot where the metatarsal bones are located. While the fit on the heel was fine and the space for toes more than ample, the area over the bridge of the foot was poorly fitted and painful to walk in let alone run.
Bates Jungle Boot (developmental)
The other criticism I have is again near the mid section of the boot and how the leather structure of the laces is cut very wide so that the majority of the boot is the nylon or polyester fabric instead of leather. My issue is when wearing during wet or rainy conditions as the foot bends very wide gaps occur which let the water seep in uncontrolled. A very poor design given the intended environment is likely to include rain or wet footing conditions. For instance the Bates Jungle Boot pictured here has a nice enclosure over the mid section of the foot and the nylon fabric is sewn inside to prevent water from entering the boot directly.
Oakley Military Boot
My last criticism is the material that the lug sole is composed of. In comparison to my Oakley, Bates or Bellevue boots; the selection of material for Nike boots is an extremely hard and non flexible material in comparison. Although I did not wear them in cold conditions my guess is the material will harden further and result in an increased danger of slip. A better selection might have been a variant of the Vibram FIRE & ICE compound formulated for extreme applications while maintaining its performance values in a wide range of temperatures (from -20C to +250C). The formulation provides flexibility and traction at -23C. Tis is applicable to areas where at one elevation you are in a temperate zone and the next you are walking in snow (or spring time in Grafenwöhr Germany where you can experience all four seasons in one day!).
Gucci Fashion Boots
Boots are tools not fashion accessories. Not to be too technical about why talking about boots is important but according to the Army Public Health Center, Musculoskeletal injuries which are caused by acute (sudden) incidents as well as chronic repeated stresses to the body (overuse), are the single biggest health problem of the U.S. Military – most to lower extremities (ankle/foot).
Almost 50% of military experience 1 or more injury each year.
They result in over 2,000,000 medical encounters annually across military Services.
They require 90-120 or more days of restricted work or lost duty time, in addition to the cost of treatment.
Most are overuse strains, sprains, and stress fractures; most to lower extremities (ankle/foot, knee/lower leg).
1970’s Era Jungle Boot
Operational Environment 1970’s
Closing our friends at Olive-Drab summarize it well: Combat boots issued by the Army or Marine Corps (and the Navy, AirForce and Coast Guard) differ from commercially available outdoor boots that are used primarily for hiking. Military boots are used for running, jumping, climbing, crawling, marching, hiking, as well as other activities. Also, hikers are largely expected to stay on trails and do some hill climbing on rocky surfaces, whereas Soldiers and Marines may be required (change that to Will Be Required) to take off-trail routes through dense forest, brush, mud and water. In addition, issue boots are used in built-up areas featuring paved surfaces, stairways, and building interiors. Unlike hiking boots, the issue boots are used for a variety of physical activities performed in a wide range of environments.
So while Nike may take a second look at how their boots are constructed, for me their boots remain “military inspired” but not military grade.
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) recently conducted research to determine industry capabilities for Military Dress Coats. The research is a normal part of the process prior to soliciting competitive procurement(s) for in this case Military Dress Coats. The award(s) are anticipated to be Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery-type contract(s) with a period of performance consisting of a 12-month base term with one-(1) or two-(2) 12-month option periods for each end item. The information for the Cloth material provided and unlike procurement in the past, the Government will not be purchasing the fabric so that rolls up into the bid price.
New US Army Service Uniform
Sound good so far? I mean there are more than 20 excellent manufacturers of US Military uniforms – so it should make sense that at least some of these manufactures should be able to do dress clothing, or so I thought. I was wrong – there are currently only a few manufacturers who remain in the dress clothing business supporting the Department of Defense – none of the manufacturers who produce combat uniforms, bags or packs produce dress clothing. Why is that?
Patterns and Size Grading
Garment production in the USA has become a lost art following the rampant off-shoring of the textile industry in the 1990’s. If not for the Berry Amendment (statutory requirement restricting the Department of Defense (DoD) from procuring clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns, other made-up textiles from non USA sources established first in 1941) we would have little or no manufacturing capacity. Capability and creativity we have – although most of those working in the non fashion segments of the textiles industry are senior.
So what is the issue with military dress clothing? From my vantage point as involved in the tactical side of the industry since 2005, dress clothing is much more complicated an item to make and the quantities are much lower. Garment costing is based on fabric utilization and the number of minutes required to sew a garment – a dress jacket can require up to 255 minutes to construct with more than 20 different cut pieces.
lets take just one simple example – the USMC Dress Uniform with red piping and look at the unique sleeve cuff. Such a unique design element but did you ever wonder how its made? I did so I took one apart – simple enough to do.
USMC Dress Blue Cuffs
What I found is that the cuff is made up of a piece of red wool fabric and a blue fabric that has a fused lining (interlining is fused onto the material to keep it shape saving time and labor). The assembly then has three small holes “punched” through to allow for the insertion of the button shank. pretty straight forward but lets look at another example –
The USAF Class A Jacket
The USAF Class A jacket has gone through numerous changes over the years but still retains several unique construction elements, the pocketing being one of them.
In order to retain a smooth appearance the pocket (flap pocket) is actually constructed separately from the suiting material and is located inside the jacket. The pocket is accessed through a separate opening that is stitched and trimmed. Lets talk a bit about the pocket and its shape because within military clothing the last garment produced must match the first garment produced in terms of size, dimensions and shade.
USAF Class A Pocket
My take away from visiting dress clothing manufacturers is that its necessary to have a number of different customized tools for cutting and shaping pockets, lapels, sleeve cuffs and collars. For instance the tool that is needed for the USMC dress jacket pocket is different than that for the USAF or US Army. A manufacturer would need numerous specialty tools for each service garment and size. That brings up another important characteristic of dress clothing – fitting through the 5th to 95th percentile and what that really means. The current military standard was produced in the 1990’s and built on work that had been completed in 1966 and earlier back to WWI. Today about 17% of the US Military are female which differs significantly from the 1960’s and 70’s where woman composed less than 5% of the US Military. Today all services provide uniforms that are fitted for men and woman with the US Army adding a female design as late as 2010 (Army Combat Uniform). The point being that dress uniform manufacturers must provide garment designs for both men and woman and they are different.
USMC Female Marines Stand Inspection
Last – where a single award for a combat uniform might require 250,000 garments per year (and there are multiple awards) an annual award for a military dress jacket might be as high as 58,000 jackets of one service type and 41,000 for another – to a low of 2,000 – 4,000 of yet another type of service jacket. The challenge is clothing manufactures need to maintain a steady and stable flow of production. Sewing operators don’t get paid to come in and sit behind a machine – they have to be sewing. If an order generates business for a year or less without an expectation of follow on options then its very difficult to convince a plant owner to make the investment in time and resources and more importantly the commitment to a workforce that they will have a job after six months. Starting and stopping lines; hiring then laying off sewing operators is very expensive so any profit generated from a previous contract can be spent very quickly on a short term production – that’s why companies don’t respond: from a business point of view its not worth the risk.
The challenge from the governments side is the wear out rate for dress clothing is much, much slower than for day to day utility or combat uniforms. Combat uniforms by their very nature are expendable items and need to be refreshed every six months to a year (they just wear out). Dress clothing which is worn very infrequently lasts for years and does not need to be replenished as often. The expectation is that a non FR combat uniform will cost the government blouse and trouser about $100.00. The Army Service uniform jacket costs from $130.00 to $210.00 and slacks from $85.00 to $110.00 – so top and bottom from $215.00 to $320.00. When a manufacturer looks at a decision to participate lets compare:
Quantity
Price Ave
Margin
Contract value
Gross Profit
Line Operation in Months
Combat Uniform
250,000
$ 100.00
8%
$ 25,000,000
$ 2,000,000
25
Dress Uniform
40,000
$ 267.00
8%
$ 10,680,000
$ 854,400
4
Assume monthly production capacity 10,000 garments
While this is a purely notional chart and I don’t know the margins expected the math is about the same – why would a plant owner seek a contract that may run only 4 months and net a gross profit of $854.4K when he or she can focus on the simpler garment construction (possibly a lower grade sewing operator) and expect two years of production and more than twice the gross profits?
Manufacturing
To start up a dress clothing manufacturing line without a guarantee of business for at least three years is not likely to attract newcomers to this market. the complications of machinery and tools is quite different than that required by tactical uniform producers not to mention companies that specialize in bags, packs or body armor carriers. Its just a different skill set from the fabric and trim supply chain, the machines needed to construct dress clothing and the plant and engineering personnel required to do dress clothing.
Wrapping it up – increasing dress clothing capacity for DoD requirements is difficult. I believe it can be done but will require a creative approach to contracting strategies and a longer term commitment by the government to continue to procure dress clothing at a rate that can sustain an additional manufacturer or three. I believe utilization of small business set asides such as those for a Woman Owned Small Business or a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business may generate the level of interest and commitment needed to add capacity to this manufacturing niche.
Today, women represent 16 percent of the enlisted forces and 19 percent of the officer corps. Ismael Ortega/U.S. Air Force via Reuters
From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as they continue to study the spread and effects of the novel coronavirus the CDC now knows “from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.” The virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity such as talking, coughing, or sneezing even if people are not exhibiting symptoms.
Photo by the Author
CDC now recommends wearing a “cloth face” coverings in public settings where social distancing of 6′ are tough to maintain like in the grocery stores and pharmacies and areas of significant community-based transmission. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators because those items are critical supplies that are reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.
S
Photo by the Author
o why are agencies of the government still procuring paper face masks and are cloth face masks better? The current surgical masks are not easily cleanable and the paper masks not at all. The short answer is these requirements for paper masks are for surgical face masks and not really for general public use. “Strikingly, a detectable level of infectious virus could still be present on the outer layer of a surgical mask on day 7,” researchers wrote, so a surgical mask that cant be cleaned is not a good solution. Then why is the emerging requirement for face masks defined as “Surgical Masks” in the quantity of 66 million. I am wondering if this is really the right requirement or if FEMA has over engineered the requirement to reflect surgical when a cloth face mask is really the right performance target?
The problem with paper face masks is they end up in the trash or on the ground after a single use. The CDC responds to a question “Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly?” The response is “Yes, they should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.” The problem is a paper mask cannot be easily cleaned that is why we see them on the ground, in the trash and by the side of the road. A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a cloth face covering but that will destroy a paper mask.
According to Dr. Steven Gordon, Chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Infectious Disease, and pulmonologist Dr. Raed Dweik Chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Respiratory Institute, when they talk about the science around cloth masks and why wearing them is important; “There is evidence that such masks reduce the exhaled aerosols from infectious, but asymptomatic, individuals.” He says, “Cloth face masks block the exhale of virus particles into the air around you, your mask is keeping the virus from spreading. Additionally, cloth masks serve as a helpful physical barrier against coughs or sneeze.” According to Dr Dweik, these actions can propel a cloud of droplets from you up to 25 or 26 feet. Your mask can “disrupt” that cloud and keep those virus particles from traveling.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
If we accept that a cloth face covering is the right performance for most organizations not directly involved in medical settings, what should a prospective buyer look for? Cloth face coverings should:
• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or
change to shape
So what about that nose stay fit? While a pipe cleaner will serve the purpose in a pinch for the at home sewing operator – the fit is not comfortable and the wire will eventually break. A solution that our team has developed is a small, malleable piece of light weight stamped metal. This allow the mask to be laundered for 25 times and still fit well over the bridge of the nose.
Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) picture of silver nanoparticles loaded grafted cotton fabric
What about type of fabric? The CDC recommends a 100% cotton fabric for the “at home sewing operator” who normally will not have access to more technical fabrics. While the CDC does reference both a woven material and a knit (tee shirt material) I think most masks today are made from a woven fabric. Woven fabrics do not fit as snugly or comfortably against the side of the face as a knit.
Courtesy of Ultimate Guide To Mil-Spec Outdoor Gear
Our team has focused on a knit fabric and one that is made of performance synthetic yarns. The performance difference from cotton is that cotton does not wick moisture away from the face but holds on to the moisture much longer than a synthetic like polyester or nylon. That is why your performance garments for athletics are made with a synthetic instead of a cotton. We believe there is a significant difference and improvement in comfort.
Wicking, when used in the context of clothing fabric, refers to the ability of that fabric to move moisture away from the body and the fabric itself.
For more information about what the CDC recommends please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html For more information about how techical fabrics are tested to ensure that they meet the required standards for medical use please visit the ASTM Standards & COVID-19 standards used in the production and testing of personal protective equipment – including face masks, medical gowns, gloves, and hand sanitizers – these are the test procedures that manufacturers, test labs, health care professionals, and the general public refer to in response to the global COVID-19 public health emergency.
For further information and commercial availability of cloth face masks please contact https://silveroakleafinc.com/ or leave a message here.
“what I am doing right now. Outside the trailer in among the sandbags. Watching the sky and clouds because I haven’t really been outside since the day after the rocket attack. I’m watching an unmanned aerial vehicle circle over head scouting for the next enemy rocket team. All is quiet except for two competing sounds: the sound of Arabic prayers drifting from a nearby mosque proclaiming God is great competes with the drone of Army helicopters waiting to take off for this evening’s mission. I’m looking up at a half moon hidden at times by clouds evening and I’m very sad because I made my little girl cry that she is missing her daddy so much. I wish I could run to those helicopters and come home right now – but I cant and so my little girl will have to cry.”
Flight Line Baghdad Iraq photo by the author 2005
“there is the drone up above me competing yet another circle over the Baghdad Palace – always looking for the next team of insurgents waiting to launch more rockets. I’m smoking a cigar and drinking a cold decaf coffee to settle my emotions. I miss my wife and kids so much that I have tried to wear my emotions out by working till late at night and tiring myself out at the gym. It doesn’t work.”
Green Zone, Baghdad Iraq photo by the author 2005
“all I can see from my standpoint is over the tops of ten feet high stacked sand bags and concrete walls. I can see the tops of date trees and tall antenna towers, blue sky with dirty white clouds but everything is dirty here; the sandbags, the concrete, the ground, the palm trees – all covered with dirt.”
“my wife has been a champion and I love her so much for being mom, dad, doctor, nurse, playmate, bill payer and now house fixer with the central heat going out. I take a puff of cigar smoke and think “what else is she supposed to do? How much more can she take. She hasn’t had a break in 51 days.”
Palace Baghdad Iraq photo by the author 2005
“the drone in the sky keeps circling and the Arabic music and chanting keep playing in the background while I wait for the next rocket or mortar to drop in. I hope its not close, I hope it doesn’t hit near me. This place can bring me to tears in a minute. And the wind slowly moves the palm trees around. I can hear doves cooing up in the trees but they are dirty too. My cigar is almost done and the coffee stone cold. Neither give me any comfort because I know my little girl is sad and hurt because pf me. I’d walk around a little except that I know I am under cover and safe standing where I am. I miss my wife. I miss my kids. I miss being there and taking care of them. They need me now and I cant be there.”
“the wind blows colder now. The music is unintelligible. I cant see the drone any more because of the clouds but I know it is there. I can hear the sounds of power generators now and see some small birds taking flight to find a spot for the night. I can see the drone again in the sky while I hear the sound of a military HMMWV convoy moving to their evening search positions – ready for another night of security mission.”
Convoy Operations Baghdad Iraq 2005 photo by the author
“my cigar is finished and the coffee gone. Time to get back in the palace and get to work. I miss my little girl so bad. I miss my dear little twins so much I have tears in my eyes. I want to hold my wife so strong that I shake. But I cant get home. I have to get back to work. I love my family so much. I put on my gear, clinch my hands, tighten my expression and get back to work.”
“Tue, March 27, 2007 12:00 AMUpdated: Tue, March 27, 2007 5:20 PM BAGHDAD (AP) — Two Americans, a contractor and a Navy sailor, were killed in a rocket attack on the heavy guarded Green Zone on Tuesday, according to statements from the U.S. Embassy and the military. Five other people were wounded, one contractor who was seriously hurt and three with slight wounds. A second soldier also was wounded in the attack, but the military did not give a condition.”
Wicking, when used in the context of clothing fabric, refers to the ability of that fabric to move moisture away from the body and the fabric itself. 
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