Author: Jack Bogart

No matter whether you’re heading out on a local trail or pursuing a nontechnical alpine summit, there are a few key things you should always have with you. Consider this list of 10 hiking essentials the foundation of your hiking gear, not a complete pack list for every situation. Customization is key. Want your own copy? Download GearJunkie’s Printable Checklist It’s easy to underprepare for a casual hike (or even a not-so-casual one). However, if you prepare using the above list, you’ll be well-equipped to handle 95% of everything you’ll encounter on the trail. If you add a few items, like…

United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) has announced the Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative. Using Other Transactional Authority (OTA) acquisition, the ANCHOR Initiative’s purpose is to form a sphere of technological excellence made up of participants from industry, non-profit organizations, and not-for-profit entities able to rapidly and efficiently propose and carry out, through maximum practicable competitive procedures, the development of prototype solutions that sustain and expand strategic superiority within broadly stated special operations focus areas of interest. It is intended that Participants will perform a strategically…

Issued load is only part of the problem. The real burden shows up in the field. After rain, river crossings, or sustained humidity, standard loadcarriage systems absorb and retain water. According to research published in Sage Journals, Soldiers are routinely “exposed to full clothing saturation” in operational environments. That moisture doesn’t just disappear, it adds weight, increases fatigue, and degrades performance. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jessica Scott, www.dvidshub.net/image/6652157/jungle-operations-training-course-train-up-25th-infantry-division-lightning-academy The load our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen carry already places significant strain on the body. When that load becomes saturated, the impact compounds. Studies referenced in PubMed Central indicate excess…

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (April 21, 2026) – With instrumental support from industry partners, the 25th Infantry Division accelerated its digital kill chain in just three months using advanced AI-driven technologies. As part of the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) “commercial first” effort, the division joins the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) to prototype modern technologies that make data more usable and accessible to commanders across all the warfighting function technologies. NGC2 provides a “full stack” capability ecosystem, comprised from the top-down of Apps, Data/AI, Infrastructure, and Transport capabilities. Integrating AI into the NGC2 stack will enhance the Army’s competitive…

Team LionStrike has joined Team Forces as a platinum-level partner, reinforcing its commitment to the U.K. Armed Forces community through sport, challenge and adventure. Team Forces is a U.K. charity supporting serving personnel, veterans and families through sport, challenge and adventure to improve health, well-being and recovery. Team LionStrike will headline-sponsor the British Army Motorsport Association (BAMA) motorcycling team and support Forces’ motorsport athletes during the 2026 superbike season. Formed by GM Defence together with its subcontractors BAE Systems and NP Aerospace, Team LionStrike is responding to a requirement to deliver an OEM-backed, U.K.-based solution to the U.K.’s Light Mobility…

Snake Eater Tactical Announces Simple Sling Mod 2 Snake Eater Tactical announces the Simple Sling Mod 2, a purpose-built patrol rifle sling engineered for law enforcement officers, military personnel, and prepared civilians. The Simple Sling Mod 2 emphasizes rapid adjustability, secure weapon retention, and streamlined performance in dynamic environments. The quick-adjust system allows for fast length changes under stress, supporting efficient rifle handling during vehicle operations, transitions, and hands-on situations. Full length adjustability allows the sling to be cinched down tight along the rifle for snag free deployments from vehicles without the need for additional bungee or elastic bands for…

By Richard Johnson Posted in #Skills As adrenaline pumped into my bloodstream, I felt the beginning of tremors in my hands. Cold sweat appeared on my brow, and my breathing became shallow. Then, I heard the voice: 911. What’s your emergency? Are you prepared for if you have to make a 911 call? Image: Shutterstock/Alexfan32 As a teenager scooping ice cream after school at the local Baskin Robbins, I wasn’t prepared to deal with a severe traffic accident in front of the store. Yet, there it was: a horrible scene of twisted metal and screaming people. Calling 911…

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – In a significant leap forward for battlefield technology, U.S. Army Infantry Drone Operators have successfully tested a new warhead designed to be delivered by an unmanned aerial system (UAS).The live-fire demonstration of the Bunker Rupture and Kinetic Explosive Round (BRAKER), which took place at a Redstone Arsenal in Alabama on March 26, comes only weeks after the initial design and rapid prototyping of the system, showcasing the Army’s accelerated approach to innovation in the face of evolving threats. VIDEO BELOW: The Army continuously transforms by using the latest technologies for warfighting advantage, and ensures that the…

FORT RUCKER, Ala. – In a historic first, the U.S. Army’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school at Fort Rucker partnered with U.S. Army South from March 14-18, 2026 to successfully execute a large-scale reintegration exercise, simulating the mass return of service members from a large-scale combat operation. The landmark exercise processed nearly 50 students acting as returned prisoners of war (POWs), the largest reintegration since Operation Homecoming in 1973. It was the first event of its kind to include a mass Phase I medical triage and time-sensitive debriefings for all returnees, moving reintegration planning from a theoretical concept…

WEST POINT, N.Y. — Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy are enhancing battlefield adaptability with a new weapon mount that increases the versatility of the Army’s next-generation M250 automatic rifle. In support of the 2026 Projects Day Research Symposium focus on supporting the warfighter, cadets in the Small Caliber Weapon Mount capstone design team developed solutions for real-world applications. Through collaboration between the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering alongside the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, cadets developed an innovative approach to employ the M250 Automatic Rifle on the M192 tripod. Their objective was to create a…