Giving the Love of the Outdoors Back to our Soldiers

Next time you put your orange on or don your camo to take your gun for a walk, think about our men and women who won't be able to go hunting this fall because they are either serving our country over in Iraq or Afghanistan, or because they have suffered from stress or an injury in a prior tour of duty. Don't you feel lucky now? Maybe a little guilty??

It's payback time! Whether you are like us, working in the shooting sports industry, or just an average outdoor loving Joe or Jane, you can give our soldiers the fresh air, mountain views, fish-on experience of a life-time by donating or sponsoring a soldier at www.freedomhunters.org. Freedom Hunters is a non-profit outdoor adventure program under American Military Family dedicated to taking active duty, wounded, Gold Star and families of the deployed on hunting and fishing trips to relax and recoup. Through the generous contributions of conservation groups, outfitters, corporations and land owners, Freedom Hunters honors individuals from all branches of the military with experiences of a life-time.

If you want to help you can donate product or cash, sponsor an event, help cover expenses for a specific adventure, honor a selected service member, or get your company to become a sponsor!

So the next time you see a soldier in the airport or the grocery store or anywhere, stop and say thank you and click here for give back!

Welcome Aboard New Partner and Senior MARCOM Manager

Laura Burgess Marketing today announced the addition of Eric Burgess, Co-Owner and Partner, and Ashley Burgess, Senior MARCOM Manager, to its team. Eric and Ashley will be responsible for driving Laura Burgess Marketing, LLC’s revenue growth, market expansion and new service offerings.

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Welcoming an old friend - Sentry Solutions

When you are in the business of servicing other companies, it pays to always keep your door open. One of the hardest things in my business of PR is when a client must end their contract. They feel awkward, I used to feel awkward, but today's economy is making many businesses re-evaluate their marketing needs. Some businesses - slash and burn. Some re-invest. And some come back to the roost. Take for example this little company, Sentry Solutions. When I began my company, the President, Mark Mrozek, asked me in on a couple of projects he had going. I thought we were a perfect fit - two little companies in New Hampshire working in the same markets for the military and shooting sports. But, alas, he had another marketing professional in his pocket so our relationship was limited. But here, years later, Mark calls and the next thing I know - Sentry Solutions is our new client. These are great products too, and I'm not just saying that. Whether you are a gun owner, a fisherman (or woman!) or just want to keep your tools from rusting away in your damp basement (oh! that's my basement!) Sentry Solution products are truly the best in their league. So, welcome again, Mark - let's get down to some good PR!

The Corporate Mission that Means More to its Customers

Blackhawk Products Group, out of Norfolk, Virginia, was one of my very first clients in 2003. I had just come out of the corporate side of the firearms industry when a good friend in the publishing business hooked me up with a gentleman just starting at Blackhawk. He was tasked to use his years of experience as a cop and from working at a leading holster manufacturer to put Blackhawk on the map as a law enforcement holster manufacturer. I’d like to say I was part of that team that helped make the SERPA holster a mainstay of law enforcement agencies and the military around the world. But, it was the Blackhawk philosophy that made the holster successful then and continues to make new products successful today.

Mike Noell, CEO and President of Blackhawk, started the company in his garage with a very simple mission. You see, Mike is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, and he wanted to make sure his buddies were able to not only complete their missions, but to save lives, including their own. That simple company philosophy “to save lives” has not changed since Blackhawk’s founding in 1991.

In spite of their impressive catalog of over 2,000 items of military, law enforcement, and outdoor gear, the Blackhawk philosophy is literally sewn or molded in every product. Case in point: the new Integrated Tourniquet System or I.T.S. for simplicity. And the idea is so simple; you might ask why it wasn’t thought of before. Like many of the products that come out of Blackhawk, the idea originates on the battlefield, a cop’s beat, or from a trainer’s doctrine. The ideas come from real need by real people. A former Army surgeon who had seen the increase in extremity wounds realized the face of combat had changed. Soldiers and tactical operators were now better protected on the torso and head, but the extremities were still vulnerable. Working with Blackhawk, the I.T.S. pants and shirt was developed.

The Blackhawk Integrated Tourniquet System integrates four tourniquets in each pair of pants and shirt. The I.T.S. pants offer proximal (femoral artery) and distal (tibial artery) protection on both legs and the shirt offers primary protection for the brachial artery and distal placement at the wrists. The built-in tourniquets meet the eight United States Army Institute of Surgical Research requirements for weight, size, application time, ease-of-use, operation and cost.

Over 60% of preventable combat deaths are from extremity bleeding and 50-70% of all combat injuries are extremity wounds. By wearing the I.T.S. clothing an operator can access the tourniquets himself or easily aid a team member because every team member knows the location of the tourniquets. They can be activated in seconds saving precious time and blood loss. The tourniquets can be used again and again without damage and the garments are machine washable and dryer safe. As comfortable and durable as these pants and shirts are, the Blackhawk mission is built right in with every life-saving tourniquet.