Stimulants: The Pros and Cons of Tea, Coffee, Tobacco, and More

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The search for super soldiers, fearless fighters, and the ever-vigilant warrior has led man to experiment with a host of different substances throughout the history of warfare. Many of us know about the use of stimulants in modern history and how various substances have been used to give soldiers an upper hand during difficult times. Before proceeding, it’s imperative we stress that many of these substances are dangerous and/or illegal. RECOIL OFFGRID is in no way endorsing any illegal activities; we’re only examining some psychoactive substances that have been used during survival situations, hardships, or warfare. Throughout this article you will see some “Alton’s Insights” from regular RECOIL OFFGRID contributor Dr. Joe Alton. Alton is a physician and medical preparedness advocate.

Disclaimer: This is meant to be a brief overview of the history and effects of stimulants, not a detailed guide on their use. Many of the substances in this article are illegal, addictive, and/or dangerous. Seek professional medical advice before using any stimulant.

Tea

Photo via Flickr.com/vanf (CC BY 2.0)

One of the earliest, and certainly the best-known, mood-altering items is tea. Tea is one of the most widely consumed drinks on the planet and could fill an entire article on its own. According to legend, tea originated in China in the year 2737 BC. As the story goes, Emperor Shen-Nung had some tea leaves blow into his water. The leaves made the water turn a golden color and gave it a pleasant taste; thus, tea was born. Tea has been given to soldiers ever since due to its mild caffeine content, pleasant taste as a morale booster, and its ease of preparation.
Nowadays tea has regional tastes and various healing properties and is a $50-billion-a-year business. For survivalists, teas have a host of benefits. Tea is inexpensive and comes in numerous varieties allowing different tastes to be tailored to the drinker’s preference. Tea plants can be grown in your garden and dried for long-term storage. Different types of teas can help with stomach issues, headaches, give important vitamins and nutrients, and help with sore throats. Of all the items we cover in this article, tea is the most universal.

Alton's Insights: Tea or Tisane?

Regular tea is different from herbal teas. A tea is officially a drink made from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Black, green, oolong, and white tea all come from the same plant, just processed differently. Things like chamomile or lavender teas aren’t really teas at all, but “infusions” or “tisanes.” Unlike true teas, most infusions have little or no caffeine. A few plants, however, like yerba mate, contain quite a bit. Others contain stimulants like theobromine, ephedrine, or cocaine.

How Much Caffeine is in Tea?

When it comes to caffeine, not all teas are created equal. Caffeine levels can vary significantly depending on many factors: brewing and steeping methods, variety, grade, oxidation, and growing conditions. One source gives the following ranges for 8-ounce servings:

  • Black tea has 40 to 70 mg per cup
  • Oolong tea has 37 to 55 mg per cup
  • Green tea has 35 to 45 mg per cup
  • White tea has 15 to 30 mg per cup

Coffee

Coffee, the soldier’s best friend, second only to the rifle. The origins of coffee date back to the 9th century, in Africa. As legend has it, a goat herder was letting his herd munch on some berries, and they made the goats very energetic. Curiously, the herder brought some of the berries to a holy man who said they were the devil (we paraphrase), and the berries were cast into a fire where they smelled delicious. As any curious goat herder would do, he ground them up and added water, making the first cup of coffee in the known universe.

Coffee made its way to Europe in the 8th century and eventually to the Americas in the 1700s. Coffee became so important to the soldier that, during the American Civil War, it was the most mentioned thing in soldiers’ diaries. In 1890, a New Zealander invented instant coffee, making coffee consumption in austere environments even easier. Coffee holds similar properties to tea in that it has natural caffeine (approximately 95 mg per 8 ounces of black coffee). Coffee is easily portable and is offered in countless varieties to help a survivalist find a palatable flavor.

Alton’s Insights: Tea vs. Coffee

Tea leaves contain more caffeine by weight than coffee beans. An ounce of coffee won’t yield much more than 2 cups of coffee; however, an ounce of tea will yield 20 to 30 cups. A cup of tea, therefore, has less caffeine than a cup of coffee.

Cup of Joe: Friend or Foe?

Moderate use of coffee and other caffeinated beverages has “perks” in terms of increasing alertness and temporarily relieving fatigue, but research increasingly shows that coffee drinkers are also less likely to develop certain medical issues, including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Depression
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Liver and uterine cancer

In 2016, the World Health Organization officially lifted coffee from the list of potentially carcinogenic foods. It went on to designate coffee as potentially protective against cancer of the uterus and liver. Excessive use of caffeine still has risks, such as agitation, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, and gastrointestinal complaints. Elevated blood pressures and fast heart rhythms are also possible.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are commonplace today. In 2016, Red Bull alone generated $3 billion in the U.S. Pre-workout, which usually has 200 to 400 mg of caffeine, is extensively used by athletes and bodybuilders for an extra increase in performance. As mentioned previously, caffeine has been in use for thousands of years, but it’s only somewhat recent that humans have supercharged it into consumables like Rip Its and pre-workouts. Refer to RECOIL OFFGRID Issue 29 for our in-depth look at energy drinks, caffeine, and related stimulants.

Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms

Addiction to caffeine is real, given the symptoms that occur in heavy users (>400 mg per day) when they stop drinking it. They might experience:

  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Mood changes
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Constipation
  • Tremors

Tobacco/Nicotine

Tobacco plants originated in the Americas as far back as 6000 BC. The leaves of the tobacco plant were dried and smoked for what was believed to be medicinal purposes. The inhaled smoke provided the user with a euphoric sense that included increased blood pressure, heart rate, and a feeling of increased relaxation with simultaneous concentration. Tobacco spread to Europe and sailors would plant seeds around their popular routes to never be without a supply of the dried leaves.

In the 1600s, tobacco plants were being grown in Virginia and subsequently used as currency due to their demand. The First World War saw cigarettes rise in popularity in part because they were included in some soldier’s rations and sent for free by tobacco companies. The “cure all” mentality of cigarettes continued with soldiers who found comfort in the tobacco’s ability to calm nerves, prevent boredom, suppress appetites, and provide more alertness on the battlefield. Smoking is still widespread within the military — according to a Department of Defense study in 2011, the military has a 24-percent tobacco use rate compared to the general public rate of 19 percent. Today, we know more about the hazards of tobacco use and ultimately how the dependence and other side effects are a survivalist’s enemy.

Alton’s Insights: A Potent Pesticide

Pure nicotine is so toxic that it was used as a pesticide in places like India and the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned such use in the U.S. in 2014.

Coca/Cocaine

Coca can be traced back to the ancient Incas, who would chew the leaves to speed up their heart rate and breathing, giving them an extra boost when performing strenuous acts. These coca leaves were isolated, making way for the development of cocaine in 1859 by a German chemist. From there, toward the turn of the 19th century, cocaine began to be used within medical settings. As was the case with many substances in those days, it was marketed as a cure-all for everything from depression to sexual impotence. The introduction of a highly popular soft drink that included coca leaves as an ingredient helped push the drug into the mainstream.

By the early 20th century, some of the dangers of cocaine started to become apparent; however, by the 1970s and ’80s, the drug became widespread within America. The drug can give the user feelings of extreme energy, confidence, and high levels of alertness. This happens through an increase in the heart rate, body temperature, and a huge dump of dopamine into the brain, which controls motivation and your reward response. Cocaine is highly addictive and can cause heart attacks, panic attacks, and strokes.

Alton’s Insights: Freud's Habit

The father of psychotherapy, Dr. Sigmund Freud, was a famous proponent of cocaine. After trying the drug in 1884, he recommended it as a treatment for depression, alcoholism, and morphine addiction.

Better Living Through Chemistry?

DuPont’s slogan from the 1930s might have applied in the 19th century, when manufacturers included cocaine in many products, including cigarettes, shampoo, toothpaste, and local anesthetics. Cocaine was an original ingredient in the production of the soft drink Coca-Cola. Combined with caffeine, it was touted for its stimulant effect. It was removed from the recipe in 1903.

“Crack” vs. Powdered Cocaine

Cocaine’s highly addictive stimulant effects can be obtained by inhaling the powder through the nose (“snorting”), mixing powder with water and injecting, or smoking something called “crack,” a mixture of water, cocaine, and baking soda boiled until a solid is formed. The solid is broken into “rocks” and smoked in a pipe.

Smoking crack causes a much faster and significantly more intense effect than snorting powdered cocaine, as it enters the bloodstream more quickly. The magnitude of the “high” produced is responsible for the extreme potential for addiction.

Khat

Khat is leaves commonly found throughout Africa. The leaves are chewed giving the user a euphoric feeling that simultaneously suppresses appetite and gives a perceived increase in energy. The plant is consumed in social settings where things like alcohol may be prohibited. Users sit around with each other, much like other countries would for coffee or a beer. Khat is commonplace in Africa and has been found to be used by fighters within the continent, giving them an extra boost during strenuous times. Most major countries around the world have outlawed khat due to its addictiveness and other adverse health effects such as depression, hallucinations, cancer, and, in some cases, death.

Betel Nut/Areca Nut

Betel nut is found in southeast Asia and Pacific Islands. Chewing the nut goes back roughly 2,000 years and is treated as a social event. The betel nut comes from the Areca palm and is in use by millions of people. Noted for its stimulating effects, commonly compared to numerous cups of coffee. The nut is chewed with other plants, flavors, or seeds to improve the taste. Chewing the nut increases salivation, causing the user to spit. The nut helps the body release adrenaline that causes the user to feel more energy. Much like other stimulants, betel nut chewing is popular amongst soldiers and other people who use it as a boost to morale through otherwise difficult days.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are a synthetic, addictive, mood-altering drug. They can be used illegally as well as legally to treat many different problems for both adults and children. In warfare, they have been used for over 100 years to help give soldiers an edge over the enemy through stimulation to the central nervous system. This allowed warfighters to stay awake longer, stay more focused, and suppress appetites. Amphetamines made soldiers more confident and at the same time made them feel no fear. Four main types of amphetamines have been used by numerous countries:

Pervitin was widely used in World War II by the Nazis. Nazis appreciated the drug’s ability to help them forget some of the hardships of the war while also giving them the same energy as several cups of coffee. With such widespread use, the Nazis found side effects to be detrimental as well, with aggression and suicide being common.

Benzedrine, or bennies as it is sometimes called, was also issued during World War II to Allied troops. The government claims it was only used under special circumstances; for example, where pilots or ship captains needed to stay alert for longer periods of time. Benzedrine was the Allies’ answer to the widely known Nazi drug use.

Pep pills, also known as Dexedrine, were regularly issued to U.S. troops during the Vietnam War. Dexedrine is twice as strong as Benzedrine and recommended “safe” dosages were rarely followed. Pep pills helped soldiers’ power through extreme trauma from a mental standpoint while also helping with the physical hardships. The increased power of the drug had increased repercussions when soldiers suffered withdrawals, making them incredibly irritable, violent, and even suicidal.

Adderall is the modern-day answer to Attention Deficient Disorder (ADD) and is very close to methamphetamine but technically isn’t. Adderall is commonly found in the military and college campuses due to its ability to help the user stay focused on a task and activate the “fight or flight” response, which directs blood and energy flow to major organs, increasing alertness. Adderall is also highly addictive and long-term use can cause the brain to stop naturally producing feel-good chemicals. In modern times, Adderall has been given to troops in the Global War on Terror.

Winding Down

There are numerous options in the world of performance-enhancing drugs for those who find themselves in dire events and those who maybe just want an extra kick in the pants. Some of them may find a place within your bug-out or survival plans. Just remember to be smart about it. A survivalist addicted to something is worse off than one who’s simply tired.

New: Hatsan Invader PCP Semi-Auto Airgun

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When most of us think of air rifles, we think of the old pump-action and break-barrel models that lined sporting goods store shelves during our childhoods. Those airguns are fun for plinking, but shooting more than once in quick succession is a challenge, especially if a moving target is involved. Thankfully, airgun technology has come a long way in recent decades, and powerful semi-automatic models are widely available. Hatsan USA recently released a new airgun in this category known as the Hatsan Invader PCP (short for Pre-Charged Pneumatic). It features interchangeable air cylinders and magazines, as well as a muzzle velocity up to 1,100 feet per second with .22 caliber pellets.

The new Hatsan Invader is a semi-auto airgun available in either .22 or .25 caliber. It includes three detachable S/Roto magazines, each of which holds 12 or 10 rounds (.22 or .25, respectively). It features a modern-style all-weather stock with an integrated pistol grip, textured grip surfaces, and four Picatinny accessory rails. The stock also includes an adjustable cheekpiece, rubber buttpad, and integrated sling mounts. A detachable carry handle with adjustable iron sights is included, but this can be removed and replaced with a red dot sight or scope of your choice.

As the airgun is fired, a built-in pressure gauge displays the remaining pressure in the 255cc air cylinder. Hatsan says that when they're filled to the maximum 200 BAR of pressure, each cylinder can be used for “up to 50 semi-automatic shots within 85% of max velocity.” Once a cylinder is depleted, it can be swapped for another pre-charged cylinder in seconds — no struggling with manual pumps or springs. Replacement cylinders are sold for $150 new or $100 refurbished. MSRP for the Hatsan Invader is $610. For more information, go to hatsanairgunsusa.com.

Kawa Mawlayee Interview: Lessons From an Afghan-Born Green Beret

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It’s sometimes said that “fate is not without a sense of irony.” Kawa Mawlayee is, arguably, a man whose life has been guided by fate. A native Afghan, born on September 11th, his family emigrated to America during the Russian invasion. Kawa eventually went on to serve as our country’s first Afghan-born Green Beret — a career that would take him back to his homeland under most ironic circumstances. From Kabul to America’s heartland and back to his birthplace, Kawa brings an incredibly unique perspective to survival, personal safety, and our nation’s engagement overseas. This perspective is what drives the principles of his company, 2Alpha Training Group, which he uses to help average Americans live a more prepared lifestyle and exercise their freedoms to the fullest. We recently had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Kawa about how he got here and where he’s going next.

Photos by Chris Hernandez

Escaping the Shadow of the USSR

RECOIL OFFGRID: We understand you were born in Afghanistan. Tell us about your family’s experience emigrating to the U.S.

Kawa Mawlayee: I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, on September 11, 1978. Considering I’m Afghan, born on September 11th, and a Green Beret who fought in Afghanistan, my life story almost all makes sense somehow. My father’s side were all Afghan military. My mother’s side were all bankers. During the height of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, the influence of the communist party in Afghanistan had caused great dissension amongst the Afghan military. A lot of soldiers, including my father and grandfather went AWOL and joined the Mujahideen to fight the Russians.

The plan was always to leave Afghanistan, but it got expedited when my father was killed during a firefight with Russian forces. His body was brought back to my family and buried in the famous cemetery behind the University of Kabul, where he remains to this day along with other family members. When we left, it was mostly my mother’s side of the family. My father’s side left soon after, but they went to the UK and Holland.

At the time of our departure, I was 3 years old, and my sister was a newborn. My grandfather made several trips from Afghanistan to deliver us to our new house in Pakistan. On one of those trips, it was my mom, my sister, and I. My grandfather, being a banker, was always in a nice suit with his face shaved. At the last Mujahideen checkpoint, two fighters boarded our bus, along with many other Afghans fleeing. They would routinely check for members of the communist party or ask for donations of money and food toward their cause.

They saw my grandfather with a suit and no beard and decided to interrogate him further. They took him off the bus and made him kneel in the dirt with AKs pointed at his head. They accused him of being part of the communist party or a sympathizer due to his appearance. Meanwhile, my mother (21 at the time) was watching all this from her seat on the bus. My grandfather provided proof of his employment as a banker and was able to convince them that he wasn’t a member of the communist party.

The two fighters told him that since he was a banker, he should donate some money to them. My grandfather was able to pull a few thousand dollars out of his pocket and hand it to them. We spent the next seven months in Pakistan waiting for our paperwork to be approved so we could come to America.

Above: Through his military career and beyond, Kawa has dedicated his career to improving and optimizing his skill-at-arms.

Where in the U.S. did you grow up?

KM: Once we left Pakistan, we flew to Lincoln, Nebraska, where my oldest uncle was already a foreign exchange student. We settled and started making a life for ourselves. My grandfather had made that Kabul to Pakistan trip four times, getting all his children and grandchildren out of the war zone. We were a very tight family who always came together for dinners and other gatherings. Lincoln, back in the early ’80s, was still very much a small Midwestern town — nothing more than farmers and college football. It was perfect for raising a family and growing up, but for fresh immigrants from Afghanistan, it was a foreign country with a strange language, customs, and traditions.

What kinds of challenges (if any) did you face growing up in American culture with parents who grew up with Afghan culture?

KM: I think with any new immigrants, there is always a stigma of being stereotyped or judged by our appearance and accent. I’m sure my mom and the other grown-ups had their fair share of experiences with that. Growing up, I didn’t face much of that kind of treatment since my sister and I were young and started speaking English fairly quickly. Throughout high school and college, there were several isolated incidents where other students would make racially charged comments or comments based off stereotypes. But for the most part, we were treated well by everyone. I grew up to realize that we were accepted and taken in with open arms.

From Marine Corps Infantry to Army Special Forces

What drew you to the idea of military service?

KM: There were a few things stirring in me that led me to my final decision to join the military. Since all the males in my family served in the military, I felt like it was in my blood. However, the primary reason I joined was due to an overwhelming sense of gratitude for our new lives. I wanted to repay the country that took us in as immigrants and gave us every opportunity to better our quality of life. In America, we had freedoms that most of my family never experienced before.

Tell us about the first part of your military career as an enlisted Marine. When did you join, what MOS did you hold, and what kind of deployment experience did you have?

KM: I joined the Marine Corps out of college in the year 2000. I wanted infantry, even though the recruiter saw my IQ and ASVAB scores and told me I should go into intel. I told him either give me 0311 infantryman or I’ll go across the hall to the Army.

When I joined the Marines, deployments were only defined by MEUs (Marine Expeditionary Unit), meaning that we would get on a Naval ship and sail across the world to conduct training exercises. In 2001, I went on the 31st MEU to places like South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, and Okinawa. In February of 2003, we deployed to OIF I for the invasion into Iraq. Our first firefight was an Iraqi Republican Guard ambush. My hand was trembling so bad, I couldn’t get my magazine into my rifle. My buddy had to grab my hand and tell me to take a breath. After that first firefight, something changed in all of us. It was like training kicked in, and we knew what to do each time. We suffered casualties, but it was from conventional methods, not IEDs or mortars like insurgencies. I saw people get hurt, die, and shut down … like literally lay their weapons down and say they’re done.

Halfway through the deployment, I got promoted to fireteam leader and was in charge of three other Marines. It was my first taste of leadership in combat. The third deployment was back to Iraq in late 2004 for Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah. I was a Squad Leader in charge of 17 Marines, including “attachments” like sniper and mortar teams. I describe Operation Phantom Fury as the worst and best deployment I’ve ever had. It really taught me who I am and who I want to be moving forward.

When did you get out of the Marines, and what did you do between then and re-entering service with the Army?

KM: After we got back from Fallujah, I decided to get out. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do just yet, but I needed a break. I left the Marines and decided that I was going to take a few months and clear my head. I loved the Marine Corps. I loved the infantry. I was good at it, but I was torn between staying in the infantry or going somewhere better. I eventually decided to join the Army and try out for Special Forces. I knew it wasn’t guaranteed and that if I failed, they’d send me to a conventional infantry unit. But I realized that Army Green Berets have the best mission set out of all the other Special Operations units. They are indeed the jack of all trades, with a specialty in unconventional warfare. Who wouldn’t want to be a Green Beret when you understand what they’re capable of?

Special Forces teams are known, in particular, for the ability to integrate with local forces in hostile countries. They undergo specific training in foreign language and cultural awareness to better execute their missions around the world. How did your Afghan heritage affect your SF training? Did it limit you to only operating in that part of the world? Did it provide any benefits or advantages along the way?

KM: Being Afghan, Muslim, and being able to speak Afghan Dari and Persian Farsi made me an asset that 5th Special Forces Group recognized from day one. They knew exactly what my career progression would look like in regard to training, schools, and missions. I got to do a lot of things that normal Green Berets didn’t get to. I did my best to relay my understanding of Middle Eastern cultures to other Green Berets so they could have some insight to how to conduct themselves in country. My proficiency in my languages meant that I could listen in on conversations and vet our host-nation counterparts. And once I let them in on the secret that I was from Afghanistan, it was like instant rapport was established.

Understanding Afghanistan

What do you think the U.S. got wrong about their expectations of military involvement with Afghanistan and subsequent withdrawal?

KM: Before I go into this answer, I want everyone to understand my stance on war. After seeing it in several countries now … I’m 100-percent against war. The only war I would support now is the one where a foreign country would dare invade U.S. soil. With that said, I believe we should have never been in Afghanistan in the first place. I feel the same about Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. We spent two decades fighting a war in a country with very little to no benefit to our country or foreign policy. Thousands of American soldiers’ lives lost. Almost 200,000 Afghans died. Hundreds of thousands had to displace. Other than setting up a puppet government and establishing a banking system, I’m not sure what all was accomplished in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has never been held by any foreign occupation. Going back to before the days of Alexander the Great, Afghanistan was simple to occupy, but impossible to hold. Afghans have always been tribal. When there wasn’t a foreign occupation, they fought amongst themselves for territory and power. But when a foreign force did invade, they made peace treaties and joined forces to fight the foreigners. It happened to Darius of Babylonia, Alexander the Great, the Caliphate armies, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, descendants of Attila the Hun, the Chinese Steppe Armies, the Indian Elephant armies, the Russians, the British, and now the U.S.

All that the people of Afghanistan know is how to fight against enemies far superior to them. You can’t simply convert 2,500 years of war-torn culture into a peaceful Western democracy in 20 years. As for the sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan, it was as backward as it gets when executing the last phases of a theater of war. The fact that we allowed so many Americans and Afghan counterparts to be stranded there without security or aid is mind-boggling. The fact that we abandoned $7 billion dollars’ worth of military equipment to fall into the hands of the Taliban and their foreign counterparts makes me almost believe that it was done with intention. Even a lowly Green Beret like myself knows that the non-essential people get evacuated first, then the equipment, and lastly the security forces. You can’t pin this on one man. You have an entire cabinet of very smart think-tank people who knew exactly how to proceed yet chose to do it this way. I think this withdrawal will go down in history as one of the biggest strategic fumbles of the American military.

Above: Through his training company 2Alpha Training Group, Kawa continues to spread his knowledge and experience to military, LEO, and civilian shooters alike.

What do you think the biggest misconception is about Afghani culture?

KM: I believe it’s that the U.S. government and perhaps even the American people believe that the people of Afghanistan needed our help, hence why we (the people) stood by for so long and accepted the 20-year war there. The truth is the Afghan people never asked for help, nor would they. They are a proud people who have handled their own issues for centuries, if not longer. In addition, Afghanistan’s culture has gotten wrapped into the blanket perception of other Middle Eastern countries. Islam isn’t the driving force in Afghanistan, like it is in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, or Libya. However, due to the Taliban’s emphasis on extreme Islam, many people believe the Taliban is a religious group who want to incorporate Sharia Law. Their leadership’s goal is to control the future of Afghanistan, and they know that using Islam is the easiest way to recruit most of their fighters. The average Taliban fighter can’t even read, and most of them wouldn’t know the first thing about the Quran. Most of them do it because they feel it’s right, mainly due to sheer ignorance.

Above: Small-group training is a professional specialty for Special Forces soldiers, and Kawa brings this well-honed skill to all of his classes.

Preparedness Training for Every American

When did you get out of the Army, and what drove that decision?

KM: Technically, I’m still in the Army as of now. I didn’t decide to leave. The Army is kicking me out because I decided that I won’t be getting the COVID vaccine. I was ordered several times to reconsider, but I refused. On a unit level, they tried to help me by encouraging me to apply for a medical or religious exemption, but I refused those as well. Although I’ve taken plenty of vaccines in the military in the 21 years I’ve served, we also knew that these other vaccinations had a good track record. I know people personally who have died, have gotten extremely sick, and even two who have lost the ability to walk and developed seizures from the COVID vaccines. I simply refused the vaccine, signed my final counseling statement, and am now waiting for the Army to kick me out. I wish I was alone in this, but I know many other Green Berets from the Regiment that have made the same decision.

Based on your experiences overseas, what’s one lesson you’d like to teach the average American about emergency preparedness?

KM: Gun skills and fighting skills are great to have, but none of it matters if we’re inherently putting ourselves in a position where we lose situational awareness. Without situational awareness, it won’t matter how fast you can draw a gun. When we teach this at 2Alpha Training Group, we call this being proactive or being an Active Citizen. Being proactive in your situational awareness could give you enough data to help you mitigate or hastily exit a bad situation.

Other than SA, I highly recommend you seek medical training in your local areas. At the minimum, take some Stop the Bleed courses or CPR courses. The chance of you having to draw your gun is very slim, but the chances of you having to render medical aid to someone is far greater.

Tell us about 2Alpha Training Group, and what you guys do there.

KM: 2Alpha Training Group is the firearms and tactics training company I started back in early 2017. I spent several years as cadre at SFAUC (Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat) for 5th Special Forces Group, which drove me to hone my shooting and tactics skills. I also got good at public speaking and delivery of curriculum. In 2015, I decided to start an Instagram page with 15-second shooting videos. I kept that page private for the first six months due to still being in deployment status. Once I got to SFAUC, I made the page public so others could benefit from those videos.

I started hosting local classes for civilians. Fast-forward five years and now I have two main instructors as well as a few guest instructors that I routinely use to teach around the country. We offer a wide variety of mobile courses from the fundamentals to very advanced protocols, lowlight tactics, concealed carry tactics, team CQB/VCQB, one-man CQB, and even medical courses. Lastly, we consult for film, TV, and video games. I recently just got back from Spain where I was the military advisor on Guy Ritchie’s new movie The Interpreter with Jake Gyllenhaal. We also have a major project we’re currently working on that will change the way people access our instruction and the way they train on their own. Hopefully, we’ll be able to launch the project sometime in the second half of 2023.

Internet trends and fads seem to have a big influence on people’s gear choices these days. Are there any gear trends you wish would disappear, or new ones you’d like to start?

KM: The evolution of gear is a perpetual cycle. I think most civilians look at Special Operations as the standard for gear and try to emulate that on their own. That allows smart people to come up with ways to evolve gear which, if successful, gets the attention of Special Operations. The cycle is mostly a positive one, but it has pros and cons. I think abdominal pouches for medical purposes are a brilliant addition to our plate carriers using real estate that beforehand, was useless. Now we can have an entire medical fold-out pouch in our lap without having to take off range belts. The one thing I’d like to see go away is drop leg holsters. Holsters that get attached to the leg are completely obsolete. Drop holsters coming off your range belt with a thigh strap are ideal, especially since more and more manufacturers are finding ways to allow for those holsters to swivel and not get bound up on the leg.

About Kawa Mawlayee

Age: 43

Hometown: Lincoln, NE (now residing in Houston, TX)

Military experience: 21 years total — 5 years in the Marine Corps infantry, 15 years in Army Special Forces

Favorite quote: “The possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility.” — William Lamb (French Revolution, 1817)

Favorite food: Mantu, an Afghan dish using wontons stuffed with seasoned ground beef, caramelized onions, and mashed potatoes. It comes with a special sauce that’s drizzled on top.

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Favorite gun: Favorite rifle is my 12.5-inch Gladius from Cobalt Kinetics. Favorite pistol is my stock Glock 19X.

Recommended reading list:

  • Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban by Stephen Tanner
  • The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare by Damien Lewis
  • Anything Star Wars (I’m a big SW nerd)

URL: www.2alphatraininggroup.com

Kawa's EDC Gear

  • Glock 43X with extra mag
  • Benchmade SOCP dagger
  • SureFire E2D Defender Ultra flashlight
  • Converted Jansport backpack with Grey Man Tactical rigid MOLLE panel, Cobalt Kinetics 7.5-inch folding AR pistol, three mags, trauma medical pack, shears, two TQs, daytime and nighttime recognition signals, AA and CR123 batteries, IR and red chemlights, phone charger, lighter, and iodine tablets

Video: The Homemade Guns of Taiwan’s Indigenous Hunters

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“It was in the '80s that the government told us to hand in our guns for safekeeping, and we never got them back.” This quote from an indigenous Taiwanese man named Talum Suqluman sets the scene for the story of how Taiwan's native population has nearly lost its ability to legally use firearms to hunt. A film crew from VICE News helped tell the story of how Suqluman was arrested and sentenced to prison after using a factory-made hunting rifle to shoot animals for food.

In Taiwan, civilian gun ownership is almost entirely banned, with the only exception being homemade guns for members of the island's native tribes. However, there's a catch: these weapons cannot be mass-produced or bought from stores. They must be hand-built by each individual hunter, and can only be used by their creator.

“Eventually, [the government] told us we had to make our own guns. We don't really have the proper equipment, so we use whatever metal and welding equipment we can find,” Suqluman tells the film crew. Unsurprisingly, this leads to many preventable injuries. “Instead of shooting animals, we ourselves get shot. Either the barrel bursts or the bullets are discharged accidentally.” Since ammunition isn't readily-available for the homemade guns, many Taiwanese backyard gunsmiths have resorted to using improvised ammo. One hunter showed off his muzzle-loader, which fires a 10mm steel ball bearing propelled by a nail gun cartridge.

There appears to be a growing movement to restore hunting rights and legalize factory-built rifles in Taiwan. This movement is motivated by hunter safety, conservation, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Check out the 40-minute VICE documentary below:

Rainmaker: How to Build a DIY Solar Shower for Your Jeep

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Back in the ’90s, I was an avid hiker and camper. My day hikes tended to be in the 4- to 8-mile range and my camping trips were usually three days and two nights of roughing it with the guys after a long, strenuous hike to places with scenic vistas. And, once a year, there would be a large weeklong camping trip, on a large parcel of private property, but it would be a car trip. While there were zero amenities, not even a bathroom, you could drive the average four-wheel drive vehicle through the woods to our spot. It was a beautiful place, several hundred acres in the Catskills with a mix of forest and open field, and a medium-sized stream running through it.

These trips were primarily a guys’ trip of shooting, four wheeling, open-fire cooking, and a lot of drinking. Needless to say, as sweaty and dirty as we got, with a shower unavailable and the stream water averaging around 50 degrees F year-round, bathing wasn't something done often enough. To help with the situation, some of us started leaving our Scepter 5-gallon water jugs in the sunny field to warm up a bit, and it really helped. While it was still inconvenient, at least we could splash warm water on ourselves. We soon discovered that we could prop up the jugs on the rooves of our cars and crack open the cap to get a trickle-type shower. While still less than ideal, it was a big step up from super chilly stream water. But, there had to be a way to have a better field-expedient solar shower. One year, over the course of the weeklong camping trip, we worked out a solution.

Initially, we started with a 4-inch- diameter PVC tube with a cap on one end, a fill tube in the middle and an on-off valve at the other end. It was just gravity fed and it was OK. But, as we worked through the best ideas of our group, we made a few improvements. For starters, we added a short piece of garden hose so we could get that water where we wanted it and quickly added a sprayer. Then, we painted it black and that really upped the speed the water heated, as well as raising the upper temperature. And while this worked well, the pressure left a lot to be desired. The final incarnation added air pressure through a standard female air hose fitting, and the difference was awesome. We could actually take a couple of showers over the course of the day as the water refills heated up in the sun. We went from roughing it to “glamping,” and we were happy.

I eventually gave my PVC solar shower away to one of the guys when he started taking his kids on car trips. Plus, I had upgraded my ride to a “Class B” RV, with a built-in on-demand water heater, so I no longer had need for the PVC one. Over the course of many years, I saw online that others had come up with the same basic design we had. And eventually, upgraded commercial versions of the rooftop solar water heater began to be produced, and they are now also known as an overland shower. These durable, portable water heaters start at just over $100 and go all the way up to the $500 range. And while there are soft-sided, bag-style solar showers available for camping, they’re relatively delicate and have the downside that you must set it up and wait for it to heat up. The durable roof-type style can be heating up even while you’re driving to your destination.

In testing over the summer, I was able to get the water temperature up to a maximum of 111 degrees F on a 90-degree day of full sun, while the pipe itself hit 115 degrees. On a partially sunny 80-degree day, the water hit 95 degrees. That’s more than adequate for a warm to hot shower that requires zero electricity. If you’re in need of a similar rooftop solar shower for your off-road adventures, ocean surfing, car camping, road trips, or off-grid living, here’s how you can build one.

How to Build a Rooftop Solar Shower

STEP 0: Select your components.

I decided to go with 4-inch diameter pipe, which needs 7.659 total feet to get me to my desired 5 gallons. You’ll also need two endcaps, a 45-degree elbow, a T fitting (mine was 4- to 2-inch T), a test plug to fit the top of the T fitting opening, a spigot with a threaded inside connection, some epoxy that will bond with both the PVC and the metal spigot, a Schrader valve that bolts in and PVC cleaner, primer, and adhesive.

STEP 1: Mark your pipe at the desired length.

I needed 7.659 feet total length to get me to the desired capacity of 5 gallons. My first cut was to 7 feet in length, knowing the length of my fittings would bring me just over the needed length.

STEP 2: Cut the PVC pipe to the desired length.

While I used a miter saw, you can easily cut it with a hacksaw or PVC cutter.

STEP 3: Make a spacer.

I then cut about 8 inches off of the 7-foot piece to give me the required spacer piece between the T fitting and the 45-degree elbow. If you find any burrs on the pipe, now is the time to file or sand it off to help ensure a leak free seal.

STEP 4: Drill some holes.

You’ll need to drill two appropriate size holes in one of the endcaps. One will be for the spigot and one will be for the Schrader valve. Don’t oversize the holes. We want them to be as tight as possible. I practically had to thread the spigot into position.

STEP 5: Attach and seal the valve.

Attach the Schrader valve and fully tighten. Then, attach the spigot without the retaining nut. Once the spigot is in place and aligned, put some epoxy around the connection point to seal the fitting.

STEP 6: Tighten the nut quickly.

Before the epoxy has a chance to start hardening, tighten the spigot retaining nut.

STEP 7: Examine your end cap.

Once the Schrader valve and spigot have been attached, your endcap should look like this.

STEP 8: Dry-fit and mark all the parts.

Don't apply glue yet! Use a marker or pencil to make vertical reference lines as to how deeply the parts will need to be pressed together. You should also make an alignment mark horizontally for the parts that need to fit together in desired orientation.

STEP 9: Disassemble and check your markings.

When you pull the unglued pieces apart, you’ll see your vertical reference lines. You'll need to clean, primer, and glue 100 percent of this area to ensure a good seal.

STEP 10: Clean, prime, and glue.

First clean the pipes with the appropriate chemical cleaner. Then, apply the primer. In this photo, my primer is purple. You'll need to do this to both the outer male portion and the inner female portion — anywhere the pipes will be in contact. And do only one piece at a time, as the primer and glue dry very, very quickly.

STEP 11: Assemble each glued piece quickly!

Apply glue to both the outer male portion and the inner female portion and quickly fit the pieces together. You only have a few seconds before the glue starts to harden. Note the horizontal alignment line and vertical reference lines.

STEP 12: Stand back and observe your DIY road shower.

The completed assembly. From left to right: endcap with Schrader valve and spigot, 45-degree elbow, 8-inch spacer piece, T fitting, remainder of 7-foot pipe, endcap.

Pressure-Testing & Finishing

STEP 13: Check for leaks.

Once all the glue had dried, I put the 2-inch test plug tightly into the top of the T fitting and slowly pressurized the pipe to 45 to 50 pounds. I left it pressurized to almost 24 hours to ensure it was leak-free.

STEP 14: Prepare for paint.

Sand the entire outer area of the pipe so that the paint will adhere better. Then, mask off any parts that you don’t want to get painted, like the spigot, Schrader valve, and inner portion of the 2-inch T fitting.

STEP 15: Apply black paint.

Paint with a flat-black paint, appropriate for painting plastic. Regular spray paint will scratch off very easily. You might also be able to use one of the rubberized spray paints for a textured/rubberized finish. Note that the paint protects the PVC from UV degradation, as well as helps it to heat up.

STEP 16: Mount your new solar shower.

Once the paint dries, your assembly is finished. Add your preferred hose length and nozzle for convenience. I recommend you securely mount the solar water heater before filling it with water.

Above: When the unit is pressurized, you can use it for bathing, rinsing off cookware, or drinking. And the best part is it doesn't require electricity.

Additional Tips

If you’re going to use the gravity feed method, get the solar shower pipe up as high as possible to get a little more water pressure at the nozzle. It doesn’t take much air to pressurize the tank. Keep it to about 40 psi. And if you’re using an electric pump, it will only need to be on for a few seconds to get adequate pressure. After you use some water, you can add a little more air to keep the pressure to the desired level.

If you put the air fill valve at the highest point, it’ll be easy to relieve air pressure without a stream of water coming out. If you’re going to use different pipe dimensions, make sure it’ll have enough water for your application. A 4-inch pipe holds 0.6528 gallon per foot, 5 inches is 1.02 gallons, and 6 inches is 1.469 gallons.

When you attach the test plug to the fill port, make it really tight. You’ll want to use a wrench to keep the plug from launching like a rocket ship once you apply the air pressure.

 

Infographic: The Deadliest Animals in the United States

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Our greatest fears don't always correspond to the greatest threats to our safety. In fact, more often than not, they're the opposite of what statistics tell us. For example, most people are far more worried about being murdered than they are about car crashes, but car crashes are more than three times more likely to actually kill us. The same is true of animal attacks. While movies and TV shows depict bears, sharks, and alligators as the most bloodthirsty and deadliest animals, the data tells a different story. Of course, you certainly wouldn't want to get attacked by any of those animals — this gruesome example of a grizzly bear attack proves the point — but you're much more likely to be killed by animals we perceive as cute or harmless.

Above: Dog bites account for a substantial number of deaths each year, more than snakes and spiders combined. That doesn't mean we should be scared of dogs, but it's a good idea to be cautious in the presence of unfamiliar and/or aggressive ones. This advice is even more important for small children, who are much more susceptible to fatal attacks.

The following infographic created by Zoology Degree Online shows a quick visual comparison between the deadliest animals in the United States over the course of a decade. Each full row represents 100 fatalities over that 10-year period. Deer are the most serious threat, primarily due to their propensity for running into traffic. Horseback-riding accidents are also a substantial risk, followed by stings from bees, wasps, and hornets. Mountain lions/cougars almost didn't make the list at all, and sharks barely killed more than one person per year, despite the Jaws-induced fears surrounding them.

For more infographics along these lines, check out our previous articles:

Pocket Preps: Tourniquet Buyer’s Guide

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On more than one occasion, I heard the story about a guy who was using a chainsaw in his backyard to clean up some storm debris. As he was cutting a few of the fallen branches, he lost his footing and the running chainsaw came down on his leg, causing a tremendous wound. While his wife quickly called 9-1-1 and helped apply direct pressure, the femoral artery was cut and he died before the ambulance arrived. A tourniquet would’ve likely saved his life.

Tourniquet use goes back to at least the 4th century BC, when Alexander the Great had troops using tourniquets of leather and bronze. There are other documented uses during the Middle Ages with battlefield tourniquets, which were simple garrotes. In 1785, Sir Gilbert Blane advocated that, in battle, each Royal Navy sailor should carry a tourniquet: “It frequently happens that men bleed to death before assistance can be procured, or lose so much blood as not to be able to go through an operation. In order to prevent this, it has been proposed, and on some occasions practiced, to make each man carry about him a garter, or piece of rope yarn, in order to bind up a limb in case of profuse bleeding.”

The use of tourniquets waned after World War II, with much documented misapplication, plus lag time between application and subsequent receiving of proper medical attention, causing them to fall out of favor. But their military use continued to rise through the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Today, after much scientific study, their use has become mainstream. A set of established clinical practice guidelines direct the appropriate use of tourniquets. The present doctrine used by the U.S. Military is that every soldier in the field has a tourniquet and knows how to use it. This has carried over to the civilian sector, where police officers, firefighters, and EMTs routinely carry them. There are also an untold number of schools and businesses across the country that have trauma kits stockpiled with numerous tourniquets in case of a dire emergency.

Understand this: Tourniquets are not just for soldiers and gunshot wounds. Automobile accidents, athletic events, and home improvement projects can all lead to unforeseen trauma where a tourniquet can mean the difference between life and death. Whether you’re a soldier on the front lines or a well-prepared mom shuttling kids between activities, emergencies happen, and there’s something you can do about it. Be prepared and enroll in a Stop the Bleed or Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) course to learn the proper way to control bleeding in a severely injured person.

Special thanks to Guardian Revival and Medicine in Bad Places for their technical assistance with this article.

North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T)

Colors:
Black, Blue, Orange

Size:
Packaged L 6 by W 2.4 by D 1.5 inches; open length 37.5 inches

Weight:
2.7 ounces

Price:
$30

URL:
narescue.com

Notes
As one of the first modern tourniquets on the market, this is the style the vast majority of people are familiar with. Noted as the best pre-hospital tourniquet in the February 2008 supplement of The Journal of Trauma, the patented C-A-T is a true one-handed tourniquet proven to be fully effective by the U.S. Army’s Institute of Surgical Research. Currently in Gen 7, this is a windlass system where you use the stick to wind up or tighten the tourniquet. The rotation tightening of the windlass gives you a mechanical advantage to apply more pressure. Once the blood flow is occluded, the windlass is pressed into a retaining clip to maintain pressure. Be sure to buy the genuine C-A-T product from a trusted retailer (not a third-party Amazon reseller). There are a lot of dangerous counterfeits on the market. The C-A-T is approved by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) and carries NSN 6515-01-521-7976.

Pros:

  • The de-facto standard in tourniquets
  • Virtually all tourniquet users are trained on this model

Cons:

  • Hook-and-loop attracts lint and can snag on other gear if left exposed

TacMed Solutions SOF Tourniquet

Colors:
Black, Blue, Orange, Red, Tan

Size:
Packaged L 5.5 by W 2 by D 1.75 inches; open length 44 inches

Weight:
3.7 ounces

Price:
$31

URL:
tacmedsolutions.com

Notes
Designed by a Special Forces medic while on deployment to Afghanistan in 2003, the SOF-T is a well-refined tourniquet. This is a tried-and-true windlass design with several improved features. The first is that the windlass is made from aluminum, rather than polymer. It also has a buckle for fast application around a limb, using only gross motor functions, versus rethreading a strap through a buckle. I find it to be a little more supple than most of the other tourniquets, which gives it a nice feel and is quieter than the hook-and-loop types when carried. It has seen adoption by many large organizations including NYPD, LAPD, and the American Red Cross. I keep this tourniquet as part of my EDC. It’s CoTCCC approved and is available for purchase by the Department of Defense under NSN 6515-01-696-4522.

Pros:

  • Aluminum windlass
  • Packs flat and lacks hook-and-loop, making it convenient for on-body carry

Cons:

  • Time tag not on top

SAM Medical SAM XT Tourniquet

Colors:
Black, Blue, Orange

Size:
Packaged L 7.25 by W 2.5 by D 1.5 inches; open length 36 inches

Weight:
3.8 ounces

Price:
$38

URL:
sammedical.com

Notes
The SAM XT is a windlass design tourniquet with an obvious physical difference, as the hook-and-loop strap has two rows of holes in it. These holes work in conjunction with the unique TRUFORCE buckle that’ll help lock the strap in place when a predetermined amount of force is applied. When you pull the strap hard enough, the buckle will lock into the holes. The tourniquet has a good feel to it, not too stiff and not too soft, I had no problem securing it one-handed. Anybody who has ever used the C-A-T or SOF-T will intuitively understand how to use this tourniquet. It’s approved by the CoTCCC and carries NSN 6515-01-670-2240.

Pros:

  • Aluminum windlass
  • TRUFORCE buckle helps you know when the strap is tight enough

Cons:

  • The buckle makes it bulkier than most.

Combat Medical TMT

Colors:
Black

Size:
Packaged L 4.5 by W 2.5 by D 1.85 inches; open length 38 inches

Weight:
2.9 ounces

Price:
$30

URL:
combatmedical.com

Notes
I found the TMT to be especially challenging to apply one-handed. On top of that, I found that if you twist the windlass counterclockwise, it’s counter-intuitive to get it into the retaining clip. Instead of letting the windlass settle back into the clip, like on all the other windlass tourniquets, you actually have to push it forward. This counter-intuitiveness can cost you a lot of blood under pressure. Additionally, when tightening the windlass in a clockwise direction, you lose a little tightness. The Naval Medical Research Unit came to the same conclusion in 2015 on the clockwise tightening. The buckle is nice, though. I expected to have to thread the strap through it but found that’s not possible. Instead, you simply unhook the buckle. These issues are easily remedied through proper training. It’s approved by the CoTCCC and carries NSN 6515-01-656-6191.

Pros:

  • Smooth windlass action
  • Fast to apply once trained
  • Wide 2-inch band

Cons:

  • I found it to be slow and difficult to secure one-handed.
  • Not intuitive to use

RevMedx TX2 Tourniquet

Colors:
Tan

Size:
Packaged L 8.5 by W 2 by D 1.5 inches; open length 39 inches

Weight:
3.1 ounces

Price:
$39

URL:
revmedx.com

A departure from the traditional windlass design, the RevMedx TX2, and its big brother the TX3, utilize a ratcheting mechanism to achieve the final tightening on the tourniquet. It’s a lot like using a ratchet strap — simply wrap it around the limb, pull tight, and start ratcheting. Knowing how superbly tight a ratchet strap can get, I had high hopes, and this tourniquet didn’t disappoint. The 1-inch-wide ratchet design works smoothly and the tourniquet can be left in service after using it for training. In fact, it’s encouraged in the product literature. The 2-inch-wide strap allows for better bleeding control. The TX3 is another inch wider and 21 inches longer, fitting even the burliest of people. A Naval Medical Research Unit study found that the TX tourniquets outperformed the windlass-style tourniquets in multiple categories. Both are approved by the CoTCCC and carry NSN 6515-01-667-6027 and 6208.

Pros:

  • Wide 2-inch strap allows for better bleeding control
  • Convenient ratcheting mechanism

Cons:

  • No time tag on top of mechanism

m2 inc. Ratcheting Medical Tourniquet (RMT) Tactical

Colors:
Black, Tan

Size:
Packaged L 8.5 by W 1.5 by D 1.25 inches; open length 37.5 inches

Weight:
3.6 ounces

Price:
$36

URL:
chinookmed.com

Notes
The Ratcheting Medical Tourniquet is made by m2 inc., a leading manufacturer of industrial-strength mechanical closure technologies. Besides this Thermo Plastic Ratcheting Buckle, they also make surgical, industrial, marine, and military items. The RMT is the cousin to the REV MED TX2 and TX3, but somewhat smaller. The buckle comes in at ¾ inch, allowing it to be readily used on narrow tourniquets. It also features a tactical loop that doubles as a bite loop for easier application with one hand or gloves. While this is the military tactical tan version, it also comes in three civilian versions of XL, greater than 120 pounds, and less than 120 pounds (pediatric), as well as three military versions of tactical, paramedic, and 2-inch, with various colors. It’s approved by the CoTCCC and carries NSN 6515-01-527-3841.

Pros:

  • Versatile with numerous application-specific variants
  • Many color and size choices

Cons:

  • No time tag on top of mechanism

H&H Med Corp. SWAT-T

Colors:
Black, Blue, Orange

Size:
Packaged L 4.5 by W 3 by D 0.75 inches; open length 37.5 inches

Weight:
3.6 ounces

Price:
$19

URL:
store.doomandbloom.net

Notes
The Stretch Wrap and Tuck Tourniquet is often disregarded because it has never gotten CoTCCC approval. That said, it does its job when properly applied. It’s a rubber strap with instructions printed on one side. To apply it, stretch the band firmly until the printed oval and diamond shapes stretch into circles and squares. This is how you know you’re applying it with enough force to occlude blood flow. Wrap as many times as you can and tuck the end in. For some, tucking the end in can be difficult. A big upside is it’ll work just as well on children as adults. The SWAT-T can also be used to apply pressure to a packed wound, and can be used as a K9 tourniquet or sling. It truly is the multi-tool of the tourniquet world. The SWAT-T comes packaged in a plastic pouch, with pre-cut tear notches every 2 inches on each side. Even wet, it tears open readily with a two-handed grip or your teeth.

Pros:

  • Very affordable
  • Doubles as a pressure dressing or even a canine TQ

Cons:

  • Not as easy to apply one-handed
  • Not CoTCCC approved, making it more of an “honorable mention” than a top-tier contender

About the Author

joey Nickischer

Joey Nickischer is a retired detective with the New York City Police Department. He currently works as a lead technical rescue instructor with several different companies covering topics from wilderness search, high angle rope, mine rescue, and off-road operations. He serves as a team leader with the Westchester County Technical Rescue Team and is the commander of the Putnam County Technical Rescue Team, as well as serving as chief of department with the Patterson Fire Department.

Shadow Warrior: Interview with Former CIA Paramilitary Officer Ric Prado

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We’d love to say that Enrique “Ric” Prado is a man who needs no introduction. But that’s not true. On the contrary, Ric has dedicated his life to secrecy and security. A life-long veteran of America’s clandestine fight to suppress oppression, Ric has never actively sought fame or glory. The fruits of his labor remain, by and large, entombed in a casket of red tape and rubber stamps marked “Classified” or “Top Secret.” The scourge of Communism — real Communism, not the white-washed ideal praised in coffee shops and collegiate lecture halls — stained his life at a young age and set him on a five-decade mission that carried him literally around the world. From the streets of Miami during the dawn of the Cocaine Cowboys, to the jungles of Latin America, to the skies over Baghdad, Ric has cashed in his shot at the American dream to defend all of ours.

We recently sat down with him, following the release of his book Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior, to discuss his life in the sequestered and oft-misunderstood world of covert operations.

This article was originally published in our sister publication, RECOIL magazine. Photos by John Jackson.

Ric Prado Interview

RECOIL: Tell us why and how you and your family emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba.

Ric Prado: By the age of 7 or 8, during the culmination of the Castro Revolution, I saw the consequences of a firefight two feet in front of me. Shortly after Castro gaining power on January 9, 1959, I witnessed the atrocities being committed in the name of the Revolution: three men hanging from trees with signs around their necks which read “Counter-Revolutionaries.”

Above: Ric's last supper with his family in Cuba before his solo voyage to the US.

All businesses, including my dad’s modest coffee roasting company, were confiscated by Castro. My dad saw the writing on the wall and decided to flee the island for freedom (which only the U.S. provides). Because of corrupt political machinations, my parents were not granted the mandatory exit permit (U.S. visas were not the problem). So, my dad found the “Peter Pan” program, which was facilitating the departure of kids under the age of 15 via the Catholic church.

As an only child, I flew solo to the U.S. at the age of 10. I immediately was sent to a Catholic orphanage in Pueblo, Colorado. My parents were able to flee the communist yoke eight months later. I truly believe that these three experiences — war, solo departure, orphanage — “forged my metal” for what would be my path in life.

What was your childhood like in Miami? What were some people or events that influenced you to take your current path?

RP: I got mixed up with a rough crowd in high school — no drugs but lots of fighting. I had decent grades in school, but my conduct was not. The tipping point for my course correction happened in my first year of college in Miami Dade: 1971, hippies protesting the Vietnam war announced the intention to burn the American flag the following day. “Not on my watch!” I said to myself. So, I called a few of my fellow street rats, and when the 15 to 20 hippies showed up to take down the flag, the five of us plowed right through them. Torn T-shirts and beads all over the place, but the American flag yet waved. It was the first time in my life that I felt proud of my violence. Four months later, I joined an elite Air Force unit with the solemn intent of fighting in Vietnam.

What did you do in the military?

RP: I qualified to enter the pararescue pipeline in 1971. I thought I was a tough, fit kid but the initial experience was humbling. Still, under the “ain’t dead, can’t quit” mantra, I gutted it through and got my coveted maroon beret in late 1972.

Can you talk a little about what the pararescue training was like?

RP: Pararescue was one of the final hammer-strikes forging my character. During the six-week selection, we did two-a-days (pool and PT) six days a week. Like most SOF units, our attrition rate was 80 percent. Not only was the physical training brutal, but the mental load of eventually becoming an EMT-2 was also quite a challenge.

We did EMT-1 training and simultaneously pre-SCUBA preparation at Sheppard AFB, Texas — that was brutal! SCUBA school is arguably the most demanding course of most SOF pipelines. I had the slight advantage that I was already advanced SCUBA qualified (a passion that started in ninth grade), and that allowed me to sleep a little more, while my teammates had to study Boyle’s law, nitrogen-narcosis, decompression tables, and related illnesses.

It was still a beast of a challenge. Then, Jump School at Fort Benning was relatively “easy day.” But S.E.R.E school was no joke. We then entered what was then referred to as “Transition School,” which encompassed EMT-2 medical training, goat-labs, advanced parachuting — which included SCUBA jumps with about 130 pounds of gear — mountain climbing, and lots of PT … at altitude.

First time this Cuban kid from Miami saw snow was on a four-day trekking exercise through 3 feet of snow, in snowshoes. Last was a frosty night SCUBA jump into the dark abyss of a lake in Utah in 38-degree weather. That night we donned our berets for the first time.

How did you wind up at the CIA? Did you apply, or were you recruited?

RP: Like most things in my life, it was preordained. I was loving pararescue but with Vietnam winding down and no hope to test my skills, I lacked a sense of purpose. Yes, I was jumping almost weekly and doing great waterwork, but training only for training’s sake. In 1974, I applied to the Agency. “Not hiring, firing” was their blunt response.

I tried again in 1980 and was brought in on periodic contract as a paramedic supporting CIA’s elite Special Activities Division, Ground Branch. I represented myself well, I was “fit as a firetruck,” and when President Reagan declared war on Latin American communism, I was recruited into the ranks of SAD/GB, where I was home-based for over 10 years.

What was your first assignment for the Agency, and what was the onboarding process like?

RP: Like your first kiss, your first assignment is always unforgettable. Mine was arguably the most rewarding adventure of my career. In early 1981, I was PCS’d to Honduras, in alias, to support the anti-Sandinista “Contras” in their fight to regain their freedom. For the first 14 months of that program, I was the only CIA officer allowed in the Contra camps — this in order to hide the U.S. hand (covert action equals black ops).

Above: Ric and his family while receiving his first CIA medal for leading a team of native combat divers to blow up a port facility controlled by Sandinistas.

I slept in a jungle hammock for 3.3 years and loved every minute. Here, I lost my cherry in my first firefight, a Sandinista ambush, which we countered and subsequently leveled their camp using my new mortar class, via 82mm mortars. These were Soviet stock, again to hide U.S. involvement.

After the Contra program, did your Cuban heritage and language ability “corner” you to Latin and South American postings?

RP: My next two assignments after the Hondo/Nica deployment were to Latin America. First, Costa Rica covertly running the Contra program from the south. The third was to a country in South America (unnamed). This was my first counterterrorism gig, and where I recruited a Maoist terrorist. However, although I was a PMO (paramilitary officer), I was also a fully qualified ops officer/intel. So, being SAD, I was not constrained by geographical boundaries.

Above: Photos from Ric's first assignment with the CIA, training Nicaraguan anti-communist freedom fighters.

I subsequently PCS’d to the Philippines, Korea, and “Shangri-La,” a radical Muslim country in East Africa. I was the Chief of Station (COS). I returned to headquarters and was awarded the coveted Chief of Operations at our Counterterrorist Center (CTC).

How was the transition from being a full-time paramilitary officer to being a “traditional” operations officer, relying more on tradecraft than battlefield tactics?

RP: With the copious tradecraft training we receive at “The Farm,” our PMOs are well-prepared for the transition. In fact, it is mandatory for PMOs to first and foremost be intel-collecting ops officers. I had the added advantage that I worked in a men’s haberdashery in my junior and senior high school years, so I learned to “clean up well.”

As much as I loved my kinetic PM days, I found the primary CIA mission — collect intel and conduct covert ops (black ops) — the most exciting. Nothing like swimming in dangerous waters undetected. My recruitment of a Maoist terrorist and my surviving a Philippine New People’s Army (NPA) “Sparrow” hit team attack really floated my boat.

You were one of the original members of the Agency’s Bin Laden task force. How did you wind up there, and what made the CIA dedicate a whole station to one individual?

RP: Yes, I am Plank Owner of that task force, better known as Alec Station. I had just returned from my Chief Liaison job in Korea and had taken OpCon of CTC’s Palestinian Branch when the C/Ops pitched me about being the Deputy Chief of Station for this effort. I had just gotten my GS-15, and this was heaven sent.

Above: Ric at First Coast Firearms with an M240B, which he carried while assigned to 20th SFG.

Mike Scheuer, the COS, was a senior analyst, and he is the first to develop the theory that Bin Laden was a major organizer of radical Islamic terrorism. We started with a small crew of about eight, all but two analysts.

Within 10 months, we had uncovered 10 times the intel we had prior. And we had him under extreme vigilance, while he was in Khartoum, Sudan. Special Forces legend Billy Waugh was the chief of surveillance for the station, working for my great boss and friend, Cofer Black. Billy had “made book” on UBL and had full documentation of his patterns of life.

Billy, via Cofer and Alec Station, kept proposing that we bring Bin Laden to justice based on the copious amount of intelligence that was pouring in from multiple sources, including unilateral and liaison. Unfortunately, that administration did not have the political will to approve such a venture. Mind you, Billy could have killed him with a pencil (his quote), but we were confident that we could render him to justice with minimal resistance.

We all enjoy 20/20 hindsight, but if we would have been allowed to do the deed, the USS Cole, our two embassies in Africa, and perhaps even September 11th could have been disrupted.

You also worked at the CTC — the Agency’s Counter-Terrorism Center. How did that assignment differ from your field postings, and how did the CIA’s focus on terrorism change over the years you spent there?

RP: Well, my South America tour was under CTC’s mandate. Same with my time in the Alec Station. After my tenure as East Asia Deputy Division Chief for the community’s Korea program, I returned to the fold of CTC in May of 2000, first as Chief of International Terrorism and subsequently as Cofer’s Deputy for Operations (referred to as Chief/Ops).

CTC was cutting-edge CIA. It was the epicenter of all source intelligence gathering and operational initiatives dealing with the Global War on Terrorism. It was a dynamic place to work with a plethora of dedicated professionals, operators, and analysts alike. And yes, terrorism became the “flash bang grenade” that shifted the focus of the whole community toward the global onslaught. After Sept. 11, CTC was the biggest entity in the CIA.

What was your final posting before retirement? And when did you transition out of active service with the Agency?

RP: After my year as CTC C/Ops, I developed an operational concept that Cofer and Jose Rodriguez loved, for going after the soft underbelly of any terrorist organization: their worldwide support mechanisms! The idea, which I briefed to then Vice President Dick Cheney and Condi Rice, was to establish patterns of life of two to three senior support elements for every terrorist group who could threaten us.

The concept was disruption — if we were receiving major indicators that target group was planning an attack against the U.S. or its allies, we could neutralize those pre-established targets for rendition, local police intervention, or whatever else the president of the U.S. would approve under CIA’s Title 50 Authorities.

After senior CTC management, which included me, realized that we were never going to be allowed anything more than long-term surveillance, we decided to disband the team, as it had become nothing more than a “paper tiger” that briefed well.

Shortly thereafter, in the early part of 2004, I retired from the CIA. I received the Distinguished Career Intelligence medal and the George Bush medal for Excellence in Counterterrorism, among others.

Above: A sampling of career tokens, encased in a shadow box, including an assortment of carry knives. “I fear knives, so I figure so does everyone else. I always carry two.”

We understand that you also spent some time working for Blackwater after retirement. How did that opportunity come about, and what did you do for them?

RP: I had met and befriended Erik Prince while I was Chief/Ops. When I started my “special program” described above, I asked Erik to facilitate the kinetic training me and my crew needed to carry out the missions.

I chose Blackwater because we could train there anonymously and with the best of the best instructors. Shortly after my retirement, Erik pitched me to come work for him. His patriotic idea was to allow me to bring my talents and my networks to the intel/CT community writ large.

Above: Serving as a fill-in door gunner on a Little Bird in Iraq, during his time with Blackwater.

My title was VP for Special Government Programs (wink!). I cannot go into much detail because black ops was fully vetted and cleared by CIA up to and including my CIA tenure. The rest of what we did in Blackwater for the community, which was a lot, remains classified, although some things have leaked maliciously. I had the best time of my career working at Blackwater. And enjoying the fact that Erik would train with us in all aspects of the trade. Great times indeed.

Have you had the opportunity to pursue any other consulting or private sector work since then?

RP: Yes, I taught at Advance Special Operations & Techniques (ASOT) at Fort Bragg for seven years. There I worked with some of the best SOF elements and instructor cadre. I am very proud of my time supporting the ASOT and ASOT Managers Course.

Earlier this year, your book Black Ops: The Life Of A CIA Shadow Warrior was released and has since become a New York Times bestseller. Who or what prompted you to tell your story?

RP: The idea started via my former boss, Cofer Black, whom I had recruited for Blackwater. He would harp at me incessantly about using my life story as platform to tell the story of the real CIA and the true ethos of our colleagues. I did not listen.

Then, my oldest son insisted I write my memoirs for the family, and that is when I started writing. Like all things in my life, I did not plan for it, but the Good Lord guided me, sometimes with a 2×4, toward publishing. First, Steve Coll (Pulitzer Prize winner) and then Annie Jacobson both interviewed me for books they were working on, and both encouraged me to make the leap.

Two things were catalysts: 1) My name and special projects were maliciously leaked in 2009. My name appeared in the front page of the news, tying me to CIA death squads. The importance of this is that my “fig leaf” had been ripped off and in a very negative way. 2) Post-retirement, I had time for introspection. The fact that we, a tiny Agency, have 139 stars on our Wall of Honor, and about a third of those are post Sept. 11, I realized that I needed to take up defending their honor and sacrifices and make them public knowledge.

After all is said and done, that was the driving force for finally pulling the trigger on Black Ops. By the way, it also made Amazon Books Editor’s number-one pick last month.

From an emotional/psychological standpoint, how were you able to reconcile the prospective publicity you would likely receive from this book with the inherent desire to remain anonymous and private, a staple requirement for intelligence officers?

RP: Men like us enjoy a passion and conviction that makes us who we are. The old saying “if you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly” comes to mind. The leaking of my name and the terrible picture that Hollywood paints about my colleagues and what the Agency does is always portrayed as treasonous, treacherous, corrupt. Those men and women who adorn our Wall of Honor deserve better representation. Names like Mike Spann and Jennifer Mathews, the latter an early UBL/Alec Station member, deserve a better history, especially for their offspring.

Was there a formalized review or approval process with the CIA to get your manuscript published?

RP: Absolutely! My book underwent a thorough scrub for protecting sources and methods. It took six months to get it through, but what I wrote was fully vetted and approved by CIA reviewers.

In television and movies, intelligence officers are always using far-flung gadgets and tech to accomplish their missions. Did your experience as an Operations Officer involve anything like this?

RP: Unadulterated “Bravo Sierra” (BS)! In Black Ops, I document real sexy CIA ops, conducted by committed patriots in places most people never even visit. We get no Aston Martins or clothing allowance for Brioni suits, but the men and women of the CIA deliver, in spite of the politics that often hamstring us.

While gadgets and disguises and diplomatic wine mixers are a part of legacy case work, you spent much of your career in paramilitary covert action — the “pointy end” of intelligence operations. What was that equipment like, especially in the early 1980s when you started out?

RP: Well, while supporting the Contra project, I carried an AR-15, a Browning High Power 9mm pistol on my hip, a straight-blade knife, a pair of golf-ball grenades (V-40s I think they were called), and my trusty Walther PPK/S in an ankle holster. In other danger tours, like in the Philippines, I carried an MP5K in my armored vehicle, first a Browning HP then a Glock 19, a knife (or two), and again, an ankle piece.

When I serviced “walk-ins” (volunteers) in the PI, during the first Gulf War, I would make my meeting at the high-end hotels. They screened everybody for weapons, but I noticed (awareness rules in our business) that they only used the metal-detecting wand above the knee. Ergo, I carried two five-shot Lady Smith revolvers, one on each ankle, with a backup ammo strip. No gun for all seasons!

How did the Agency itself evolve or change over the course of your career?

RP: Well, in my case, it started with an elite military posture while working in and out of our 10 Contra camps on the Nica border. Tradecraft was not always employed, but situational alertness was mandatory. This was PMO work at its finest. The transition to fighting the Cold War under U.S. Embassy cover was definitely tradecraft-based and, of course, armed in EDC mode.

Then came terrorism, and our operational world changed dramatically from diplomatic and business circles to dealing with rougher characters. In contrast to solo operations of the Cold War, we now often had to employ “shadow surveillance” by our highly trained cadre. I used to refer to them as my ghosts with teeth.

By the way, counterterrorism is the best thing that ever happened to our PMOs — from second-class citizens in the late ’70s and early ’80s to fast trackers and Chiefs of Station in the many danger posts.

Above: Ric and his elite close-surveillance team in an undisclosed African country where he served as Chief of Station.

After decades of high-tempo operations, how do you spend your time nowadays?

RP: Well, currently, I am omni-focused on the promotion of Black Ops. Next, however, I plan to ride my horse, my motorbike, and spoil my wife any way I can. After 51 years of “God and country,” I am looking forward to some me time. Don’t get me wrong, this dog can still hunt and will if I must.

Do you still get out and shoot?

RP: Religiously! Like physical training, fighting skills are a way of life you just don’t leave behind upon retirement. Because of my extensive training and temperament, I could not ignore a woman or child being abused or a cop being overwhelmed. Like Jack Paladin used to say: Have gun, will travel!

Above: Ric at the range with a kitted-for-duty carbine, courtesy of First Coast Firearms. The PJ hat worn in memory of teammate Cliff Kunde.

Based on your experience in countries where citizens could not defend themselves from the threat of terrorism or communism, what are your thoughts on the relevance of the 2nd Amendment?

RP: The 2nd Amendment is the backbone of democracy, along with our 1st Amendment. There’s not a single communist country in the world that allows their civilian population to be armed. Like in many of our cities, the states with the strongest anti-gun rules produce the most violent and dangerous cities.

Evil exists at every level. Whether the long tentacles of communism, the bloody outcome of terrorism, or just street survival, we are living with the presence of evil. It’s not a police officer’s job to protect your family, home, and life. They are deterrents when present or investigators of the crimes committed against you. It’s our personal responsibility to take care of our own, first.

You spent some of your childhood and the first half of your career face-to-face with the threat of communism. What are your thoughts on the current situation in Ukraine and how it might affect the U.S.?

RP: Ah, leaving the best for last! The one and only goal of both Russia and China is world domination. Radical Islam has similar intentions but using a different excuse, religion. We, the U.S. of A, are the primary enemy of those predators.

We — our military, intel, and police forces — are the sheepdogs. Feared by the wolves and unappreciated by the sheep. The Western world needs to wake up and realize that socialism is only a mask communism wears to lure you into their lair and devour your freedom. God knows we have ample examples that it does not work for any democracy. See Ukraine, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and many others. All once thriving countries now reduced to fourth world status.

What’s your current EDC?

RP: Ah, there is no gun for all seasons or holster for all reasons. It all depends on what I can get away with — with no one knowing I am carrying. If I am in my summer three-piece-suit (shorts, T-shirt, and flip-flops), I often carry my SIG 365 SAS. With jeans and an ample shirt, I conceal my Glock 43 with Shield Arms 10-round mags.

Above: A sampling of Ric's carry gear, including the Walther PPK, an iconic spy sidearm. In Ric's words, “no gun for all seasons, nor holster for all reasons.”

Jacket viable? Glock 48, again with a Shield Arms 15-round mags. In every option, I always carry a spare magazine and a knife. I wear my knife on my left side. Why? Because at a fit 71 years of age, if I am attacked, my pistol (appendix or strong-side carry) is my go-to option. If that is negated, then my left hand comes into “sharp” play.

About Ric Prado

Ric enjoying an Arturo Fuente Opus X maduro cigar.

Name: Enrique “Ric” Prado

Age: 71 years young

Hometown: Hialeah, FL

Family: Married 40 years to Carmen; we have three grown offspring.

Recommended reading:

Favorite cigar/drink pairing: Arturo Fuentes Maduro, Macallan 12 Single Malt or Zakapa Rum

Selected EDC items: I love the flexibility of pairing my SIG 365 SAS and my SIG X Macro; Bob Kasper Dragon fixed blade fighting knife.

URL: ricprado.com

Worok: Powerful Malware Hidden in PNG Images

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Unless it's your first day on the internet, you're probably aware that downloading certain files can be a serious mistake. It doesn't take a cybersecurity expert to know that double-clicking the TotallyNotAVirus.exe file that mysteriously appeared in your downloads folder is a bad idea. If you're a bit more security conscious, you probably also know that PDF files, Excel spreadsheets, and Word documents can also contain malicious code. But how many times have you considered the possibility of malware hidden inside an image file? A sophisticated hacking group known as Worok has developed a new type of malware that can be concealed in innocuous-looking PNG images, and they've been using it to target governments and large corporations around the world.

Take a look at the soothing blue abstract image above. This is one of the actual PNG images that was used to distribute Worok's info-stealer malware payload. According to ESET's We Live Security blog, the PNG malware has been used to attack the following high-value targets:

  • A telecommunications company in East Asia
  • A bank in Central Asia
  • A maritime industry company in Southeast Asia
  • A government entity in The Middle East
  • A private company in southern Africa
  • An energy company in Central Asia
  • A public sector entity in Southeast Asia

Above: This map from ESET's We Live Security offers a quick look at some of the countries where cybersecurity researchers have found Worok's malicious PNG files.

How is Malware Hidden in PNG Images?

This question gets very technical very quickly, so we'll give you the short version. If you want the full explanation, go read the We Live Security article or the Avast article.

Neither ESET nor Avast have determined the exact initial compromise point, but it's known that the infection starts when some code is executed to create a few malicious DLL files in the Windows System32 folder. Those DLLs then execute one of two malware loaders: CLRLoad or PowHeartBeat. Next, a second-stage DLL known as PNGLoad extracts the final PowerShell script payload that's hidden inside a PNG file.

Above: A flowchart of the two known execution chains for the PNG malware. (Source: We Live Security)

Worok used a process called LSB (least significant bit) encoding which “embeds small chunks of the malicious code in the least important bits of the image's pixels,” according to BleepingComputer. This is actually a form of steganography (i.e. hiding data inside an image file), a topic we've discussed in our previous article Steganography: More than Meets the Eye.

Above: Through LSB encoding, two pixels in an image can conceal one byte of hidden data. The center image shows Worok's RGB bit planes without hidden data, and the right image shows LSB bit planes alongside a visual representation of their embedded data. (Source: Avast)

Once this complex infection process is complete, the PNG file payload installs “a custom .NET C# info-stealer” called DropBoxControl. This abuses DropBox accounts created by Worok hackers to upload or download files and execute commands remotely on the infected machine.

What Can Worok's PNG Malware Do?

According to Avast, the DropBoxControl backdoor can perform the following commands:

  • cmd — Run a command prompt with parameters given by the attackers
  • exe — Execute a .exe file with parameters given by the attackers
  • FileUpload — Download files from the attackers' DropBox onto the victim's computer
  • FileDownload — Upload (i.e. steal) files from the victim's computer
  • FileDelete — Delete any file from the victim's computer
  • FileRename — Rename a file from the victim's computer
  • FileView — Send info on the properties (i.e. name, size, last access time) of all files inside a selected directory
  • ChangeDir — Select a different directory on the victim's computer
  • Info — Send computer information (including hostname, IP address, explorer.exe version, and available hard drive space) to the attackers
  • Config — Update the encrypted DropBoxControl backdoor settings (a file called ieproxy.dat located in C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer)

In other words, the attackers essentially have complete remote control over the victim's computer and all of its files at this point.

Who is Worok?

Above: Much like the destructive ransomware known as Petya, some have speculated that Worok's malicious PNG files are a state-sponsored form of cyber-warfare.

Cybersecurity experts don't know exactly who is behind these attacks. However, based on the high-profile nature of the targets, the espionage-oriented functions of the malware, and the sophistication of its delivery method, it appears likely that Worok is a state-level (or state-sponsored) hacking group. According to Avast, “one of the DropBoxControl connections was monitored from an IP associated with the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.”

Avast also noted that the authors of CLRLoad and PNGLoad are likely a different, more experienced entity than the authors of the final stage, DropBoxControl. They noted that “the code quality [of DropBoxControl] is debatable at best,” explaining that it “contains a lot of redundant code” and even saying it “looks like a school project.”

You're unlikely to encounter one of Worok's malicious PNG files unless you work for a government entity or Fortune 500 company, but it's still worth remembering that even ordinary-looking image files can contain malware. Download with care.

New: Short-Barreled Ruger Mark IV at CANCON 2022

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Last weekend in Georgia, our sister publication RECOIL hosted the first ever CANCON event — a fully-suppressed range day that included a wide variety of firearms and silencers for the general public to try out. During our time at CANCON 2022, we shot quite a few different rifles, carbines, and pistols, but one of our favorites was found in the Ruger booth. The Ruger Mark IV 22/45 seen here is a new short-barreled variant. We're told this should be officially announced at SHOT Show in January, but we got an early sneak peek at one of the handful of early-production samples currently in existence.

The new unnamed Ruger Mark IV variant features a short threaded barrel that's ready to accept your suppressor of choice (including Ruger's own Silent-SR). How short is it? We weren't given an exact number, but by our estimation, it appears to be approximately 3 inches long. A Ruger representative said it's “as short as engineering would allow us to make it while maintaining reliability with a variety of ammo.”

Granted, there are third-party gunsmiths who will chop barrels down shorter than this, but Ruger says those modified guns tend to be finicky and will only cycle on hot .22LR ammo. We're glad to see this option become available straight from the factory with a full warranty.

Above: Even with the 5.4-inch Ruger Silent-SR attached, this rimfire pistol is still quite compact.

On the range, this short-barreled Mark IV 22/45 was whisper-quiet, even with ultra-compact .22 suppressors. We could see it being a great tool to quietly take out varmints and other small game, and it's also a ton of fun for target shooting. We'll keep you posted once we have more information at SHOT Show in a few months. In the mean time, keep an eye on Ruger's web site for any other updates.

Above: We also tested this pistol with a 2.8-inch Bowers Bitty suppressor that Silencer Shop brought to CANCON. This seems like a great match for its barrel length.