Victorinox was founded by Karl Elsner in 1884. That year he opened his own cutlery business in Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland. Before opening his business Karl had spent time in Paris and in Tuttlingen, Germany doing his apprenticeship. At Karl’s cutlery shop the grinding and polishing machines were powered by a waterwheel which was powered by the Tobelbach brook.

In 1891 the Swiss Army first received the soldier’s knife from Karl Elsner and on June 12, 1897 the Swiss Officer’s and the Sports knives were patented. Karl’s company was originally the only supplier of Swiss Army Knives to the Swiss Army. In 1908 his company had to share the supply contract with Wenger. The companies eventually reached an agreement that allowed Victorinox to advertise the Original Swiss Army Knife. Wenger was allowed to advertise the Genuine Swiss Army Knife.

Karl Elsner started using the cross and shield to identify his knives in 1909. The cross and shield is still used to identify a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife to this date. This same year his mother died and he decided to name his company “Victoria” after his mother. In 1921 stainless steel was invented and the company started using stainless steel to make the Swiss Army Knife. Stainless steel was also called “inox” (the French term for stainless steel is acier inoxydable). “Victoria” and “inox” were combined to create the company name Victorinox.

After world war II American PX shops started selling the “Swiss Officer’s Knife” in large quantities to American soldiers. The soldiers started calling it the Swiss Army Knife for short and the name has stuck.

In 2002 Victorinox took over the other Swiss Army Knife maker, Wenger. Victorinox has said they intend to keep both brands of Swiss Army Knives intact. The Swiss Army Knife by Victorinox is a standard piece of equipment for NASA Astronauts and the Swiss Army Knife has been taken on treks to Mt. Everest and the Antarctic. Currently Victorinox has five lines of products. In addition to their Swiss Army Knife line they have Household & Professional knives, Watches, Clothing and Luggage.

As you can see the Swiss Army Knife by Victorinox has a long history and is depended on by many people under the harshest conditions. Victorinox as a company has a long history of quality and that quality can still be seen in their products today. To see a large selection of Swiss Army Knives please visit www.swissarmyknifemall.com

Swiss Army knives come in a wide range of models, each with different numbers and kinds of attachments. The simpler ones can weigh a few ounces and carry only 5 accessories while the grander models can weigh a quarter of a pound and have as much as seventeen tools. Every individual has their own favorite Swiss knife. Some might like the basic Camper model while some might go for the heftier Swiss Army Deluxe Tinker. If you’re wondering what Swiss knife to get, here’s a breakdown of the most popular models out in the market today.

• Victorinox Classic SD: This is admittedly one of the most popular models that people buy these days, as seen by the staggering number of them being left behind in airport security check-points. The Classic SD knife is compact and uber-portable. It’s a small 2 ¼” that can be carried around in a keychain. The Classic SD contains a blade, nail file with screwdriver, scissors, toothpick and tweezers.

• Wenger Esquire: Also known as the Classique knife, the Wenger Esquire Swiss Army knife is the most popular model sold at Wenger’s. It’s also very compact and has a key ring, nail file with cleaner, pen blade, scissors, toothpick and tweezers.

• Victorinox Climber: As the name implies, this name is popular with the outdoorsy types. Mountaineers and spelunkers love this 88 gram knife that can carry 10 tools. Aside from the usual attachments, the Climber also has an awl, a bottle opener with a large screwdriver, a can opener with a small screwdriver, corkscrew, a hook and scissors.

• Victorinox Spartan: This popular knife is probably what most people imagine a Swiss Knife would look like. It has the eight basic Swiss Army tool and weighs a light 2 ounces or more. This carefully designed and engineered knife is available in black, red and silver models.

• Victorinox Signature: This well-loved knife has the usual attachments plus a pressurized ball pen with a distinct design. Also known as the Signature II, it comes in black and red colors.

• Victorinox Camper: The go-to knife of frequent travelers, the Camper Swiss Army Knife is chock-full of tools that are perfect for camping. It’s also useful for doing small carpentry works. At 74.8 grams, the Camper is a standard sized knife that has 2 blades, an awl, bottle opener with screwdriver, can opener with screwdriver, corkscrew, toothpick, tweezers and wood saw.

• Wenger Traveler Knife: This Swiss Army knife has 3 layers of tools perfect for those who travel any of life’s highways and byways. It’s the most popular full-sized knife from Wenger and carries all the usual attachments.

• Victorinox Executive: This medium sized knife boasts of ultimate functionality in a handy 3″ body. It’s perfect for any business executive and is popular among construction workers. The Executive has the requisite 2 blades, a key ring, nail file with cleaner, orange peeler with scraper, scissors, toothpick and tweezers.

Most Swiss Army knives have identical design but vary in price. This is due to the size and the number and kind of attachments it has. Make sure to shop around, research and discuss what Swiss knife is perfect for you and your lifestyle.

The Swiss Army knife has become an icon for quality, durability, and versatility. There is really no better knife available that will do what one of these knives does – and with impressive quality and craftsmanship. If you decide to purchase one of these fine knives, you need to educate yourself to the special features of the Swiss Army knife so you do not purchase a fake.

The Swiss army knife is often copied by manufacturers of lesser quality and standards because the product is so highly respected and can often become a collector’s item over time. Here are a few tips for making sure the knife is authentic before you purchase it.

1. There are only two manufacturers of the authentic Swiss Army knife – Victorinox and Wenger. Victorinox was created by the owner of a surgical equipment company who was upset that knives supplied to Swiss troops were made in Germany. Wenger came along about one decade later as a competitor to Victorinox.

2. An authentic Swiss Army knife will have markings on the blade and exteriors identifying one of the two manufacturers mentioned above. If the blade or exterior parts of the knife have no markings or are identified as being produced by a different company, then the knife is not authentic.

3. Swiss Army knives have only been manufactured since 1891 so, if someone wants to sell you a “collector” knife that is older than that year, it is a fake.

4. Many fake Swiss Army knives will have a traditional looking cross which is passed off as being the official crest. However, Swiss Army knives will have what is called a ‘Swiss Cross” which is actually a symbol of the crossbow. Tradition has it that William Tell used the crossbow to shoot and kill the Austrian Governor to Switzerland at the time. This led to a revolution that eventually freed Switzerland from Austria. The use of the crossbow on any product is strictly regulated by the Swiss government as it reflects quality and national pride.

5. If you are thinking of purchasing the knife from a street vendor or someone you do not know, consider your decision. It is safest to purchase your knife from an authorized retailer which must be registered to sell Swiss Army knives. Ask the vendor for proof of registration as a Swiss Army knife retailer before you commit to the purchase.

The Swiss Army knife is a wonderful item to possess and will provide high quality use for many years. It is important to make sure you are purchasing the “real thing” and not a fake, so follow the steps above to protect yourself and enjoy one of the finest knives in the world.

Once army leadership develops the mission essential task list, the last four stages of the army training management cycle are ready: planning, execution, assessment and feedback.

The first of the concluding four stages is planning, chapter 4 of the army training management cycle. Using the mission essential task list and his assessment of the combat aptness of his crew, the commander begins the army training FM planning process.

There are three possible soldier classifications before instruction begins: trained, partly trained but requiring practice and untrained. Once training starts, untrained units receive most training time and supplies, with incompletely trained units following them.

The leader dictates who drills in what assignments and how often by combining his evaluation with the mission essential task list to develop an education for the army scheme. The projected enemy danger level is an extra factor in devising a strategy.

Time management is a crucial attribute of army military training. The aim of time management is to change training focus among the individual, platoon, and multiple echelon levels.

Chapter 4 of the army training management cycle denotes three different time management steps: green, amber and red.

In the green phase, commanders focus upon multiple echelon large group level instruction. The goal of at this level is to make as many soldiers as possible proficient in the mission essential task list. Since this is the most important time management phase, training facility and resource usage is at its greatest degree during the green juncture. Military leaders disallow leave time and most exemptions in this train for the army phase.

Smaller units like squads, platoons and crews are the focus of training during the amber time management phase of chapter 4 of the army learning management system. Leaders make army training management conferences and classes available to individual soldiers and modest groups to further their education for the army. At this rank, individual training requirements take priority, but certain groups can still get collective training if needed.

In chapter 4 of the army training management cycle, the red time management juncture focuses upon training competence at the personal level. Commanders give any soldiers struggling with factors of the mission essential task list the opportunity to remedy their deficiencies. Soldiers who have completed their education for the army can take leave during this juncture, and general administrative and medical work is also completed at this time.

Long-range, short-range and near-term are the three varieties of training plans in army training management.

To fulfill the mission essential task list, long-range plans create training objectives by linking the mission essential task list with additional battle tasks. In this juncture, leaders arrange major training events.

By joining training events with meticulous goals, short-range training plans polish long-range strategies. Commonplace short-range plans consist of train for the army conventions and requisition of facilities.

Near-term plans develop the training FM cycle with schedules, time lines and specific directives to army trainers. The purpose of this is to polish short-range planning strategies even more.

Chapter 4 of the army training management cycle concludes with the publishing of schedules, which finalizes when, where and how army military instruction will begin.

The Israeli Army Diet is a low calorie diet plan which was popular in the late 1970s but is still used by some people today. No one knows for sure where this weight loss program got its name as it has nothing to do with the Israeli Army. Because this diet isn’t based on a book and has no recognized creator, it is difficult to track down its origin. However, what’s important is whether this diet really works and whether it is healthy.

Israeli Army Diet Review

This is an 8 day diet with a very simple and strict menu:

1. Days One – Two: Apples (black tea/coffee allowed)
2. Days Three – Four: Cheese (black tea/coffee allowed)
3. Days Five – Six: Chicken (black tea/coffee allowed)
4. Days Seven – Eight: Salad (black tea/coffee allowed)

As you can see, in all the 4 phases you can eat one food item for 2 days straight. This means that this isn’t such an easy diet to follow and requires a lot of will power. However, following this diet can result in a great weight loss because it’s so low in calories. Of course, this will mostly be water weight, but if you have an event coming up, this may help you to shed some pounds fast.

Because this is such a low calorie diet, it’s not healthy to follow the Israeli Army Diet for long. Even eating according to this diet for 8 days may lead to feelings of fatigue, extreme hunger, and irritability due to lack of calories. However, this kind of deprivation can lead to a fast weight loss.

If you want to use the Israeli Army Diet, I recommend doing so for a short time and be ready to shift to a more balanced diet and exercise program.

Chapter 6, Section II, of AR 140-10, states that a Soldier can transfer from the Retired Reserve to the Ready Reserve. They can transfer to a TPU, IMA unit, or to the IRR.

This transfer has to be voluntary. However, during time of emergency or mass mobilizations, Soldiers in the Retired Reserve are subject to mobilization. They can be mobilized from the Retired Reserve, or they could be transferred to the TPU, IMA, or IRR and be mobilized from there.

During the other times; however, Retired Reserve Soldiers, if qualified, can volunteer to transfer back to the Ready Reserve.

Qualifications:

Retired Reserve Soldiers wanting to transfer to the IRR must be qualified for the IRR, and must be qualified for deployment. One documentation, that the Soldier needs, is a record of medical examination. This examination needs to be reviewed by an Army surgeon. The medical examination, and review, have to be within one year.

Enlisted personnel must also be qualified for immediate reenlistment. These requirements are listed in AR 140-111. A Soldier desiring this kind of transfer must be ready for an immediate reenlistment with concurrent transfer to the IRR. If the Soldier is requesting transfer to the TPU, or IMA, it would be an immediate reenlistment with concurrent transfer to the TPU or IMA.

Soldiers have to meet the body fat requirements listed in AR 600-9. Ideally, Soldiers in the Retired Reserve should be maintaining physical fitness and be ready to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test. This isn’t always practical, and not every gray area retiree does this. Those desiring, or considering, mobilization or transfer back to the Ready Reserve should consider remaining within body fat standards as well as being physically able to pass the APFT.

Those in receipt of retired pay are generally not allowed to transfer into the Ready Reserve. There’s an exception, which is listed below.

If a Soldier was involuntarily removed from the Ready Reserve, because of an action taken by a retention or promotion board, or because of statute or regulation, that Soldier is ineligible to transfer back to the Ready Reserve.

Ineligible for transfer:

Soldiers in the Retired Reserve for the following reasons will not be able to apply for transfer into the Ready Reserve:

* A review board, promotion board, or other board removed the Soldier from the Ready Reserve category that the Soldier is trying to get back into.

* Statute requires the Soldier to be removed from the Ready Reserve.

* If the Soldier were to successfully transfer to the Ready Reserve, and that Soldier would automatically be required to be removed from the Ready Reserve as required by law or regulation, that Soldier will not be able to transfer back into the Ready Reserve.

* The Soldier is receiving retired pay, with the exception listed in paragraph 6-5, AR 140-10.

Application Process:

A Soldier in the Retired Reserve is considered as still in the Army. As such, the Soldiers can go to the nearest Career Counselor to help get the transfer process started.

As noted above, you need a medical evaluation done that was reviewed by an Army surgeon within the past year. You also have to generate a memorandum. In this memorandum, you have to indicate the following:

* That you are requesting transfer from the Retired Reserve to the IRR.

* The justification that you used in the memorandum that you included in your request to transfer to the Retired Reserve.

*Whether you are receiving disability compensation or not. If you are receiving disability compensation, how much you’re receiving each month.

*Your willingness to serve in the IRR, and to be qualified and available for deployment if needed.

If you transferred to the Retired Reserve for reasons outside of being eligible to retire with pay at 60, and your new contract would bring you to your mandatory removal date before you qualify to retire with pay, you also have to include the following statement:

*The understanding that you are subject to mandatory removal before you can complete 20 years of qualifying service. This statement, verbatim, can be found in paragraph 6-5, AR 140-10.

If your IRR transfer request is approved, you will get transfer orders transferring you from the Retired Reserve to the IRR. If you are enlisted, these orders would require you to immediately reenlist the day after the effective date on the order.

Tip:

Contact your nearest Career Counselor for details on this process, and review the applicable sections of the references below.

References:

AR 140-10, U.S. Army Reserve Assignments, Attachments, Details, and Transfers.

AR 140-111, U.S. Army Reserve Reenlistment Program.

AR 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program.

Your little boy has finally grown up. It seems like yesterday that you were carrying him in your arms. And, in a few years that seemed like a flash, he has turned into the sixteen-year-old before you. It is a moment any father would be proud to witness. As you regard him with pride, you can’t help but wonder what you should give him for his birthday. A new car would’ve been perfect but you have already made up your mind to give it to him after his graduation.

The Next Best Thing To A New Car

Perhaps you could give him a Swiss army knife. Having survived many battles and camping trips, a durable Swiss army knife is the best way to spell out endurance and perseverance. These two qualities will serve him well as he journeys through life. Life can be harsh and he may meet a lot of setbacks that he would need to get over in the future.

Being an object that is used in the military, a Swiss army knife can also be a symbol of loyalty and devotion. Many soldiers have fallen and risen with their knife safely tuck in their belongings. Better yet, when their ammo has run out, their knife becomes their only hope for survival. The Swiss army knife has accompanied many soldiers in battle and has stayed with them through the good times and the bad times. With this as a gift, you can emphasize the importance of loyalty and devotion in any relationship. It is also the best way to say that you will be with him through thick or thin. And, just like a Swiss army knife, you can always be counted on.

Because this compact instrument contains a collection of tools that can be used in many situations, many boy scouts have a Swiss army knife. Whether it’s as simple as opening a can of beans or as complicated as attending to someone who needs first aid, the Swiss army knife is always ready to help. By giving him one as a gift, you are sending him the message that he should always be prepared. In life, many obstacles will come his way. And, because you care about him, you want to remind him that he should always be watchful so that he could prepare himself to overcome them.

It’s More Than a Knife

A Swiss army knife usually consists of a blade, a can opener, a screw driver, a reamer and other day-to-day tools. It is portable and compact. And, you can take it anywhere. It perfectly carries the message that size doesn’t matter. No matter how small it is, its efficiency as a tool doesn’t decrease. And, because it has different tools and sizes, it can suit many personalities. Even better, it can deliver all the messages that you’d like to relay to your son. It symbolizes all the virtues and lessons that you would like to pass on.

Probably the most well-known and biggest reform of the army was the total restructuring of the soldiers, command structure, battle formations, and equipping of the legionnaire. This only continued to advance the might of the army. By the time of Augustus, when the “classical” legion most associated with the Roman army came into full force, the Imperial Army of Rome became the most powerful military in the ancient world.

This can be attributed to the numerous upgrades the army underwent during the time of Marius into the reign of Augustus and beyond.Previously, the Velites, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii each served different purposes in battle and had to provide their own weapons, armor, and roman helmets which varied in quality and appearance. During the first century A.D. they were made into a unified fighting force by Marius and Augustus, with uniform weapons and armor equipped with the wealth provided by the state. After the reforms, the pre-Marius soldiers were restructured into two main groups: legionnaires and auxilia. Citizens of the Roman Empire were recruited into the legions (backbone heavy infantry), while non-citizens made up the auxilia (support and specialized troops such as archers, cavalry, and inferiorly equipped troops).

This had another impact on the Roman society, as all people who lived within the territories of the empire were now able to join the army, citizen and non-citizen alike. The allowing of a significant number of non-citizens to fight in the army would, however, have major implications to the Roman state during the late empire. The command structure was remodeled significantly also. After the reforms, not only was the roman armor and dress modified, it was even more prevalent how much the excellent organization and command of the army contributed to the success of the Legion. No one man found themselves lost in the army due to the fact that each soldier personally knew an officer and each other.

This also helped contribute to a more loyal and organized army. The smallest unit of the army was the tent group, or Contuberniun, which consisted of eight men. They shared and were in charge of their own tent, supplies, and gear. Next came the Century, which was made up of ten groups of Contuberniun making eighty men. A Centurion was in charge of each Century. A Maniple was made up of two Centuries, and a Cohort was made up of three Maniples, making a standard 480 men per Cohort.

As time went on, however, into the age of Augustus, it is believed that the Maniple was dropped all together and the Cohort remained the principle standard unit in the army and was subdivided into six Centuries instead of three Maniples. Finally, the Legion was made up of ten Cohorts along with 120 horsemen, putting the strength of a Legion around 5000 men, excluding non-combatants. A legate was in command of a legion, and a Consul or Praetor (as Marius became) was in charge of the whole army or a given campaign.

The name “Swiss Army Knife” is a household term today. Interestingly, however, though the knife itself has been around since 1889, its famous name dates back only to the post World War II era. The origins of both the knife and its name make for an intriguing story.

In the Beginning

During the late 1880s the Swiss National Army decided its soldiers needed a folding pocket knife that would do at least two things. First, it had to be able to open canned food, and second, it had to facilitate the disassembling of the Schmidt-Rubin M1889 Swiss service rifle, which required a screwdriver for assembly. The Army designed a knife that had a blade, a “reamer,” a can-opener, and a screwdriver, and they designated the knife the “Modell 1890.”

The Swiss Army hoped to find a Swiss vendor to supply the knives, but unfortunately a manufacturer with the necessary production capabilities could not be found and the first order for 15,000 knives was awarded to a Company called Wester & Company in Solingen, Germany.

At about this same time a 30-year-old Swiss knife maker named Karl Elsener was making surgical equipment at his workshop in Ibach. His Company was called “Swiss Cutlery Guild.” Realizing that he had missed a golden opportunity with the Swiss Army, Elsener immediately went to work upgrading and equipping his plant to make the Modell 1890. Late in 1891 Elsener took over production of the Swiss Army knives, beginning a relationship that is now in its one hundred and twenty third year.

Evolution of the Swiss Army Knife

Elsener was not satisfied with the design of the Modell 1890, and he developed a spring mechanism that enabled him to attach tools to both sides of the knife handle, effectively doubling the number of tools that could be used. On June 12, 1897 Elsener introduced a new knife, which included a second, smaller cutting blade and a corkscrew in addition to the four original tools. He called it the “Schweizer Offiziermesser,” or “The Officer’s and Sports Knife.” Although this knife was never part of the military contract, it laid a foundation for what was to come.

Elsener used the now-famous cross and shield to identify his knives from the start. In 1909 his Mother died, and in 1921 the Company began using stainless steel to make all its blades. Elsener combined “Victoria,” his late Mother’s name, with “inox,” an abbreviation of the French term for stainless steel, to come up with “Victorinox,” the new name for the Company

Through the years hundreds of different Swiss Army knives have been manufactured, each with different combinations of tools for different applications. Among the many popular tools featured on the knives are tweezers, toothpicks, corkscrews, can openers, bottle openers, Phillips head screwdrivers, nail files, magnifying glasses, ballpoint pens, pliers, compasses, and rulers. Among recent technology-driven features are a USB flash drive, a digital altimeter, an LED light, a laser pointer, and an MP3 player.

Origin of the name “Swiss Army Knife”

Though the knives themselves have been around for more than a century, the name “Swiss Army Knives,” by which they are now commonly known world-wide, did not originate until after World War II. The knives first became well known to US Army troops during the war, when they were carried by virtually every German soldier. According to Carl Elsener, the son of the Company’s Founder, US soldiers purchased the knives in huge quantities at PX stores on military bases at the conclusion of the war. Because the German name for the knives “Schweizer Offiziermesser,” was far too difficult for the American soldiers to pronounce, they began calling them “Swiss Army Knives,” the name which has obviously stuck. The rest, as they say, is history.

During the present economic downturn prevailing around much of the world governments have been seized with initiatives to revive economic activities and reduce unemployment. One of the proposals is large spending on new infrastructure projects. An infrastructure project worth considering appears to be the creation of a green army charged with creating new forest areas through new tree plantations as well as new water ways and lakes to support such forests. Trees can be selected to provide food, energy through wood and bio-fuels, and wood for fuel, buildings and furniture besides creating new forest lands. Such a move will meet two other urgent needs of mankind – improving climate as well as mitigating energy shortages on a sustainable basis.

It has been felt by many thinkers that the human population on earth has increased beyond desirable levels over the past several decades. This increase is a burden on the planet. Human population on the planet cannot be reduced in a hurry. The next best thing is to utilize this population to improve the planet and the best way to do it is to create large green armies around the world to undertake the task. Different regiments of the army can be posted to different areas in order to create forests and nurture them for three to five years until they are established before moving on to new areas.

At the present time, although many countries are facing a shortage of fresh water, a lot of fresh water that falls on the continents flows back to the oceans in the rainy season. Creation of inland water reservoirs (lakes) and canals to bring water to these lakes will increase inland water resources as well as fish farming. A green army if created needs to engage itself in this task of enhancing fresh water resources along with tree plantations. When creating new canals over undulating land the creations of tunnels rather than lifting water must be the preferred mode since it does not require additional energy for pumping. The activities of a green army would need to be supported by a green research institute that will develop the project details for new initiatives of the green army.

In the modern world the need for traditional armies raised to engage in warfare is rapidly reducing. It is time now to change the emphasis to green armies engaged in fighting climatic degradation. If such armies are created it will undoubtedly help economic activity in a fruitful and sustainable manner.