SB Tactical Giving Back to Veterans with HAVA

SB Tactical is a business run by veterans for veterans, and they like to take every opportunity to give back when they can. Their flagship product was designed specifically to allow a specific disabled veteran hold and fire his AR-15 pistol. But since its launch, the SB-15 has taken off and found favor with just about everyone who has tried it. This past weekend SB Tactical spent their Saturday at the HAVA shoot in south Florida providing belt-fed fun for veterans and their families . . .

HAVA (Honored American Veterans Afield) is an organization dedicated to aiding the healing and re-integration of veterans through the shooting sports and outdoor activities. One of the ways they accomplish that is through organized shoots where veterans and their families are invited to come out and enjoy the same firearms that they previously used on the job…in a much more relaxed and enjoyable environment. Plus, no one is shooting back, which is nice.

I spent most of the day running the M240 for SB Tactical, helping veterans and their family members get acquainted with one of my favorite belt-fed machine guns. Throughout the day when I would ask people if they were familiar with the firearm. Time and again I would see them smile and tell me about their love-hate relationship with the gun or its predecessor the M60, recounting how they had lugged it through the jungles of Vietnam or the mountains of Afghanistan. Carrying it around might have been a pain in the ass, but firing it was universally beloved.

There were also a number of firearms there that the average grunt wouldn’t have had any time behind. Guns like this Thompson machine gun or a full auto MP5. Things that our forefathers would have used, or that were only reserved for the select few, that SB Tactical brought out to let people play with. It definitely put a smile on many people’s faces to hold and shoot a true piece of history, and brightening the day of combat veterans is definitely something that is a worthwhile experience.

Rick Cicero was the man in charge of the event and as he opened the day during the briefing, he made sure to remind everyone why events like this one were important. “These people wrote a blank check to us, the United States, for any amount up to and including their life” he said. Providing a weekend for them and their families to come out to the range and enjoy the shooting sports is one way to give back to that community of veterans and thank them for their service to their country. SB Tactical definitely pulled out all the stops to make it a great day.