We owe a debt of gratitude to many individuals and organizations that helped make WOBIG a reality over the last three years.
We want to thank the faculty and midshipmen at the US Naval Academy, and especially Capt. and Professor Brad Baker, for help with the development and production of numerous test units. Among his many responsibilities, Capt. Baker founded and operates the world-class MakerSpace USNA.
We also owe a special debt of gratitude to the entire team at 5.11. On leave from overseas duty in 2018, Tim walked into their offices in Irvine and asked to meet with CEO Francisco Morales to show his idea. Francisco made room in his schedule for this unexpected meeting with a soldier and encouraged Tim to move forward with the project. Francisco and other good folks at 5.11 have continued to provide advice and guidance in the years since.
Another major supporter was FormLabs, which designs and manufactures high-performance 3D printers. We used their technology to accelerate our development, producing prototypes for testing (and sometimes purposefully destructive testing!) within days instead of months—and doing so within a soldier's budget. Our favorite person there is Chris Crowley, who heads up their DOD practice.
Finally, we reserve our deepest appreciation for our familes, including our brothers and sisters in arms—without whom none of this would be possible.
We thank you all.
