Rumble in the Jungle
Drew Wallace is a former member of 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and Blackwater Worldwide, with multiple deployments overseas. He is currently the executive producer of Training Cell, an exclusive series airing on subscription-based SOFREP TV, a network run by military veteran contributors sworn to authenticity.
Training Cell takes viewers inside the world of some of the most advanced, highly trained tactical personnel in the world. Subjects range from winter warfare and off-road driving to gunfighting. The topics are diverse, but the expert analysis, recommendations and skills provided by the team are evident in every episode.
“I’ve always lived by the phrase ‘luck is the residue of design,’” Wallace said of his training philosophy. “You must prepare relentlessly to take advantage of every moment of success or react appropriately to events of misfortune. Preparation is 99% of the job, and most gunfights are rarely fought on a 50-meter flat range. What are you doing to prepare yourself for unexpected and diverse scenarios? How often do you dryfire your weapon? What physiological demands are you integrating into your gunfighting skills?”
Using the right gear goes hand-in-hand with the right training, as far as Wallace is concerned. “An enormous component of preparation is training with the right mission-essential equipment. There is no substitute for top quality gear, particularly when your life depends on its function,” he explained.
The hardcore training depicted in Training Cell takes placeall over the world. “This past June, we traveled to the Hawaiian Islands to conduct several training modules, including Combat Tracking, Jungle Warfare, and Canyoneering & Rappelling,” Wallace elaborated.
“Rappelling down a 100 ft. waterfall, loaded with gear and nothing supporting you but a single line can be intimidating—but not when you have trust in your equipment. Your equipment needs to assist you in reaching your objective, not slow you down. Weapon selection based on your surroundings is paramount. Mobility and lethality go hand-in-hand, and mobility in the rainforest poses numerous challenges. When encountered with heavy vegetation in a jungle, a heavier caliber, such as .308, is far more effective at reaching your target. The DD5 rifle delivered that heavier caliber, capable of penetrating heavy brush, while still maintaining the compact, light weight feeling of an AR platform.”
Wallace is a big fan of Daniel Defense rifles, which he refers to as “the tip of the spear.”
“We use their products in every training event because we know they’re reliable and tested. We created the series Training Cell to display the effort required to perform in Special Operations and Law Enforcement at a very high level. The instruction, performance, and equipment are the focus. We strive to connect the best capabilities and best products in a community that stands for the very best in all of us.”
