Larry Vickers

Larry Allen Vickers is a retired Delta Force soldier, firearms instructor, and author. He is the founder of Vickers Tactical, and co-founder of the International Pistol Defense Association and Firearms Training Association.[1]

Larry Vickers
BornJune 1963 (age 58)
Adams Mills, Ohio, United States
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
RankMaster sergeant
UnitDelta Force
Battles/warsOperation Acid Gambit
Operation Desert Storm
AwardsBronze Star Medal with V for Valor

Early life

Vickers was born in Adams Mills, Ohio in June 1963.[2][3] His father served in the North African and Italian campaign of World War II.[4]

When he was in middle school, Vickers decided that he wanted to join the United States Army Special Forces, and gained an interest in firearms during this period.[5] Vickers entered into the Delayed Entry Program and graduated from Tri-Valley High School in 1981,[4] and graduated from the military in 1982.[4] He joined Delta Force in 1987.[4]

Career

Vickers participated in Operation Desert Storm,[4] and Operation Acid Gambit, for which he received the Bronze Star Medal. Vickers retired from Delta Force after 20 years of service, mostly due to personal injuries.[2] Vickers formerly worked for Heckler & Koch, during which time he helped to develop the HK416[6] and HK45.[7]

Larry Vickers is the author of the "Vickers Guide", a series of reference books that launched in 2015, detailing firearms such as the Colt AR-15, M1911, and MP 40.[8]

In 2009, the Vickers Tactical YouTube channel was created. By 2021, it reached upwards of 900,000 subscribers, and 200,000,000 views.[9]

Personal life

Vickers is a fan of the AK-47,[5][10] and has an autograph from Mikhail Kalashnikov.[11] In 2021, Vickers was diagnosed with cancer.[9]

Vickers has an affinity for Rhodesia, and in 2017 posted a photo of a Rhodesian FAL with the caption “It’s time to slot floppies. ...” (floppies being a racial slur and slot being Rhodesian slang for shoot). He believes that the fall of Rhodesia was “the greatest tragedy of the post-World War II era.”[12]

References
  1. Ismay, John (10 April 2018). "Rhodesia's Dead — but White Supremacists Have Given It New Life Online". The New York Times.
  2. "The Making Of A Legend | Larry Vickers". American Shooting Journal. 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2021-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. "Ask Me Anything - Answers". YouTube. Vickers Tactical.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Profiles Of Courage - Larry Vickers - Delta Combat Veteran". YouTube. Vickers Tactical. 2020-02-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "«Ak is very easily given a facelift with what is available on the market can be brought up to be a very efficient weapon system»: Larry Vickers interview pt. 2". Kalashnikov Media.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Rosenwald, Michael (2014-08-08). "Ernst Mauch: The man making guns smarter". The Independent. Retrieved 2021-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Mizokami, Kyle (2020-01-16). "This 1 Reason Shows Why the HK45 Pistol Is One of the Finest". The National Interest. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  8. "Book Review: Vickers Guide: World War II Germany, Vol. 1". American Rifleman.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. P, Will (2021-04-08). "Larry Vickers Announces Porsche Dealer Sponsorship". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2021-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Ziyatdinova, Aygul. "Retired US ASF Larry Vickers about the Kalashnikov rifle". RealnoeVremya. Retrieved 2021-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. C, Nicholas (2015-04-29). "Larry Vicker's Kalashnikov Autograph". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2021-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. Ismay, John. "Rhodesia's Dead — but White Supremacists Have Given It New Life Online". nytimes.com. the New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.