The Jake Story

In 1999, Russ Strong rolled out of the hospital in a wheelchair to recover from a blood clot he got in his leg during a flight from Europe. In the design world, Strong was known as “Mr. Tractor” for his engineering and styling work with Caterpillar, John Deere, and New Holland. He was also informally working on a new concept for wheelchair mobility. His new situation would cause him to get serious about it. But, he never would have guessed this would pull him into the world of our soldiers and stretch him to the breaking point.

In tackling wheelchair mobility, Strong saw an opportunity to help open the great outdoors for those with disabilities. He began applying his trademark style of problem solving to this challenge. He went to users and leaders in the adaptive community, including a paraplegic climber who has conquered El Capitan and a 12 times Women’s Paralympics Gold Medal skier. He asked them what they would want for outdoor mobility if they could have anything they desired.

They said they wanted something that put them eye level with everyone else, something that was stable and yet agile enough for both their ordinary, and extraordinary, pursuits. They said they wanted “attitude”, something that didn’t have a disability stigma. They wanted something that anyone would use. The result was Jake™, a compact, stylishly rugged vehicle that would pick up a wheelchair and take them where they wanted to go: around town or into high mountain snow. Then things took an interesting turn.

A paralyzed veteran said, “I sure could have used this in Vietnam, with a 50 Cal.” A Special Operations officer with experience in Mogadishu, Somalia had similar comments: Jake™’s new design had inadvertently invented new ways for a soldier to move with agility and a heavy load. Strong also noted that a Jake™ with military “attitude” would avoid a disability stigma for wheelchair users and military technologies would further break barriers. They said, “Go do the military first”.

In tackling military uses, Strong saw an opportunity to help open up power and protection for our foot soldiers. He began applying his trademark style of problem solving to this challenge. He went to users and leaders in the military community: Special Operations, Army and Marines, some returning from Afghanistan and later from Iraq. He asked them what they would want for urban mobility if they could have anything they desired.

They said they wanted something that would take them and their gear into tight spots and get them out again. They said they wanted ballistics protection, agility and serious firepower. They said they wanted something that would deter bad guys and yet allow them to peacefully interact with civilians. They wanted it with robotics…and oh…it would be nice if it could fly! The result was a modified Jake™, a compact, agile, tough looking vehicle that would take them where they wanted to go, carry their gear and their biggest guns, and do it all at, or above, eye level with the surrounding population–and they also figured out how to get it up in the air to cover rooftop snipers.

Then on Jan 26, 2005, Strong got the news that his nephew, Marine Sgt. Jesse Strong, was killed in Iraq, one of four Marines killed by one RPG.

Strong’s commitment to get new tactics and protection to our troops was now personal. Encouraged by soldiers, Strong saw the Jake™ as an opportunity to help our nation adapt and open new strategies. He began applying his trademark style of problem solving to this challenge. He went to leaders in the military command at local and national levels. He asked how the Jake™ could help their efforts in transformation. The response was simultaneously encouraging and heartbreaking.

The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army termed it “the warrior transformer”. A 2005 official Army REF briefing to the Secretary of the Army defined it as “identifies and fills an overlooked capabilities gap”. First Armored Cavalry out of Ft Hood, seeing a Jake™ demo in 2006 as they prepared to return to Iraq said they wanted it loaded in their truck that day, “Can we get 15 more?” and “This is the Iron Horse!”. A Ft. Bragg Ranger recruiter said it is “worth a billion dollars in recruiting power alone”. Technology leaders in the defense industry see the Jake™ as the agile carrier needed to unleash a flood of new technologies to our troops to where they can use them effectively…in the alleys and with them on foot patrol. A former CIA Director declares: “If this isn’t the answer to the urban fight, it will be found during its development”.

However, with all these statements, the recurring comment is that this program is impossible to do within the existing procurement system. To get what people are excited about, the program requires a look at many new things at one time. And, “We can’t fund it until we prove what it does; we can’t prove what it does until we fund it”: a big Catch-22 that holds back defense technology companies from joining together in putting together its real power. Time passes while discussions continue. And yet, our soldiers remain no better equipped to carry the technology and protection they need in the alleys.

With the job being greater than Strong’s funds and the death toll continuing to mount in Afghanistan and Iraq, he finds this situation hard to accept. The experience of so many soldiers has opened so many opportunities. Too many problems have been solved, and too much innovative technology is in place, to be stopped at this point. He asks the question:

“When we have $176 Billion for a new jet, why can’t we find $10 Million (0.006% of this) for a look at an acknowledged opportunity for our foot soldiers who are in harm’s way every day and asked to win this war?”

To America, Russ asks:

"If we can have TV reality shows ‘Pimping Your Ride’ and "Extreme Makeover", why can’t America power up our soldiers? This would be a show!" Strong says: "This would be action…and the Jake for our disabled warriors wouldn’t also be held back another 6 years".

Soldier and Marine family members who knew about this program, and the very real challenges it faces in accomplishing change within the military, asked for a way to communicate better the gap in equipment our young Soldiers and Marines need on the ground in a new kind of war and peacekeeping. The website of Integrated Vision’s American Agility is about communicating this need for action and the dynamics that can rapidly yield a catalyst to open our warfighters’ power to continually adapt, to win and to come home. The website’s point is to stop the talking and get on with the doing…Americans solving this last problem, Strong’s toughest yet.

Though every sector of our armed services and Congress has leaders stating their support, this program is accomplished to date with no government funding. But, what has been a tough path for us, uniquely allows an opportunity today for America: a program staged with the highest level of freedom for innovation and evolution with our young Soldiers.

Join us and help show that America still knows how to get things done.

As presented in the New Media Journal, Feb 29, 2008
Written by Nate and Vicki Strong, from evening discussions with Russ Strong