About Us
We made some calls.
What drives us? Total domination of our market by building the best firearm equipment available, period. No tricks, no gimmicks. We know that offering a superior product is the only way to stay on top. And frankly, nobody else comes close.
DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS WHO RIFLE THROUGH SCHEMATICS IN THEIR SLEEP.
Great design is the expression of a master’s subconscious—the place where training, experience, and knowledge all intersect.
MACHINISTS AND GUNSMITHS WITH NERVES OF STEEL, A FIRE BURNING INSIDE.
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of business. Eventually, paper plans have to go up in flames, making way for the real goods. A picture won’t do jack in the field.
MILITARY VETERANS WITH AN IRON GRIP ON PRECISION AND PERFORMANCE.
We wouldn’t call our products superior if we didn’t have a real world understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Repeated performance in ultra-intense situations breeds perfection.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, CGS HAS ASSEMBLED A TEAM WITH UNRIVALED POTENTIAL.
How will your skills, experiences, and intellect help us build something that commands respect? Every person at CGS has their own surprising answer. That’s the point.
Key Players
JOSH PARKER
Design Engineer
Josh works extremely hard, speaks very little, and sleeps even less. Josh may not spend a lot of the day talking to us, but whatever he lacks in constant thoughtless conversation, he more than makes up for in design ability. He has spent the better part of the last 10 years of his life indoors perfecting his design craft while chained to a computer in a tiny, dark room, and we intend to keep him that way.
Out here in Southeast New Mexico’s high desert, there is not much to look at, but he can see for miles. His hobbies are staying indoors, utilizing copious amounts of air conditioning, and using the very latest in design software to create your dreams.
When Josh is not very quietly designing advanced sound suppressor technology, he enjoys cooking large quantities of meat, eating bacon by the pound, and rollin’ in his ‘64. Seriously though folks, when we find something he can’t do well (besides basketball) you will be the first to know.
MIKE HEFNER “HEF”
Overlord of Mindfulness
If this guy is talking, your mouth should not be moving. He specializes in convincing people to give a shit, and he loves to be known as the good idea fairy. If he is sitting at your poker table, your wallet is going on a diet. Women find his boyish charm and rugged handsomeness downright irresistible. Only a handful of the finest men on earth have ever seen an example of Hef’s work and lived to tell the tale.
Unfortunately for us, those fellas aren’t talking. His heart is in the firearms industry, while his mind stays mostly in the gutter.
Hef has spent the last 24 years of his life dedicated to ensuring the protection of our great nation and that its enemies pay a swift and dear price for any affront they can muster towards it. I don’t know what shoe size he wears, but you couldn’t walk a mile in them or even around the block. He is like lightning in a bottle, and we are glad he continues to allow us to remain on his playground.
Hef’s accomplishments are too many to list, his failures are few, the witnesses fewer, and the tales of his conquests are epic though seldom told. His intestinal fortitude and courage in the face of untenable opposition is the sort of thing legends are made of. Hef remains our resident subject matter expert on anything and everything awesome, and he will continue his work with our Research and Development Division ad aeternum. If there is one thing Hef knows better than how to take money from you at a poker table, it would have to be cutting edge firearms technology. Hef has seen the future of this industry, and all of our futures are brighter because of him.
SHANNON MCKINNEY "MAC"
Director of Awesomeness
“Mac” was one of a kind. If he called you friend it was for life. If he didn’t…that could present some very specific problems for you. The list of folks that were “dead to him” was not one you wanted to be on. Mac was an awesome man who led an amazing life.
Mac was taken from us far too soon and its still tough for us to talk about. His contributions to our organization were vast and valuable, but none surpassed his friendship. Everyone at CGS continues to mourn the loss of Shannon McKinney.
Our hearts remain broken that he is no longer here with us. We can no longer gain his wisdom, seek his approval and sage advice, nor can we hear his thoughts on the day’s events. If you knew this man at all you know what he did for our country.
You know how he served, where he fought, and the men he stood beside. To call any of these men “A Hero” would fall miserably short of the honor and respect they truly deserve. Thank you Mac…for everything. We love you.
Liberty’s Lion
For SGM Shannon McKinney
15 Jan 2016
I remember seeing Liberty’s Lion-
Walking slowly toward the setting sun-
His eyes bright and full of purpose-
As he strolled calmly toward the guns.
And as he walked us through the valley-
Of the shadow of Grim Death-
We all feared no evil-
As long as our Lion still had his breath.
Forward he walked; always forward for us-
First to go; Always Number One-
Confronting our enemies by day and by night-
Ensuring that freedoms’ fights were won.
And then, too soon, the Death he did not fear-
Took him far from those he held so Dear-
And America lost one of her favorite sons-
Into that distant, setting sun.
TCW
JOHN SCHAIBLE "SUPERFLY"
Overseer of Blaze Ops
I am not sure I am even qualified to supply a bio on this guy or how much of this stuff I am really supposed to know but here goes.
John “Superfly” Schaible joined the Army in 1992, and since then he has kicked a metric ton of ass and taken countless names. After 7 years in the Ranger Regiment (1/75) he was selected to join the ranks of a near mythical organization which shall remain nameless.
Even surrounded by high concentrations of the absolute most amazing human beings on planet earth, this guy was a stand out. Anyone with three Purple Hearts and a dozen (that’s 12 if you don’t do math) Bronze Stars is obviously a stand out.
He is so unbelievable that he found a way to receive an Army Air Medal for “eliminating an enemy in flight”…The only thing this man flies is a parachute folks…Wrap your mind around that for just a second.
I wish I could tell you how proud we are of this guy. I really can’t. He is a true master of his craft as a warrior and the ultimate silent professional. He has remained ever vigilant to stay out of the public eye, is always humble about his past and will never seek recognition for his service.
Aside from a brief stint as the undefeated, undisputed, arm wrestling champion of Germany, you have probably never even heard of this man. Even so he has defended us and our nation most valiantly in every conflict known or unknown for his entire adult life. We are so very fortunate men like this exist and even more fortunate to call them friends.
RICHARD CORTES "VERN"
Creator of Opportunities
Fasten your seat belts ladies. This is going to be a long read. Vern has done more in his lifetime than most men could in four lifetimes. No one is more experienced or qualified to represent CGS Breaching Products than Vern. He is an amazing man and like all of our key players…we are very fortunate to have him. Minds like Vern’s give birth to products like the Pandora and likely many more to come.
Vern Cortes joined the Army in 1988. He was trained at Fort Leonard Wood and assigned to Alpha Company, 326th Engineer Battalion (Air Assault) where he served as a Combat Engineer until 1992. Vern was then assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group where he served honorably as an Engineer NCO, Detatchment Engineer NCO, and Senior Engineer Sergeant. In December of 1997 Vern was assigned to 1st SFOD-D where he served for 19 more years as a Team Member / Operator, Assistant Team Sergeant, Team Sergeant, OTC Instructor, Troop Sergeant Major, and RDT&E Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Major Cortes has deployed countless times in support of combat operations across multiple theaters of operation including Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and other areas of the world. He has completed nearly every military course imaginable including Airborne Course, Air Assault Course, Jungle Ops Course, Sapper Course, Special Forces Assessment and Selection, HELO Rope Course, Free Fall Course, Air Movement Command Equipment Preparation, Jump Master Course, Ranger Course, Military Free Fall Jump Master Course, Advanced Land Nav Course, Operator Training Course, DOD High Risk Survival Course, Safety Orientation Course, Combatives Level 1, US ARMY Sergeants Major Academy, and all NCOES Courses.
Throughout what amounts to a lifetime of service at the very pinnacle of the special operations community, Vern has received many awards. Mind you I was unable to get even a hint of this from Vern himself but his brothers in arms are quick to tell the stories associated with Vern’s stellar career as a Special Operator. He has been awarded 2 Bronze Stars with Valor Device, 6 Bronze Stars, 2 Purple Hearts, 3 Defense Meritorious Service Medals, 2 Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, 2 Army Commendation Medals, 2 Joint Service Achievement Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, 9 Army Good Conduct Medal, 2 National Defense Service Medals, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars, GWOT Expeditionary Medal, GWOT Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon IV, Army Service Ribbon, Two Overseas Service Ribbons, Two NATO Medals, Saudi Arabia Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, Airborne Tab, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge Military Free Fall Jump Master Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge.
Mere mortals can not even shoulder the burden of the medals, awards and commendations pinned to this man’s uniform. A very humble man, his 4 tabs set the USASOC sleeve insignia down by his elbow. I cant put into words how honored we are to have Vern on our team or how proud we are of him. We are forever in debt for his service and the sacrifices made by Vern and his family over the past 29 years of this man’s life. Thank god for him and the men like him that stand ready to protect and defend our nation and bring the fight right to the doorsteps of our enemies anytime, anywhere, day or night.
