Bracelets helping military overseas

DESTIN, Fla. (WALA) - Our military is always looking for ways to supply troops with the most lightweight, versatile equipment out there in an effort to keep its members safe.

One Florida company, Survival Straps, is doing just that.

"You're giving back to the soldiers and military members for the service that they give to you. They go out to war each and every day, and by you wearing this, you support them and their cause,” said salesman Paul Verhulst.

They're called Survival Straps. Military strength bracelets made of para-chord, the same stuff trusted with bringing our men and women down safely to the ground in parachutes.

"If you're ever in a survival situation where you need rope, the survival strap is your rope,” Verhulst said.

Paul Verhulst was recently medically retired from the military. Now he sells Survival Straps at Bico Australia in Destin.

"Straps" sends a portion of its profits to the Wounded Warrior Program , aiding injured military members when they return home.

"They help them transition into civilian life, help them set up everything with the VA appointments and such. When you purchased this, 20 percent of your purchase went to the Wounded Warrior Program,” Verhulst said.

The man behind the bracelets is Kurt Walklee. He told FOX10 News a story he received of a Marine Corps sniper stationed in Iraq, who attributes his survival to his strap.

The Marine sniper was covering his squad and they bombed an enemy stronghold when one went off too close to home.

"Some shrapnel came off and went through his calf. And he was wearing two of our survival bracelets. And he unwound the first bracelet and made a tourniquet around his leg,” Walchle said.

However, Survival Strap uses don't end close to the body, as it’s at least 14 feet of rope when fully extended. The Marine sniper put those feet to good use with his other bracelet, tying things around him together for cover.

"We get stories like that, and it just makes us very proud. And we're honored to make the kind of gear that we do for these guys,” Walchle said.

Walchle said his goal is to raise a half a million dollars for the Wounded Warriors Program.