Curtis Iovito and Mark Carey, Co-Founders of Spartan Blades, LLC, possess over 40 years of combined military service and experience. Since their retirement from US Army Special Forces they have been involved in the development, marketing, and program management of tactical gear and ballistic armor products. For years Curtis has designed and made custom knives for his friends in Special Forces and for other companies. Mark and Curtis have combined their shared love of knife making, military experience and knowledge of the tactical equipment market to form Spartan Blades, LLC with a singular mission:
“Manufacture finely crafted tactical and field knives”
“Knives with Intent”
It is the intent of Spartan Blades to provide the modern warrior and outdoorsman with knives that will serve them in a variety of missions and environments. Our intent is not to provide a cool knife or the next great pry bar, but rather produce a knife that is highly functional, made from only premium materials and techniques that looks great too!
All Spartan knives are manufactured by us in North Carolina with only US origin materials. Our Sheaths are made by US / US veteran owned businesses using only the best US Origin / Berry Amendment compliant materials. Both Mark and Curtis have spent a lifetime in the service of, and working to advance the interests of our country. Spartan Blades will do the same by only manufacturing in the U.S.A. with the highest quality domestically produced materials. Additionally, Spartan Blades utilizes other veteran owned small businesses in meeting our manufacturing mission.
Spartan Blades, LLC is located in Aberdeen, NC just west of Ft Bragg, NC; “Home of the US Army Airborne and Special Forces”.
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Bio's
CURTIS V. IOVITO
President and Co-Founder, Spartan Blades, LLC
Curtis is a native of Bolingbrook, Illinois where he spent most of his childhood hunting and camping along the Dupage River. Curtis entered military service as a U.S. Marine and at the completion of his first tour as a nuclear security guard, reenlisted in the U.S. Army. He was then assigned to the Rangers where he participated in the combat airborne assault of Rio Hato, Panama during Operation “Just Cause”. He volunteered, was selected and trained as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant. He specialized in all aspects of unconventional warfare with an emphasis on counter terrorism and sniping. While serving in Special Forces he developed an interest in knife making which he advanced by making custom knives for his buddies in 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). He completed his 20 + year career after numerous sensitive deployments and missions through out Asia and the Middle East.
After his retirement form the Army, Curtis worked as the Marketing Director for a large armor development corporation. He quickly realized that he could combine his rapport building skills developed by working with foreign governments with the business world. It only made sense to combine these skills with his love of knives to form Spartan Blades, LLC. Curtis teamed up with Mark Carey, a former Special Forces teammate with a reputation as an intelligent “quiet professional” who had already proven himself in the military and business.
Curtis is enjoying his foray into the knife world and has found the industry to be not only welcoming but very close knit and helpful during the start up of Spartan Blades. Curtis’ extensive military background and love of knives gives him a unique insight into the critical needs of the modern warrior. It is this insight as well as his close relationship to the Special Operations community that has given rise to Spartan Blades, LLC. Curtis currently resides in Aberdeen, NC, just outside of Ft Bragg.
Assignments
D/2/1st SWTG. Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC), Ft Bragg, NC
C/1/1 SFG (A),1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa, Japan
B/3/1 SFG (A),1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ft Lewis, WA
1st Corps LRSC (Long Range Surveillance Corps), Ft Lewis, WA
A Co., 2nd BN, 75th Ranger Regiment, Ft Lewis, WA
Marine Barracks Charleston S.C. Polaris Missile Facility Atlantic
Military Education
DOS-DSS High Threat Protective Security Operations Course (Kroll Crucible)
O’Gara SSI High Risk Drivers Training Course
Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance and Target Exploitation Training Course (SFARTETC)
Special Operations Target Interdiction Course Level I (SOTIC)
Special Operations Training Course (SOT)
Hard Target Interdiction Course (HTI)
Military Freefall Parachutist Course (HALO School)
Special Operations Terminal Air Controllers Course (SOTAC)
US Army Special Warfare Training Center Instructor Training Course (ITC)
Infantry Mortar Leaders Course (IMLC)
Special Forces Functional Language Course (KOREAN)
Command Directed Language Course (INDONESIAN)
Combat Trackers Course
Advanced Non Commissioned officers/Operation and Intelligence Course (ANCOC/O&I)
US Army Static Line Jumpmaster Course
Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course
Ranger Indoctrination Course
Airborne School
USMC Basic Training / Infantry Training School (ITS)
MARK CAREY
Vice President and Co-Founder, Spartan Blades, LLC
Mark is a native of San Diego, California. Mark entered military service in the U.S. Army (1984) and completed his first tour of duty as a light infantry soldier in Ulm, Germany. He was then assigned to a mechanized unit at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He volunteered, was selected and trained as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant. He specialized in all aspects of medicine, unconventional warfare with an emphasis on counter terrorism and sniping. While serving in Special Forces he developed an interest in business, logistics and entrepreneurial development. He completed a career of over 21 years with numerous sensitive deployments and missions throughout Asia.
Upon his retirement from the Army, Mark worked as the Director of Overseas Operations – Kuwait, for a local armor development corporation, planning and managing a multi-million dollar contract. He quickly realized that he could combine skills developed by working with foreign governments and the business world. Mark teamed up with Curtis, a former Special Forces teammate with a proven reputation of awesome knife designs to form Spartan Blades, LLC.
Mark is enjoying his foray and rapid induction into the knife world and has found the industry to be not only welcoming but very close knit and helpful during the start up of Spartan Blades. Mark’s extensive military background and tactical knowledge, love of knives and weapons, gives him a unique insight into the critical needs in the field. It is this insight, as well as his close relationship to the Special Operations community and industry, that has given rise to Spartan Blades, LLC. Mark currently resides in Aberdeen, NC, just outside of Ft Bragg.
Assignments
D/2/1st SWTG. Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC), Ft Bragg, NC
C/1/1 SFG (A),1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa, Japan
B/1/1 SFG(A), 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa, Japan
HSC/3/1 SFG(A), 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ft Lewis, WA
A/3/1 SFG (A), 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ft Lewis WA
D/4/15 INF, 194th Brigade, Fort Knox, KY
A/2/4 INF, 56th FA Brigade (Pershing), Ulm, Germany
Military Education
USMC Urban Sniper Course
Special Operations Target Interdiction Course Level I (SOTIC)
US Army Special Warfare Training Center Instructor Training Course (ITC)
Special Forces Functional Language Course (THAI)
Command Directed Language Course (THAI)
Advanced Non Commissioned Officers/Operation and Intelligence Course (ANCOC/O&I)
Paramedic (UTSAHSC)
USMC Maritime Over the Horizon / Coxswain Courses
US Army Mountain School
Special Forces Medical Sergeant Course
Airborne School
Site Security Course
US Army Basic Training / Advance Individual Training - Infantry Course