Widgets For Modern Warriors

"That's the kind of guy he is," observes Singlaub, taking a break from signing his 1991 book, "Hazardous Duty: An American Soldier in the Twentieth Century." He says they've known each other since 1966 in Vietnam, where Singlaub commanded a secret unit in which Waugh served.

"He's persistent, he knows what the mission is and doesn't let anything get in the way."

A similar mix of testosterone, zeal and courage emanates from the hundreds of brawny law enforcement and military types who mill about at Trexpo, some dressed in SWAT black, many sporting the off-duty uniform of cargo pants and tight polos, the better to accentuate one's biceps. They pause under displays that bristle with weaponry ("HK Handguns for Homeland Security"), assault garb, gas masks, rescue gear, night-vision and surveillance gadgetry.

"Want to see the world's smallest digital video recorder?" urges Aaron James, president of Security Cameras Direct of Loomis, Calif. He also displays an audio recorder half the size of a butane lighter, excellent for undercover snooping.

"It's a lot of really cool stuff. It's amazing what they can do with technology," says Army Capt. Dan Glanz, pausing by a high-definition simulated shooting range. Wearing khaki fatigues and desert boots, he is approached by strangers who awkwardly shake his left hand.

Glanz, 33, a Special Operations Civil Affairs reservist from Orange, lost his other hand and a portion of his right arm in Kandahar in June. His forehead and upper lip are scarred as well. "I was on a routine mission and there was a suicide bomber."

The tactic, he says matter-of-factly, was "quite unusual" for Afghanistan. "It is still a dangerous place to be," he adds. "The war is still going on and it's intensifying."

Yes, there and other places. But at least for the moment, in this expo hall full of warriors, it was possible to feel secure.