R-12 Industries is a ballistic research and development company based in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 2021 by a board certified general and pediatric surgeon who also serves as a South Carolina State Constable, R-12 specializes in neuro ballistic protection systems for military, law enforcement, and private security applications.
On June 30, 2020, R-12 Industries received the first of several patents from the United States Patent and Trade Office (10697736) for the first practical, lightweight, ballistic headgear with complete 360-degree protection from NIJ Level IIIA threats.
Originating from the Biblical message in Romans Chapter 12, R-12’s three initial products provide complete 360-degree and total cranial protection that weighs under one pound. R-12 remains steadfast in our commitment to help protect first responders and military personnel from low-velocity gunshot wounds to the head.
While serving as a South Carolina State constable during a Greenville, SC Police Department officer’s funeral in 2016, R-12 founder Daniel Saad, MD, became motivated to explore opportunities to protect first responders from gunshot wounds to the head. After five years of research, product development, patent applications, and ballistic testing, Dr. Saad created the first light weight, practical, and effective duty head gear that resembles a baseball cap. The casual style cap provides security, comfort, and is more practical for everyday patrol and security details.
Extensive testing with National Technical Systems (NTS), a worldwide leader in ballistic testing and research, assisted R-12 with developing and refining innovating products to protect first responders. Testing at NTS confirmed that R-12’s products will prevent NIJ Level IIIA threats from entering the brain. R-12 believes this advantage will provide significant and casual neuro protection that will provide a sense of comfort for first responders.
The company strives to “protect those who serve others,” while offering first responders a peace-of-mind awareness in regard to providing casual ballistic protection to the cranial areas.
About Dr. Saad
Daniel F. Saad, MD, is the founder and President of R-12 Industries. A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Dr. Saad is board certified in both general surgery and pediatric surgery with nearly 25 years of surgical trauma experience.
He is is a graduate of Furman University and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency training at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, LA and a pediatric surgery research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine during residency. Dr. Saad obtained pediatric surgery training at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, AR.
Dr. Saad has treated hundreds of traumatic brain injuries during his career. Based on his past experience, he learned that projectiles that penetrates the skull and cause injury across both right and left hemispheres of the brain, bihemispheric injuries, are lethal 90 percent of the time. These findings motivated Dr. Saad to create a discreet, practical 360-degree neuro protective baseball cap for first responders.
While continuing to practice pediatric surgery, Dr. Saad has served his community as an active South Carolina State Constable since 2012. He volunteers a minimum of 120 hours annually on duty patrol, providing security detail, attending continuing education classes, and participating in tactical training that includes legals, domestic violence, defensive tactics, and firearms qualifications.
Prior to becoming a South Carolina State Constable, Dr. Saad volunteered for service in the South Carolina State Guard’s military police unit, the Provost Marshal Detachment (PMD) and was commissioned as a Major in 2010. He has been activated for armed duty several times in South Carolina to provide security for victims of natural disasters, including floods and hurricanes.
While serving as a South Carolina State Constable, it became apparent to Dr. Saad that there was a great need to protect the heads and brains of his fellow guardsmen, who were only issued ballistic vests for duty. This encouraged him to develop the R-12 neuro protection systems and spend countless hours and resources into the five-year journey that secured his first U.S. patent. Dr. Saad is committed to protecting those who choose to serve and protect others with innovative, quality and medically derived ballistic protective gear.