My wife and I have two daughters, one away at college (Emily) and one still in high school (Shannon). Both of them are contemplating carrying on the Continue Reading
Toothless Dragon? The “Five Incapables” of the Chinese Military
The Chinese military, known more formally as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has long been a force shrouded in mystery and mythology. From glossy Continue Reading
Logistics is Destiny: What Taiwan and the Pacific Theater Tell Us About Sustainment Warfare
As my co-author and I mentioned in an article here on The Havok Journal--and many others said long before us--Amateurs talk strategy. Professionals Continue Reading
You Did It All. Now What?
You made it. You did the thing. The deployments, the promotions, the awards—they’re all in your rearview mirror. Maybe you wore the uniform. Maybe you Continue Reading
What Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War Can Teach Us About the Future of Military Conflict
Over 2,400 years ago, an Athenian general and historian named Thucydides chronicled a brutal, generation-defining conflict between Athens and Sparta. Continue Reading
When You Can’t Go On, Grab Somebody Else’s Ruck and Carry It For Them
Author's Note:In an interview on the "5 Questions for a General" podcast, West Point's commandant, Brigadier General R.J. Garcia, recounted an Continue Reading
What ChatGPT Told Me About My Combat Experience
Largely (okay, totally) because of the urgings of The Havok Journal's editor, Mike Warnock, I started doing a little experimentation with the AI Continue Reading
Seven Months, Three Dependents, and One Congressman: A Brief Look Inside the VA’s Frustrating Bureaucracy
by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Charles Faint A Reluctant Start to a Lengthy Process I retired from the Army in November 2022 after 27 years of Continue Reading
A UK Intel Operative, a Russian Woman, and the Sickest I’ve Ever Been
“Look, Randy,” I explained as we walked into our makeshift command center in Balad, Iraq, “we’ve never integrated foreign partners—even the UK—into Continue Reading
Challenging the “Outside the Box” Fallacy
Having spent a career in the conventional Army and a handful of years in Special Operations Forces (SOF), I recognize full well the value of Continue Reading
10 New Year’s Resolutions for Veterans
Veterans, the old year is done, and a new year is beginning. Perhaps more than some others, we as vets know that yesterday is done, today is a gift, Continue Reading
Yesterday Was Veterans Day. Today, Call Your Battle Buddy.
As is my practice on both Veterans Day and Memorial Day, I went through the contacts list on my phone yesterday and randomly called a bunch of fellow Continue Reading