Small businesses are the heart of the American economy, but many small businesses aren’t ready for an emergency or disaster.An article published on smallbusiness.com states that “only 37% of small businesses have a formal disaster preparation plan.” The Institute for Business and Home Safety claims that one in four businesses never reopen after a disaster.Small … [Read more...]
6 Rules Anyone Can Follow to Rise to the Occasion
“Your life is an occasion. Rise to it.” ― Suzanne Weyn, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Last night was movie night with my nine-year-old daughter. Quite by accident we chose to watch Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. It’s a nice feel-good family movie I of course didn’t pay much attention to having my mind focused on work and … [Read more...]
After the Roar of the Hurricane: From A “Ground Zero” Chaplain
As the "war goddess" Hurricane Irma* barreled toward Florida, I asked Air Force veteran, first responder, and Ground Zero Chaplain Bob Ossler to provide insights from his service during natural and man-made tragedies. Bob served five tours of duty in the aftermath of 9/11 at Ground Zero; volunteered in the Super Dome after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as a triage paramedic and … [Read more...]
Vet Stops To Help Motorist, Is Murdered By Hitman Hired To Kill Him
Vet Stops To Help Motorist, Is Murdered By Hitman Hired To Kill Him by Scott FaithAccording to the Orlando Sentinel, an Army veteran who was targeted by a gang member was murdered when he unknowingly stopped to help his hitman get his truck out of a ditch.Police say that Army vet Carlos Cruz-Echevarria stopped to help a man get his truck out of a ditch back in … [Read more...]
Deployed To America: The Final Battlefield
Deployed To America: The Final Battlefield by Cleo DeLoner first published on 6 September 2016When I left Somalia in April of 1993, I didn’t realize I was deploying to America. That’s right, I deployed to America, to fight a war.It was a war that has raged on every day for the past 22 plus years. A war I didn’t know how to fight. A war that I didn’t know would last … [Read more...]
Special Forces, Entrepreneurship: Accidental Leadership
In Far Eastern philosophy, there exists a very ancient concept, “The student becomes the master, the master becomes the student - 學生成為碩士，碩士成為學生.” While this has remained with me more than four decades now, most of that time I thought, “yeah, yeah, yet another undecipherable, Yoda-like, statement out of Asian mysticism.” Even after having diligently studied martial arts from … [Read more...]
8 Tips for Flag and National Anthem Etiquette
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation when he remained seated for the National Anthem during a preseason game on August 26, 2016. The discussion points are many: patriotism, race and racism in America, free speech, and even leadership. On Labor Day and every day, remember these eight points on Flag and national anthem … [Read more...]
Perspective from a Ranger: I was an Animal
Perspective from a Ranger: I was an Animal David Venzor originally published in September 2017When I was about ten years old my older brother (by five years) got a pump action BB gun for his birthday. This was the real deal. I'm talking 1990's, pump this thing up 12 times and it was going through a wooden fence, weren't quite the regulations their are today, real deal. My … [Read more...]
Veterans: The New Hipsters?
By Kevin WilsonThere’s always a certain tension when two servicemen meet for the first time. The nature of the tension often varies based on branch, job, and life experience. One might reasonably expect a grunt, for instance, to size up another grunt, the tension of two warriors vying for dominance. When fellow Havok Journal denizen and fellow POG Paul and I met up to … [Read more...]
Don’t Tell Me How To Do My Job: A Law Enforcement Officer’s Perspective
I don’t know anything about cars. When something goes wrong with mine or it needs service I take it to a mechanic. Like most people, when I get the oil changed and the service technician comes out and asks me if I want a new air filter for my flux capacitor I flip a coin in my head and make a decision based from that.It wouldn’t make any sense for me to walk into the … [Read more...]