The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn Law

Six Rules Anyone Can Follow to Rise to the Occasion

Six Rules Anyone Can Follow to Rise to the Occasion by E.M. Burlingame “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 … [Read more...]

Faces in the Crowd: Remembering Our Fallen

Faces in the Crowd: Remembering Our Fallen by Mike Kelvington Sometimes they’re everywhere. I see them in my dreams; I see them in someone else’s face. I sometimes see the back of someone’s head, the way the tapered haircut might make him look like every other twenty-something male in a chow hall or formation, and for just a moment, there’s a ray of hope. My stomach … [Read more...]

How to Know the Right Time to Take a Loan

How to Know the Right Time to Take a Loan by Scott Faith Sorting out financial matters often comes with a number of stress factors and elements to consider. Right now, you may be researching a loan and thinking about taking one out; before doing so, make sure to evaluate some information to decide if now is the right time for that loan. Unexpected Financial … [Read more...]

Special Forces, Entrepreneurship: Real Leadership is Accidental

Special Forces, Entrepreneurship: Real Leadership is Accidental by E.M. Burlingame 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, … [Read more...]

Know Your Flag and National Anthem Etiquette

Know Your Flag and National Anthem Etiquette by Marshall McGurk 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, … [Read more...]

How a Natural Born Killer Reclaimed His Humanity: A Ranger’s Perspective

How a Natural Born Killer Reclaimed His Humanity: A Ranger's Perspective by David Venzor When I was about 10 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 dad … [Read more...]

Hate Nazis, Not Free Speech

Hate Nazis, Not Free Speech By Kevin Wilson I have a confession to make: I despise Nazis. I’m not talking about Nazi as defined by Antifa. I’m talking the actual National Socialists, the bastards that shot my grandpappy in the head in the Battle of the Bulge. Throughout the course of history, it’s harder to find a group of people that can more easily be defined as evil, … [Read more...]

Your Backstory Is Your Freedom

Your Backstory Is Your Freedom by Scott Faith Sharing our backstory through written or spoken word not only entrusts you to tell others more, but it gives those reading or listening permission to share the hard parts of their lives too. One of our greatest fears is that if we show our true selves, the world will say, “Oh, it’s just you.” But being just you is actually … [Read more...]

Citizenship As a Practice, Not a Status

Citizenship As a Practice, Not a Status by Matt James As a young man, I was fortunate enough to be involved with youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America. In the ‘Boy Scouts’, I learned various tasks the public has come to know: camping skills, marksmanship, and community service (those tin bins of popcorn won’t sell themselves!). Specifically, I recall … [Read more...]