Unboxing Real Potential: In Defense of the “Box-Free” Army Officer Evaluation Report By Major Robert “Bobby” AliPerformance evaluation is always a crucial part of keeping organizations effective, especially when it comes to scouting prospective candidates for key leadership positions. Objectivity stands as a key consideration for performance evaluation, whereby evaluators … [Read more...]
Veterans Who Never Met, But Said The Last Goodbye
by Jason Rogers originally published in October of 2017On a Friday morning at the Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery my wife and I, along with prominent Warfighter Rights activist Boone Cutler and our brother in mourning, Troy Kilpatrick, accompanied family and friends to lay to rest Mark Kilpatrick, Troy's father. It was a beautiful and well deserved ceremony for Mark, … [Read more...]
From Your BROTHER-In-Arms: Veterans, Stop Saying No One Cares About Kaepernick
From Your BROTHER-In-Arms: Veterans, Stop Saying No One Cares About Kaepernick by David A. JacksonEditor's Note: At my suggestion, this first-time Havok Journal author is writing under a pseudonym. I served with him overseas and vouch for both his service and his character. ~Scott Faith_____Fellow veterans please stop saying "no one cares about Kaepernick," … [Read more...]
Blue On Blue: Stolen Valor Fratricide
Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the rangers, but don’t never lie to a ranger or officer – Rogers Rangers _____ It is now officially time we all had a talk about this ‘Stolen Valor’ craziness.A while back, I was at the airport in Chicago … [Read more...]
In Special Operations and in Business, Success is Dependent on One Skill Alone
Doesn’t matter whether conducting business or Special Operations, there are quite a number of difficult tasks which must be accomplished simultaneously, each with their own requirements and needed skills and experience. There is one task however which in all environments, and regardless the depth of one’s skills and experience, seems to be the very most difficult. Perhaps it is … [Read more...]
The Vietnam War: A Review
By Kevin Wilson "The Vietnam War was a tragedy, immeasurable and irredeemable. But meaning can be found in the individual stories of those who lived through it, stories of courage and comradeship and perseverance, of understanding and forgiveness, and ultimately, reconciliation." In the closing moment of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s epic 10 part documentary on the Vietnam war, … [Read more...]
The “Sheepdog” Analogy is Deeply Flawed
Everyone who reads this site is familiar with the sheep, wolves, and sheepdog analogy, as popularized by LTC (Ret) Grossman in his book On Combat. We all fit into one of those categories, he says—we need protecting, we are a predator, or we are a protector.While Grossman’s analogy has a lot to do with the psychology of how an individual deals with trauma or how they are … [Read more...]
It was October 3rd
I arrived as a fresh-faced, cherry private to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in the summer of 2002, as a consequence of both virtue and downright luck.I say virtue because when our class graduated RIP, we all lined up for the battalions we wanted and then based on needs of the Regiment; the lines got shuffled around until all the numbers matched up. … [Read more...]
CONUS Battle Drills: A Guide for Combat Veterans to Corporate Life, Parenthood, and Caging the Beast Inside (Excerpt)
CONUS Battle Drills: A Guide for Combat Veterans to Corporate Life, Parenthood, and Caging the Beast Inside (Excerpt) By Louis Fernandez“HOOK UP!”I pulled on my static line, securing it to the anchor line cable in the aircraft and stared past the helmets in front of me to the open C-130 aircraft door. My eyes fixed on the light above the door, taking in the smell of … [Read more...]
Loyalty, Initiative, and an Unwavering Sense of Mission: Towards a Greater Understanding of “A Message to Garcia”
Loyalty, Initiative, and an Unwavering Sense of Mission: Towards a Greater Understanding of “A Message to Garcia” by Major Robert “Bobby” Ali“To carry a message to Garcia” stands as perhaps among the most familiar buzzwords in military service, as it has long remained in usage to refer to developing a sense of ascendancy towards fulfilling the task at hand. Lt. Andrew … [Read more...]