The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn Law

Veterans: Show Me on This Doll Where the Facebook Hurt You

Veterans: Show Me on This Doll Where the Facebook Hurt You by Leonard Benton This first appeared in The Havok Journal February 1, 2019. There is a fine line between ignoring the petty nuisances that target Veterans and everything we stand for, and calling for fire on those who actually deserve it. That's partly because being a "Veteran" means different things to … [Read more...]

The Button Box: A Tribute to My Brother—A Vietnam Vet

The Button Box: A Tribute to My Brother—A Vietnam Vet by Cheryl Palmer In honor of my brother, Gregory Allen Steenbergen, November 1, 1950–December 14, 2018 I was a young girl, maybe 14 or 15 years old, when my big brother’s draft number was “up” and he went off to the Army. I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I could see that it was serious business based on the … [Read more...]

Four Lessons Learned from a Latrine Stall in Iraq

Four Lessons Learned from a Latrine Stall in Iraq by Duane France It’s not what you think. Even if you didn’t think it before, you may be thinking it now, because I brought it up, but it’s still not what you think. Several months ago, fellow blogger and veteran Kristina Evans authored a post about how to transition from one position to another, and make sure that you … [Read more...]

Life after Death: Hope from a Gold Star Sister

Life after Death: Hope from a Gold Star Sister by Megan McGill My life was always pretty average, I grew up in a small town in NJ where my father was a police officer and my mother a stay at home mom. I basically was a tomboy for a majority of my younger years; opting to hang out with my brother and play hockey instead of going to the mall and having girl time with my … [Read more...]

Your “Tactical Tampon” is Useless for Life-Threatening Hemorrhage

Your "Tactical Tampon" is Useless for Life-Threatening Hemorrhage by Andrew Fisher The myth that tampons can quell life-threatening hemorrhage just won’t die. It seems that every other week a post on social media touts the amazing effects of tampons as a life-saving intervention (LSI). After all, there are anecdotes from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the veteran favorite … [Read more...]

Ranger Medic: The Drive for Perfection

Ranger Medic: The Drive for Perfection by Andrew D. Fisher and Leo Jenkins There is a certain group of men that have to live with a feeling of guilt when they lose a patient. I am not talking about a patient that dies on us due to an elective procedure or who arrived in cardiac arrest at the ER, I am talking about men dying in your arms in combat. The Ranger … [Read more...]

Camp Pozzi: An Excerpt from a Former Polish GROM Operator

Camp Pozzi: An Excerpt from a Former Polish GROM Operator by Alyssa Sudermann We, at The Havok Journal, are honored to have met Polish GROM Operator, Naval Polska, at an exclusive party hosted by Ben Thomas, Lemba Rum, and Alma de Agave Tequila at SHOT Show. With Polska's permission we are going to be sharing excerpts from his books throughout the coming months. The books … [Read more...]