The brink is a dangerous place. A single mistake and can send one splashing into the river Styx. A single mistake, a single minute mistake, can create the ultimate sacrifice. The brink is inherently the edge and the margin for such errors is minuscule. Every action must be scrutinized to preserve life and ensure success.
The brink also brings us close to darkness. It brings us to the edge of “right” and “wrong.” A single slip can send one tumbling into the abyss. A single slip can create the means that justify an end. The brink is inherently gray. It resides in the space between light and dark. Every slip can make the shade imperceptibly darker, until there is nothing but blackness. The blackness can leave one stumbling, either further into the abyss, or blindly searching for a way back.
At the brink, there exist no rails, only standards. Standards, that if left unenforced, can cause one to splash or slip. Standards that must be true. They must be honest. They must be unwavering. They must guard against the unjustifiable means used to accomplish the righteous ends. When left unenforced, “specialized” units believe they are special. They slip into the abyss. Any means can justify the end. When left unenforced, the honest can become the ultimate sacrifice.
I have spent much of my life on the brink. I have spent much of my time in “specialized” units. I have watched the unwavering standards ensure extreme performance and success. I have watched as every mistake and slip brough great shame and despair. I watched as every mistake and slip brought swift punishment. I have also watched the degradation of a “specialized” unit who began to believe they were special. I watched as every mistake and slip sent them further into the abyss. Every mistake justified and argued away. Every slip sold as a means that justified the ends.
I have spent much of my life on the brink. I have seen how it has both forged and destroyed. I have seen both the greatest and worst of the brink.
______________________
Jake Smith is a law enforcement officer and former Army Ranger with four deployments to Afghanistan.
As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.
Buy Me A Coffee
The Havok Journal seeks to serve as a voice of the Veteran and First Responder communities through a focus on current affairs and articles of interest to the public in general, and the veteran community in particular. We strive to offer timely, current, and informative content, with the occasional piece focused on entertainment. We are continually expanding and striving to improve the readers’ experience.
© 2024 The Havok Journal
The Havok Journal welcomes re-posting of our original content as long as it is done in compliance with our Terms of Use.