The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn Law

The Five Martial Arts a Vet Should NEVER Do

The Five Martial Arts a Vet Should NEVER Do by Christopher Paul Meyer Working as a bouncer on the Sunset Strip, I laid hands on people every night. But before conducting face-to-fist diplomacy, my antagonists had a Bond-villian-like habit of warning me exactly how many stripes of aggregated badassery they had accumulated. Some were Division I wrestlers and boxing coaches, … [Read more...]

I Watched The Wall So You Don’t Have To

I Watched The Wall So You Don't Have To by Kevin Wilson This first appeared in The Havok Journal December 15, 2018. I’ve done a lot of shit because it’s late, I’m bored, and there’s literally nothing to do on or around Fort Bragg after a certain time of night, unless you don’t mind taking your chances with hepatitis. If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I … [Read more...]

This is My Journey, Now Go and Live Yours: A Note to the Wayward Sons of GWOT

This is My Journey, Now Go and Live Yours: A Note to the Wayward Sons of GWOT by Chris Duplantis Self-regard... They looked out from their caves across unsheltered plains and knew all that lay out there was savage and hostile to their existence on that Earth. And they saw the threat and felt only the urge to stride out, to find food, bring it home, to survive. … [Read more...]

Inside the Premiere of Here Am I, Send Me

Here Am I, Send Me By: Marshall McGurk   “We stand on the shoulders of giants.”  Many giants of Special Operations were present at Narrows Brewing in Tacoma, WA for a special screening of “Here Am I, Send Me.”  The short film chronicled the thoughts and feelings of two teams, Team Freedom and Team Gold Star, as they participated in the 75th Anniversary D-Day … [Read more...]

A Veteran’s Take on ‘Not a War Story’

A Veteran's Take on 'Not a War Story' by Kevin Wilson There are two types of people in this world: those who have seen Range 15, and those who have not. Which is about like saying everything in the world either is or isn’t a potato, when you really think about it. If you’re one of the people who both hasn’t seen Range 15 and isn’t a potato, it’s best summed up as a … [Read more...]

Top 5 Hacker Movies – Because This List Should Never Be Made

Top 5 Hacker Movies - Because This List Should Never Be Made by Matt James Top 5 Hacker Movies - Only in order because lists tend to be that way. 5. Swordfish I would hack with Hallie any day. This is easily the worst hacker movie, but I'm including it because most people know about it and the writers at least cheesed it up enough to make it comical. Oh, … [Read more...]

If Harvey Weinstein Had a Vagina

If Harvey Weinstein Had a Vagina by Kevin Wilson This first appeared in The Havok Journal in October of 2017. Shhhhh…. Don’t speak. Silence…. That is more than likely what would have happened if Harvey Weinstein were really Halley Weinstein (his female self). No one would say a word. Those that did would have been shunned. And the media would not have made his … [Read more...]

Valor in Comedy

Valor in Comedy by Christopher Duplantis When the topic of military movies comes up, particularly about valor, films like Saving Private Ryan, Lone Survivor and U-571 come to mind. These movies capture the heart of heroism whether through fact or fictional based scenarios. But when veterans watch war movies we pick out every flaw in the film, from uniforms, terminology, … [Read more...]

The Far-Reaching Effects of Marketing Fear in the Digital Age

The Far-Reaching Effects of Marketing Fear in the Digital Age by Kevin Wilson Fear is not a choice. In the face of danger, nearly everyone with an ounce of sanity is afraid. This reaction is hardwired into us by millions of years of natural selection. The instinct to avoid danger, the fight or flight response, all of these were and are valuable tools, even in the modern, … [Read more...]