The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn

Is Mental Illness an Asset in the Military?

Is Mental Illness an Asset in the Military? by Kevin Wilson It takes a special sort of person to thrive in the military. Between the strictly regimented lifestyle, the sitcom-levels of absurdity on a daily basis, the extremely nihilistic and self-destructive culture, and the fact that everyone from the grunt to the cook exists in an apparatus designed to kill and destroy, … [Read more...]

COVID-19 Reality Check: Warning from the Lock Down in Italy

COVID-19 Reality Check: Warning from the Lock Down in Italy By Army Ranger Joe Lynch I can't believe how many naysayers and nonbelievers there still are about this whole pandemic. Yes, at the beginning mistakes were made. But I guarantee there would’ve been an incredible outcry if at the start they’d locked everything down—the very thing that would have stalled this. Here’s … [Read more...]

Testing My Mettle to Earn My Medal: A Ragnar Trail Experience

Testing My Mettle to Earn My Medal: A Ragnar Trail Experience by Heath Hansen November 1st, 2017, I got a call from a buddy that rarely calls me and when we do communicate, it’s through text messages. “What’s up, bro?” I asked. “Hey, my Ragnar teammate just got called for duty, he can’t make the race. We need a runner.” I didn’t know what a Ragnar Race was, but it sounded … [Read more...]

COVID-19, “Vanity Metrics” and the Quantitative Game of Numbers

COVID-19, "Vanity Metrics" and the Quantitative Game of Numbers by Kerry Patton Numbers, they do not lie. Numbers are science. Numbers demonstrate a scale, which needs much attention. Without numbers, we have no metrics. Most have heard at least one of the aforementioned statements, maybe all of them, in our adult lives. But how many understand the flaws in such … [Read more...]

The Chinese Coronavirus Hits West Point

The Chinese Coronavirus Hits West Point by Scott Faith In an official release published earlier today, officials at West Point confirmed the Academy's first two cases of COVID19, also known as the Chinese coronavirus.  The two infected individuals, who worked in West Point's "Emergency Operations Center," are now self-quarantined in an off-campus location.  Cadets and most … [Read more...]

COVID-19: The Recipe for Success Includes a Dash of Prepper

COVID-19: The Recipe for Success Includes a Dash of Prepper by Kevin Wilson People do a lot of weird stuff on deployment. After about four months in Syria, the novel I was writing sort of ended up in a corner that I couldn’t see a way out of. So I said to hell with it and decided to start another project as a palate cleanser. The idea I settled on was: What would it be … [Read more...]

COVID-19: Take it Seriously or We Risk Our Freedom

COVID-19: Take it Seriously or We Risk Our Freedom by Matt Trevathan John drove across state lines. Immediately entering the state of Georgia, his car was stopped at a roadblock. A police officer, dressed in protective mask and gloves, asks John to roll down his window. He does and is quickly scanned with a touchless thermometer. “Where is your mask?” asks the … [Read more...]

How I Got Healthy Enough to Start Working Out Again after a Back Injury

How I Got Healthy Enough to Start Working Out Again after a Back Injury by Jason Michael If you have ever been injured, you understand how intimidating it can be to start working out and playing sports again. A few months ago, I moved the wrong way and ended up seriously injuring my back. I never thought a simple twisting movement could result in such excruciating pain. For … [Read more...]

An Open Letter to the Future Women of Special Operations

An Open Letter to the Future Women of Special Operations by Leo Jenkins At least once a day I receive a message from someone with aspirations to join Special Operations seeking advice. It occurred to me recently that over the years and thousands of inquiries, I have yet to receive one from a female. Make no mistake, woman have been playing an integral role in not just our … [Read more...]