The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

Sean Parnell

Women and Weights: The Myth Behind the Mass

It's that time of year where so many want to be bikini body ready for their summer in the sun.  Army Ranger Christopher Ryan and business owner of Custombuilt Performance Fitness Nutrition sent in this article to educate our audience and start this conversation that continues to transpire daily.  After several years of coaching individuals and groups, I have come to … [Read more...]

Physical Fitness and Transitioning Back to Civilian Life

Physical Fitness and Transitioning Back to Civilian Life Special Guest Author: Christian Lopez As time passes by, I often recount where my passion for fitness started.  It has been tough to put a finger on that exact moment in time, as there have been many instances where fitness has had a major impact on my life.  I started my personal training career as a young 18 year … [Read more...]

“Best Ranger” Mentality: Push It To The limit

The author of this article is a former Best Ranger competitor who wishes to remain anonymous. _____ As I crossed that finish line in 2001, I genuinely, and finally knew what it was to be tested. Up until that time, I had conquered most challenges I had thrown myself into without feeling that I had ever, truly, been pushed to my limits. I had won State & National … [Read more...]

For Veterans, PTSD Isn’t The Only Form Of Anxiety

My day job, as well as my hobbies, require that I occasionally have to solder various electronic components. It’s one of my favorite things to do, and it’s something that my friends know I greatly enjoy doing. I have been taught some great techniques by some great people. My end results are something I am always proud of, but for a time, my friends all made fun of me while … [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...]

Mandatory Tactical Combat Casualty Care: Now What?

Mandatory Tactical Combat Casualty Care: Now What? by Andrew Fisher This article was originally published in March of 2018. From the Next Generation Combat Medic Admins Recently, GEN Joseph Votel, commander of Central Command (CENTCOM) mandated that allilitary personnel deploying to the CENTCOM Area of Operations (AO) must have completed Tactical Combat Casualty Care … [Read more...]

An Open Letter to the Future Women of Special Operations

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 military, but also our Special Operations Forces (SOF) for some time already. … [Read more...]

The ABCs of Gun Safety: An EMT’s Perspective

To begin, let me tell you why you need to read this article and absorb what I have to say. In just my small town, and just this  week, I was involved in the care of three gunshot victims. Two of them died. One of those I took in a body bag to a morgue, the other I pronounced dead at the scene (let the coroner take care of that clean-up) and tried my damnedest to console a … [Read more...]