The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

Saving lives one TBI Treatment at a time: EOD techs start non-profit

We are the Invictus Project. We are EOD technicians. We are survivors. We are laying everything on the line to make a real difference to veterans and others who suffer with mental illness and depression._______________________________________________________________________________________Written by Jeff Haugland and Sam PetersonWe are all aware of the staggering … [Read more...]

NFL Kneeling? Stop Making the Interesting Important!

Here we are, two weeks into the football season, and already the divisive rhetoric has reached a fevered pitch, despite the fact that only a handful of players are still kneeling (only two on one team by one count).  What makes this upsetting – the fact that the conversation isn’t about racial inequality, or even 1st Amendment rights – the discussion revolves around whether … [Read more...]

The MARCH Algorithm in Tactical Combat Casualty Care

The MARCH Algorithm in Tactical Combat Casualty Care by Andrew Fisher this article was first published in September 2017The MARCH algorithm is synonymous with Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC). It is a simple acronym for remembering the necessary steps in priority for saving lives in combat. M-massive hemorrhage, A-airway, R-respiratory, C-circulation, and … [Read more...]

8 Reasons Why it Wasn’t Easy Being Spartan

8 Reasons Why it Wasn't Easy Being Spartan by Nick Koumalatsos The Spartans may have built one of the finest militaries of the ancient world, but their culture was so harsh that the word “spartan” has become synonymous with an austere way of life. Spartan society was carefully constructed around a strict moral code and sense of duty, and its people underwent extreme hardships … [Read more...]

Tranexamic Acid (TXA): Does it Really Make a Difference?

Tranexamic Acid (TXA): Does it Really Make a Difference? by Andrew FisherBleeding continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in combat.  Even with all the medical advances and the ubiquitous use of extremity tourniquets has not been able to save everyone.  There are wounds, where a tourniquet cannot be applied and we cannot apply pressure against a bone to … [Read more...]

Why We Need To Stop Opioid Hysteria

Why We Need To Stop Opioid Hysteria Written by Special Guest and Lead author: Jeffrey J. Bilyk, A-EMCA, ACP. The HypeIf you've spent any amount of time on Facebook or Twitter chances are there have been articles or photos shared on your newsfeed/timeline. Maybe you've noticed stories with fire departments and law enforcement agencies in full hazmat gear to remove a bit … [Read more...]

The “Signature Injury” Of The War On Terror Is Not PTSD. It’s Low-T.

The "Signature Injury" Of The War On Terror Is Not PTSD. It's Low-T. by Kevin LaczThis past June, I was invited to speak at a symposium on TBI/PTSD in Warsaw, Poland. As a Physician Assistant in functional medicine, I was invited by the Friends of GROM (editor's note:  GROM is Poland's elite special operations force) to speak on hormone replacement in males with TBI/PTSD. … [Read more...]

Why Civilian PTSD, MST, And Warfighter PTSD Are Each Uniquely Different

By: Chris Buckalew RN, U.S. Army veteran(Author's Note:  I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I am a Registered Nurse with numerous years of experience in the mental health field.  The thoughts below are my own and have been formulated through my research and investigation into this area.)This article first appeared in The Havok Journal on 5 August, … [Read more...]