By Kevin Wilson "The Vietnam War was a tragedy, immeasurable and irredeemable. But meaning can be found in the individual stories of those who lived through it, stories of courage and comradeship and perseverance, of understanding and forgiveness, and ultimately, reconciliation." In the closing moment of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s epic 10 part documentary on the Vietnam war, … [Read more...]
The “Sheepdog” Analogy is Deeply Flawed
Everyone who reads this site is familiar with the sheep, wolves, and sheepdog analogy, as popularized by LTC (Ret) Grossman in his book On Combat. We all fit into one of those categories, he says—we need protecting, we are a predator, or we are a protector.While Grossman’s analogy has a lot to do with the psychology of how an individual deals with trauma or how they are … [Read more...]
Definition of Rare: Interview with a Delta Force Operator
We were fortunate enough to have the chance to sit down with 1st SFOD-D ("Delta Force") Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Tom Satterly and talk PTSD, his time in the Battle of Mogadishu ("Black Hawk Down"), Tom's personal struggle with suicide, and "All Secure Foundation"--the non profit support group for Special Forces Veterans.We are republishing this piece in … [Read more...]
CONUS Battle Drills: A Guide for Combat Veterans to Corporate Life, Parenthood, and Caging the Beast Inside (Excerpt)
CONUS Battle Drills: A Guide for Combat Veterans to Corporate Life, Parenthood, and Caging the Beast Inside (Excerpt) By Louis Fernandez“HOOK UP!”I pulled on my static line, securing it to the anchor line cable in the aircraft and stared past the helmets in front of me to the open C-130 aircraft door. My eyes fixed on the light above the door, taking in the smell of … [Read more...]
Stop Using Veterans as Political Pawns
Stop Using Veterans as Political Pawns Nicky PikeI've got something that has really been bugging me here lately. No matter what the issue, people are using veterans to make thier point. Left and right, we are politicizing the men and women who offer up their lives in defense of this country. We see it every day, if the left wants to make a point, they post … [Read more...]
One Question Every Veteran Wants to Answer
One Question Every Veteran Wants to Answer by Brandon YoungCivilians sincerely want to learn how to better approach veterans today in America, and the solution is far simpler than it appears at face value.Civilians can better understand the challenges and opportunities that veterans and military families face post service, including their experiences overseas, when we … [Read more...]
6 Rules Anyone Can Follow to Rise to the Occasion
“Your life is an occasion. Rise to it.” ― Suzanne Weyn, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Last night was movie night with my nine-year-old daughter. Quite by accident we chose to watch Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. It’s a nice feel-good family movie I of course didn’t pay much attention to having my mind focused on work and … [Read more...]
What It Means To Be An “Educated” Transitioning Veteran
What It Means To Be An “Educated” Transitioning Veteran by Greg DrobnyIn part one of this series, I discussed what it was to be an educated man in today’s America. Part two focused on being an educated warfighter.So how about some tips on the transition between those two—from warfighter into civilian, and all the intricacies therein? Having done that very thing and … [Read more...]
TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 12, 2001: “For the Soldier Dying Young”
TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 12, 2001: "For the Soldier Dying Young" by Mike Kelvington This article was first published on September 12, 2016."Today is September 12, 2001."With September 11, 2001 far behind us, a new school year beginning, and the anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, my thoughts immediately go to those who died in the attacks and those who have paid the … [Read more...]
So You’re an “Operator”: How Exactly Does That Benefit My Investment?
As a business investor, why should I care if you were an Operator? by EM Burlingame first published on 9 September 2016Having recently ended active duty service with Special Forces (SF) to return to the private sector and to backing startups, we have so far brought in four management teams composed of former Green Berets (GB), to lead our startups, while assisting 9 … [Read more...]