The Ranger Way: Earning My Combat Scroll by James WebbIt was my 3rd mission that I bagged my first bad guy.Right out of the bird, I knew we were running up to the top of a hill and just above the target building. To be blatantly honest, all I paid attention to at that point was how far we were walking and if there was a terrain feature or not we had to cross, meaning a … [Read more...]
Cementing Failure: Shattering The “Concrete” Counterinsurgency Idol
Cementing Failure: Shattering The "Concrete" Counterinsurgency Idol by Tommy Daniel Editor's Note: This article was first published by the Modern War Institute as a response to an article titled The Most Effective Weapon on the Modern Battlefield Is… Concrete? which was also first published by MWI. This article is republished here with the permission of the original … [Read more...]
Security and the Internet of Things (IoT)
Security and the Internet of Things (IoT).Simply put, IoT devices are everyday peripherals that have embedded electronics that can connect and exchange data with other devices, computers, and networks. The possibilities are extensive, and they generally provide a greater benefit than they do a detriment.So what is all the commotion? There are several culprits. Market … [Read more...]
The Most Effective Weapon on the Modern Battlefield Is… Concrete?
The Most Effective Weapon on the Modern Battlefield Is... Concrete? by John SpencerEditor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Modern War Blog, hosted by West Point's Modern War Institute (MWI). It is reposted on The Havok Journal with the permission of the original author. You can read the original article here, and while you're there check out some of the … [Read more...]
Bloodchits To Bitcoins: Special Operations Uses For Cryptocurrency
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on zapchain.com and is re-posted here with the permission of the original author. _____ by Blake Miles One of the more interesting pieces of equipment I was ever issued during my time in the military was something called a 'blood chit'. These are typically only issued out to individuals who face an increased risk of needing to … [Read more...]
Battlefield Iraq: Making Sense Of Yesterday For Today
“What man is a man who does not make the world better”- Balian from “The Kingdom of Heaven” _____ I reacquainted myself on Facebook with one of the leaders of the Iraqi citizens group whom we joined with as they fought Al-Qaeda. In the neighborhood of Ameriya, two Christians were kidnapped which sparked the local uprising. Within two months our neighborhood of Ameriya was … [Read more...]
War: The American Way.
There is an unfortunate disconnect when it comes to the American perception of war. The average American seems to think that war is conducted by drone strikes and jets dropping precision munitions on folks living in tents. Yes, we do kill our enemies this way but it is not the only way. Unfortunately what it does is paint a false picture of the reality of armed … [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...]
A Response to Charlie Hoehn on ‘Why The Vegas Shooting Happened, and Why Men Keep Doing This’
A year after the Vegas massacre, people continue to ask “Why?” Without a motivation identified by law enforcement, answering such a question becomes next to impossible. But recently, Charlie Hoehn wrote possibly one of the most impressive pieces to date that helps us understand the potential or at least partial answer to “Why?”In his piece, Why The Vegas Shooting Happened, … [Read more...]
Handgun Caliber Choice and The Myth of Stopping Power
Handgun Caliber Choice and The Myth of Stopping Power by Greg Drobny This article was first published on Unapologetically American. Americans love their handguns. From the classic Colt revolvers of the 19th century to John Browning’s beloved 1911 design and beyond, handguns occupy a special place in American culture.Everyone has their favorite, of course, and … [Read more...]