The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn Law

The Death of a Ranger

The Death of a Ranger by former Ranger Johnny B. So, you heard a Ranger died today What a tragic waste, you said That he should die in a foreign land With so much of life ahead He still had so much left to do He was too young, you lament Why should a man like him have to die With so much of his life unspent? Yes, it's true, he was too young And his death is a … [Read more...]

From War To Music: The Story of Silence and Light (Part Two)

From War To Music: The Story of Silence and Light (Part Two) By Brad Thomas   If you would like to read Part I first, do so by clicking here.   Our first engagement in Mogadishu happened on the 7th of September, 1993. It’s not depicted in the movie “Blackhawk Down” but it was an extremely violent and significant engagement that took place during one of … [Read more...]

The “If” and “When” of Tactical Training

The “If” and “When” of Tactical Training by Scott Cee With the new year starting and people starting to look at their training plans for the year, lets briefly discuss 2 of the types of training you encounter: “If” and “when” training.  Whether it’s tactical training such as pistol and rifle skills or even tactics based training; medical training and refreshers to stay … [Read more...]

Boer War to Blade Runner: A Soldier’s Assimilation Into Society

Boer War to Blade Runner: A Soldier's Assimilation Into Society by Jonathan Baxter, author of The Ghosts of Babylon As the New Year brings in topics of change and transformation, it is relevant to explore the age-old theme of a soldier returning from conflict and attempting to transition into civilian society. Two works that directly or indirectly touch upon this theme are … [Read more...]

Leaders: Myth and Reality – A Review

Leaders: Myth and Reality - A Review by Mike Kelvington This first appeared in The Havok Journal December 21, 2018. When many big names in business, politics, and pop culture sit down to pen a new book, they tend to capture personal exploits, successes, accumulation of wealth, awards, and achievements.  In the bestselling release of Leaders: Myth and Reality, GEN … [Read more...]

Making a Night Stalker: An Excerpt

Making a Night Stalker: An Excerpt An excerpt from the highly rated book, Making a Night Stalker by David Burnett: The target compound was 15 minutes away, and after our aircraft and chalk two completed a quick hover check to make sure the weight and balance was good, we got the all clear from tower. “Clear up?” The Godfather said. I glanced up to the sky and glared around … [Read more...]

“Empty Chairs”: By a Fellow Ranger

Empty Chairs by a Fellow Ranger An empty chair standing still An empty chair- absence filled They're missing soldiers off to war Fighting enemies ne'er seen before Shielded warriors- many come home Proud of duties that they performed Armor off, swords sheathed Now it's time to settle and breathe Yet haunting thoughts come at night Long lost friends fill my … [Read more...]

In Any Organization, De Facto Leaders “Run the Show”

In Any Organization, De Factor Leaders "Run the Show" by Nick Perna At McDonalds the dayshift manager tells the other employees what to do. At Ford Motor Company the production manager for third shift ensures that doors are properly installed on Ford Mustangs by the employees who work at night. In 3rd Ranger Battalion a Staff Sergeant is in charge of a squad of soldiers and … [Read more...]