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 Art of War
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things." ~John Mill Those married to the miraculous madness of combat need no delineation of the layers comprising its complexity. War is a word, in that word resides a world. Memories created in this time and place are so substantive that they intertwine themselves with our senses. A slight odor of burning trash lingering in … [Read more...]
Transition Dispatch: Part One
This is Part One of a three-part series on transition from the active duty military.As I go through the transition from military to civilian life, I’m more cognizant of things surrounding the transition process. It is surprisingly smooth (I have yet to do the Veterans Affairs medical process so we’ll see). I notice weird things, small things, things to remember, things to … [Read more...]
Ranger Medic: The Drive for Perfection
By Andrew D. Fisher and Leo JenkinsThere is a certain group of men that have to live with a feeling of guilt when they lose a patient. I am not talking about a patient that dies on us due to an elective procedure or who arrived in cardiac arrest at the ER, I am talking about men dying in your arms in combat.The Ranger Medic/PA/Physician has that guilt. I have, too often … [Read more...]
CrossFit is not a Sport, Part II: Legitimizing the Sport of Fitness
Editors Note: January is "Fitness Month" on Havok Journal. Author, former Army Ranger, and CrossFit competitor Leo Jenkins had some strong words about CrossFit in an earlier article. In the special operations community, we are taught never to make a criticism without offering a viable solution. In part two of this two-part series, Leo offers solutions to the problems he … [Read more...]
A Warrior, Defined
A Warrior, Defined by Leo JenkinsThe last time that I had my nose broken was in an MMA bout in Alabama. After securing a very deep triangle hold on my competitor he stacked me up and released one final effort to get me to release his neck from between my legs. The back of my head was the only part of my body in contact with the mat as he came down on the center of my … [Read more...]
CrossFit is not a Sport, Part One: “The Three Reasons”
Editors Note: This is part one in a two-part series on improvement in the CrossFit community. To read part two, click here. This was originally published on 16 May, 2014. In your opinion, has "The Sport of Fitness" changed since then? _____ I am currently sitting on a return flight from my third year competing in the CrossFit Games Regionals as an individual. For years I … [Read more...]
You’re Not Entitled To Your Own Opinion
The following is not a statement of blame, and is in no way intended to pass the bill of responsibility, in affairs current, to which we have all collectively contributed. In fact, this is more of a confession of my own wrongdoing and an observation that I have made throughout the course of my travels and varied life experiences than a pointing of fingers.There are two … [Read more...]
The Ranger Standard: A “Violence Of Action” Excerpt
Editors Note: This is an excerpt from Violence of Action: The Untold Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror by Blackside Concepts founder Marty Skovlund. You can pick up the full version on Amazon.com, the West Point Book Store, and major retail bookstores. _____ The 75th Ranger Regiment became the workhorse of the special operations community during the … [Read more...]
Sebastian Junger: Sharing the Moral High Ground
So what happens when the warrior no longer wears the uniform? Can a warrior still be a warrior at home if he's no longer a "quiet professional"? What does that look like? Many traditional warrior societies believed their warriors were always warriors, but that their missions changed after their last battles were fought. Once they came home for good, their mission was to … [Read more...]