We Enlisted for the Last Drops and The National Treasures by Mark McHale "We Enlisted for the Last Drops and The National Treasures." Seriously though, what the hell does that mean? What could those three items, taken separately, possibly mean? So, no Shit, there I was, on my 24th birthday on 06 November 1986, yes I was born on Election Day, standing there in the … [Read more...]
The Modern Warrior’s Battle for Balance
The Modern Warrior's Battle for Balance by Luke Ryan Modern warrior culture generally concerns itself with two things: practical effectiveness and health, also known as “the mission and the men” – complete the mission and do it as safely as possible. That should be it, right? Many of us know it’s not quite that simple. Mental health is still a huge obstacle among our … [Read more...]
A Delta Operator Transitions from War to Music
A Delta Operator Transitions from War to Music by Brad Thomas If you told me back in the mid 1980s that I would be where I am today, having lived through one of the most horrific and historical battles in modern times and having retired from the premier counter terrorism unit in the world, I’d never have believed you. Today, so many years later, I’m tapping into my … [Read more...]
Thanks for Your Service?
Thanks for Your Service? by J.C. Glick This first appeared in The Havok Journal April 11, 2019. Unfortunately, we have come to accept that those that serve in political office are not leaders, but people who are egocentric and desire money, power and the other trappings that come with political office. We see it every day, on both sides of the isle, people who pander … [Read more...]
Being a Veteran… After Being a Ranger
Being a Veteran... After Being a Ranger by Leo Jenkins It doesn’t seem that long ago. The memory of pulling away from the brown fence that surrounded 3rd Ranger Battalion for the final time is still as vivid in my memory as the taste of the burnt black coffee that I had for breakfast this morning. Despite it being 7 years and 2 weeks since I was honorably discharged I … [Read more...]
War Poetry: Shrouded in Midnight
Shrouded in Midnight written by Luke Ryan Side by side we sat In the belly of a bird Made of steel parts and iron men Who cut their teeth on brimstone long ago. We flew together Heading to a wretched place Where wretched men Hid among beautiful and timeworn mountains. Our futures were shrouded in midnight, And we did not know the path that lay before us. Would we … [Read more...]
Ranger Medic: The Drive for Perfection
Ranger Medic: The Drive for Perfection by Andrew D. Fisher and Leo Jenkins There 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 … [Read more...]
The Art of War
The Art of War by Leo Jenkins "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 … [Read more...]
A Ranger in Vietnam Remembers
A Ranger in Vietnam Remembers Some of the Team Leaders were more "aggressive" than others. For some reason, Team 4 always had a Team Leader the "aggressive" ones called NUTS. Of the first four Team Leaders of Team 4, three are members of the Ranger Hall of Fame. We always seemed to get more than our share of action. My guess would be that we came under fire about 60% of the … [Read more...]
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...]
