The Havok Journal | Military & Veteran News, Commentary, Culture

• Dad, You’re on a List August 20, 2026
  My son, Hans, sometimes tells me stories of his youth without any warning. He did that today. He is a combat vet from the most recent Iraq War (deployed there in 2011). I’m a veteran too, but I am Cold War vintage. Anyway, out of the blue, he started telling me about how he enlisted […]
  Frank Pauc
• The Fear We Carry August 20, 2026
  “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” – Patton Those lucky enough to have children have probably heard it before—“My dad isn’t scared of anything.” It’s how they see us, standing ten feet taller than everyone else. Then came the question that caught us off guard. “What are you afraid of?” She had just […]
  Clay D
• The Further We Get From 9/11, The Closer We Get to 9/10 August 19, 2026
  There’s a phrase that’s been making the rounds in quiet conversations, veterans’ circles, and the corners of the internet where memory still carries weight: “The further we get from 9/11, the closer we get to 9/10.” It’s not a slogan. It’s a warning. That’s because 9/10 wasn’t just a date, it was a mindset. 9/10: […]
  Charles Faint
• What a Police Chief Leaves Behind August 19, 2026
  During my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work under and have met several police chiefs. Like every police officer, I’ve seen different leadership styles shape organizations in very different ways. Some leaders leave behind visible accomplishments that everyone can point to. Others leave something far less tangible, but far more enduring. Recently, I heard […]
  Sergeant Ayman Kafel, MSC
• What is the Pain of the Living Compared to the Sacrifice of the Dead? August 19, 2026
  Somewhere in a forgotten war, over a decade ago, he died. His eight-day struggle ended. Somewhere, in this window of time, my brain takes hold. I can recite their every date. Yet I can never remember that fateful date. I can never remember the day it started, only the day it ended. Yet, my body […]
  Jake Smith