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

• When the Uniform Becomes a Shadow October 18, 2026
  I recently read Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield. One passage about the “Shadow Career” struck me:“Sometimes, when we’re terrified of embracing our true calling, we’ll pursue a shadow calling instead. The shadow career is a metaphor for our real career. Its shape is similar, its contours feel tantalizingly the same. But a shadow career entails […]
  Sergeant Ayman Kafel, MSC
• Where the Uniform Ends I Begin October 18, 2026
  The uncertainty leaves me perplexed. The world passes me by as I wonder if these are my last moments. Is today the last day I don this uniform? Are these my final moments among my partners—my friends? The uncertainty has left me almost silent. I anxiously await the final notice. I’ve been torn between silence […]
  Jake Smith
• A Warrior’s Call to Courage After War October 17, 2026
  By Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta’s blog, “Life After War” and is republished with the author’s permission. How do you see yourself?Don’t let your wounds and fears and feeling stuck in this perpetual hell of the unknown take away your identity.Don’t let it erase the truth that you are incredibly strong, resilient, tenacious, […]
  Special Guest
• Leading with The Big Five: A Tactical Approach to Strategic Leadership October 17, 2026
  Within the elite echelons of the Ranger Regiment, where precision and purpose collide, an operational mantra underscores success on the battlefield: “The Big Four” – Shoot, Move, Communicate, and Medicate. Each element, when dissected, is simple in its intent but profound in its implication. Shoot with precision (don’t just hit what you are aiming at; […]
  JC Glick
• Let Them Hate, So Long As They Also Read October 16, 2026
  I’ve been the owner of The Havok Journal for more than ten years. And for most of that time it has been a true pleasure. But there is a reason why, long ago, we adopted the motto oderint dum legitur. Roughly translated from the Latin, it means “let them hate, so long as they also […]
  Charles Faint