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

• Leadership Is Not A Cause, It’s An Effect. March 2, 2026
  Leadership is often spoken about as if it were a mission statement or a movement—something you declare, organize around, or demand recognition for. Entire industries have been built selling leadership as a personal brand or a moral calling. But leadership does not begin with intention. To the contrary, leadership is not a cause, it is […]
  Charles Faint
• She Fumbled and Stumbled March 2, 2026
  She fumbled and stumbled. I watched as the intoxicating liquids took hold, their effects inevitable. I observed the entire process, knowing exactly where it would end. I watched each drink go down, every one declared to be the last. I knew this dance—far better than she ever could. I sat by, aware of the pain […]
  Jake Smith
• Unexpected Lessons in a Combat Zone March 2, 2026
  Editor’s note: Photo information at end of the article. Don’t worry. You’ll be safe. Women don’t go into combat.” My husband assured me as I lay with my head upon his chest while discussing my fears about my upcoming deployment. His dismissive response annoyed me, but, in the end, he was right.  In 2004, it […]
  Lori Butierries
• Misfire Procedures March 1, 2026
  I was tired. It was mid-morning January 3rd and all I could think about was getting back to bed when the day was over. My fourth or fifth mug of coffee rolled around uncomfortably in my empty stomach. Most folks were over their New Year’s celebratory hangovers by that point but mine was lingering. Not […]
  K.C. Aud
• The Grief We Carry March 1, 2026
  This segment or installment is a departure from the story that I’m here to tell. It’s a story about something I’ve been carrying with me and that I’ve needed to say for the better part of twenty-six years. This is about a very recent personal discovery and my intent in this article is to connect […]
  Brad Thomas