Civic Essays
What We Owe the Next Generation
There is a kind of conversation that has gone out of fashion in this country, and we are paying for its absence. It is the conversation older people used to [...]
The Havok Journal | Military & Veteran News, Commentary, Culture
- Urbs Aeterna: No City Stands Forever August 10, 2026For centuries, Rome called itself Urbs Aeterna—the Eternal City. The phrase was not merely poetic. It reflected a genuine belief that Rome occupied a unique place in history, one beyond the normal rise and fall of nations. Empires might collapse. Dynasties might fade. Entire peoples might disappear into history. But Rome, many believed, would endure […]Charles Faint
- The Affirmation I Never Wanted August 10, 2026As the night came to an end, we reflected upon the call earlier. Things just did not seem right. The cues often unseen by the inexperienced become redundant to the experienced. It was the praying at an almost inappropriate time. To be on bent knee and clenched hands in the chaos of the situation. That […]Jake Smith
- What Veterans Can Do With Guilt, Shame After War August 10, 2026By Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta’s blog, “Life After War” and is republished with the author’s permission. You’re not supposed to talk about it. It’s the underside of war that stays hidden deep inside. The unspeakable part of duty. The things you had to do to survive, the things you saw others do, […]Special Guest
- You Can Scream Underwater August 9, 20262014 12 16 Tuesday Like most mornings aboard the CGC Active, I was sitting on the mess deck, hunched over my coffee, inhaling the vapors to drive the weariness from my eyes and head. The space was crowded with people going back and forth. Discussions ranged from whatever sports event was on the night before […]K.C. Aud
- Rewriting Trauma with Ketamine and Consciousness August 9, 2026I have been part of a national study using ketamine, my mind, and cannabis for surgical procedures instead of opioids since 2018. There have been critics of ketamine and psychedelic therapy recently, but that’s because few people truly know what they are doing in this arena. At the same time, science is finally looking at […]Shane Jernigan
