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
- Bonhoeffer’s “Theory of Stupidity” and… YOU June 15, 2026Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against […]Charles Faint
- S.O.S. Came Home With Them June 15, 2026By Cristóbal S. Berry-Cabán On a quiet Sunday afternoon in East Orange, New Jersey, in December 1941, a generation of young Americans had their lives upended over radios and soda fountains. For 16-year-old Charles W. Berry, the news arrived while he was taking a quick break from the local roller skating rink. Writing in 1990, […]Special Guest
- The All Too Familiar June 15, 2026I felt the all too familiar back pain as I sat in the all too familiar uncomfortable seats. I sat staring at yet another flag-draped coffin. I watched the all too familiar ceremony; white gloved salutes, guards posted at attention, the change of guards, the rehearsed marching. I heard the all too familiar sound of bagpipes. The […]Jake Smith
- The Weight of the Example We Set June 14, 2026Lead by example.That phrase gets used a lot in the military and first responder communities. It’s often mistaken to mean leaders must have a high PT score, always look squared away, and be exceptionally proficient at everything they touch. Those things are important, but they’re only a small piece of the “example.” Going into boot […]K.C. Aud
- Veterans, Sound Familiar? “Too Tired? What? Come on, You’re Fine!” June 14, 2026By Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta’s blog, “Life After War” and is republished with the author’s permission. _____________________ Whether or not you were physically wounded in battle, you are wounded. Deeply. And your wounds are real. It may take some time for you to become aware of it. In fact, war wounds are often […]Special Guest
