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
- The Four Burner Theory and the Military Profession: When Duty Consumes All Else August 14, 2026The “Four Burner Theory” is a deceptively simple metaphor for modern life. Popularized by author David Sedaris and often repeated in leadership and productivity circles, the theory imagines life as a stove with four burners: family, friends, health, and work. To succeed professionally, the theory suggests, one must turn down one burner. To achieve extraordinary […]Charles Faint
- I am Who I am Because of Those Lost August 14, 2026I live because they cannot. I strive to achieve because I must. I speak because their lessons deserve to live forever. I share because their memories should never fade. I am the culmination of those loved and lost. I am forever driven by guilt for surviving when they sacrificed. I am passionate and expressive because of those destroyed by the unforgettable […]Jake Smith
- Things Combat Vets Wish They Could Tell You | Part 1 August 14, 2026By Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta’s blog, “Life After War” and is republished with the author’s permission. _________________________ One of the most challenging aspects combat vets face when coming home is the gap between who they are now and who their loved ones expect them to be. Warriors say that you can’t translate […]Special Guest
- The Pentagon Can Feed a War but Not the Family Fighting It August 13, 2026The United States military is obsessed with readiness. Aircraft readiness. Medical readiness. Cyber readiness. Dental readiness. Physical readiness. Weapons readiness. Personnel readiness. Somewhere in a windowless office, there’s probably a lieutenant colonel measuring stapler readiness against FY27 projected stapling requirements. But apparently “Can Sergeant Johnson Afford Groceries on Thursday Readiness” remains an emerging concept. The […]Tammy Pondsmith
- He Was Still Wearing His Cap August 13, 2026Breakfast at the Best Western isn’t bad, but it’s nothing to brag about either. The scrambled eggs remind me of those served in any Army mess hall. The only interesting thing about breakfast is the waffle iron. It bakes waffles in the shape of the state of Texas. I made one of those for our […]Frank Pauc
