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
- Boot Dust and Stage Lights September 12, 2026By Charles Evered Adopt a Sailor was born from an effort to bridge what I saw as a widening gap between the culture of art and the culture of national service—specifically, military service. Its first iteration, a ten-minute play performed in September 2002 at New York City’s Town Hall, was a reflexive reaction to the […]Special Guest
- The Hard Choices September 12, 2026When your husband decides, in his forties, that he’s going back into the Army, you’re supportive. It doesn’t occur to you to argue or tell him the whole idea is crazy. It makes sense to you. You think back to that day in 2001 when you were newly married. It was exactly 6 months since your […]Wendy Arena
- 9/11, A Survivor’s Story September 11, 2026by Dan Geraghty Editor’s Note: Twenty-five years later, 9/11 has become history for millions of Americans, but Dan Geraghty’s account preserves what history tends to flatten: the morning began with breakfast, spilled coffee, a late train, and plans for lunch before ordinary life shattered. Perhaps the most important moment is a stranger, running for his […]Special Guest
- Even in the Military, Self-Interest Is a Legitimate Motivator September 11, 2026One of the most persistent myths about military service is that it requires the complete abandonment of self-interest. We celebrate selfless service. We praise sacrifice. We admire those who place the mission and their teammates above themselves. All of that is appropriate. Those values form the foundation of military professionalism. But there is another truth […]Charles Faint
- How to Unbuy Congress Without Handing It to Lobbyists September 11, 2026Author’s Note: This is one of four pieces on how American politics ran representative government through a donor pipeline and decided “independent” means the candidate can headline the fundraiser while somebody else asks for the unlimited check. We’ll cover how we got here, how the machine works, what Washington calls corruption, and what might actually […]Tammy Pondsmith
