Serving in the military forces you to develop a number of unusual skill sets that aren’t necessarily specific to war-fighting, and many of them involve sleep. The ability to go for extended periods of time without rest becomes paramount in uniform, as does your ability to catch up on that sleep deficit at unusual times […]
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Gear in the Wild: Nothing like camping with your buddies (or working all night in an exercise)
U.S. Soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team conduct a night live-fire iteration of a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise during Exercise Decisive Strike 2019 at the Training Support Centre, Krivolak, North Macedonia, June 11, 2019. Combined training enables allies and partners to respond more effectively to regional crises […]
Off the beaten path: 4 tips for mitigating the risks of adventure traveling
I’ve done a fair amount of traveling over the years. I’ve stood next to pyramids on two continents, wandered around the Coliseum and the Acropolis, gone white water rafting in Alaska and relaxed at a wine tasting in Malta. Que Johnny Cash singing, “I’ve been everywhere,” because, although there’s still plenty of world left to […]
Gear in the Wild: Every party needs a smoke machine
U.S. Marines with 3rd Platoon, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, run during a simulated chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear attack for the Command Sponsored Corporals Course (CSCC), at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 19, 2019. The CSCC was hosted by 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, to provide students with basic knowledge […]
Surviving Delta Force Selection and Assessment (Pt. 2): If Boots Could Talk
Read Part 1 of Surviving Delta Force Selection here. Having completed the first leg of the 40-mile forced march in twice the amount of time allowed to pass the selection phase, I was sure I was behind the power curve, but felt strong and fast and in good spirits. I felt confident that I could […]
Happy Birthday to the greatest nation on Earth
An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 25th Fighter Squadron sits on display during the 4th of July Liberty Festival at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 4, 2018. More than 4,500 service members and their families attended the festival to enjoy food, entertainment and a fireworks show hosted by the 51st Force Support Squadron […]
How slowing down can help you win a fight for your life
Out here in the regular world, where law enforcement is just a phone call away and most bars have bouncers employed specifically to break up fights, fist fights tend to be pretty short. A few punches thrown, maybe some poorly executed wrestling, and unless you’re on your way to become an internet celebrity on WorldStar, […]
Surviving Delta Force Selection and Assessment: Part 1
I was stationed in Key West, Florida, at the U.S. Army Special Forces Combat Diver Academy as a SCUBA instructor. I had intentionally sought out that assignment to avoid a mandatory levy into the Special Warfare Center (SWC)—duty that all Green Berets inevitably faced in their careers at some point. Rather than get stuck in […]
Gear in the Wild: The Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle is one mean piece of kit
U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, rehearse firing a Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle during the blank iteration of a combined arms live fire excercise in support of Swift Response 19 in Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, June 24, 2019. Swift Response 19 is a U.S. Army Europe multinational […]
Gear in the Wild: Getting all dressed up to go for a ride
A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) rescue swimmer hangs of the side of an MH-65 Dolphin off the coast of Tybee Island Coast Guard Station, Georgia, June 21. 2019. The rescue swimmer aided pilots from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, during a search-and-recovery exercise with the USCG. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman […]