Man has always marveled at the terrifying and destructive nature of thunder and lightning. In Norse mythology, it is produced using Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, the god of thunder. The Greeks believed that lightning bolts were thrown down by Zeus from Mount Olympus. In more modern times there was the belief that lightning doesn’t […]
CIA
Why do Navy SEALs hate the SCAR?
For many of us from the conventional side of the military (or who never served at all) the FN Scar tends to carry with it a certain appeal. As a rifle designed specifically for Special Operations troops (SCAR actually stands for Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle), it’s hard not to look at the jagged […]
Special Operations reading list: A few of my favorite hidden gems
I love reading about Special Operations history. It’s amazing what information can be found in published sources if you’re prepared to dig around. There’s a whole hidden history that can only be compiled by doing some deep research and really looking for sources. Thankfully, some former operators penned books that are well worth tracking down. […]
Professionals Playbook: Interview with former CIA officer Valerie Plame — whose life was the basis for the movie ‘Fair Game’
Valerie Plame is one of America’s most famous CIA officers. Her life was the subject of the 2010 movie Fair Game staring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. During her time in the CIA she served several tours as a NOC, which stands for non-official cover. NOC’s are the most covert of the Agency’s operatives, working […]
How Special Forces operators commemorate their lineage
What a better way to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day then by jumping into Normandy? Green Berets assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducted static line and free-fall parachute drops on a drop zone in Normandy, France, last week. The Air Force’s 352nd Special Operations Wing and 86th Airlift Wing provided three […]
Introducing ‘The Professionals Playbook’ – F-35 pilot Justin Lee interviews CIA Officer, author Michele Rigby Assad
*Editor’s note: Here at the Loadout Room, we pride ourselves on being well prepared and well rounded individuals capable of performing under whatever circumstances life throws at us. That’s just what Justin “Hasard” Lee’s podcast, “The Professionals Playbook” is all about. Lee, an active duty F-35 pilot with multiple combat deployments under his belt at […]
Photo of the day: A special operations watch reborn
When I first saw the Paradive MKII Gen 3, to be honest, I didn’t think much of it. It was clean no doubt, but it failed to show any type of sophistication that I frequently see. So when I started seeing some of my close friends sporting the piece, I hopped on the web and headed […]
The CIA Operative’s Guide to Safe Travel
Like many of you, I’ve had my fair share of foreign and domestic travel. The world is on edge today with the anticipation of another terrorist attack. Even in the most hostile environments, you can make yourself a very difficult and less attractive target by applying simple preventive security measures. Terrorists and criminals will always conduct […]
ARES Watch Co. DIVER-1 Mission Timer Watch
(Seattle, WA) November 13th, 2018 ARES Watches (areswatches.com) is proud to announce the release of the DIVER-1. Officially launched last week at the NYC Wind Up Watch Convention, DIVER-1 is an American made mission timer built to withstand the rigors of any conceivable operation. Under the auspices of Matthew Graham, owner and lead designer, ARES […]
Former CIA Operatives weigh in on the Jack Ryan series
I’ve been a longtime reader of the Tom Clancy novels. Those novels comprised of most of what I read while in the Marine Corps. I think my hands down favorite out of all his novels was Without Remorse. Although Jack Ryan is not specifically mentioned, one of the characters, John Clark, is a recurring name […]