“The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.” General John Pershing, U.S. Army. No matter what their MOS is, every Marine is a rifleman. They are all trained to effectively engage targets out to 500 meters, perform basic battlefield maneuvers, and professionally maintain the standard issue service rifle. This is one […]
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EMT who’s seen it all talks about the night he wishes he could forget
People often ask me: “What was the worst thing you ever saw on the ambulance?” I think they are expecting some gruesome story about a decapitation or something. I’ve seen dead kids, people shot in the head, chest, and legs, burns, and stab wounds to the heart. I’ve seen strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrests, overdoses […]
Darkness and confusion may be the biggest killer in future wars—will anyone be safe?
Today’s world, while safer for most than at any other time in human history, is ripe with burgeoning conflict, simmering just beneath the surface. Civil wars and regional spats in nations like Yemen and Syria draw powerful militaries into proxy-conflicts. Looming concerns about a resource-scarce future have prompted Russia to lay claim to the Arctic, […]
Delta Force operator awarded Distinguished Service Cross for Mali operation
A Delta Force operator has been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the nation’s second-highest award for valor under fire, for his actions during a terrorist attack in Bamako, Mali in November 2015. During the morning hours of November 20, 2015, approximately a dozen Islamists associated with the terrorist group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb […]
The problem with military leadership, as told by 3 monkeys and a step ladder
The military is made up of all sorts of people. The good, the bad, and the ugly all find their ways into uniforms, and although much of the training service members undergo is intended to improve upon our abilities to lead, some aspects of good leadership are innate and unlearnable. Some men and women just […]
Watch: See what it’s like to be on the receiving end of an A-10 Warthog strafing run
The 30 mm General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger rotary canon first entered into service in 1977. The 619 pound monster Gatling gun measured just shy of 2 feet wide and 20 feet long when completed, but more than compensating for its gargantuan size by boasting a terrifying fire rate of 3,900 rounds per minute, fired from […]
Three things that seem like they’ll kill you (but probably won’t)
People have always been fascinated with death, and for good reason. Despite the massive breadth of experiences that one can accumulate over a lifetime on Earth, our final disposition after we exhale our last breath remains a unique kind of mystery: one we will all eventually solve, but can never relay to others. Death represents […]
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. […]
Israeli special operator’s top unwritten rules of close-quarters combat (Part 3)
You can find Part 1 of this series here. You can find Part 2 of this series here. This article is neither about a specific rule nor specific ways of doing specific things. Like anything in life there are dozens of paths to one destination, it´s all about efficiency and safety that sets the difference. […]
The US Navy releases new SEAL selection and training video
In an apparent move to attract more candidates, the Navy has released a new recruiting video about the Navy SEAL selection and training process. Many people don’t realize that shiny military career fields in special operations—such as SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers, Pararescuemen, and Marine Recon—serve as a great way to recruit quality people for the […]