Editor’s Note: Geo’s memoir, “Brothers of the Cloth,” a true account of special mission unit soldiers, has sold out in hardcover and will soon be coming out in paperback! You can keep an eye out for it here. In the beginning, Man created the gun and the cartridge. The gun was without form and […]
Marines
Know a SEAL from a Night Stalker: a breakdown of US Special Operations units
While it could be said that every unit which falls under the “special ops” umbrella is comprised of operators who can move, shoot, and communicate with lethal efficiency, different units developed to address specialized challenges. As the years wore on, and particularly since the onset of the Global War on Terrorism, lines may have blurred […]
The warrior’s dilemma: My biggest parenting challenge has been renegotiating my relationship with death
On Thanksgiving Day this past November, something incredible happened: my wife gave birth to my beloved baby girl. It had been a long road, much longer than 9 months, and far more difficult a journey than most people realize. The birth of my daughter was more than a momentous occasion for my wife and I, […]
Marines now have a new ride for combat operations: The JLTV
The Marine Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), a new armored platform set to replace the legendary Humvee, has reached initial operating capability (IOC) and is now ready to begin deploying with Marines globally. The platform was designed in a joint venture with the U.S. Army to provide American war fighters with greater off-road mobility […]
We all make our own sandwiches: A short story about life that got me through the Marine Corps
Two construction workers were hired for the same big job, and although they didn’t know each other, they soon started eating lunch together during their breaks. Each day, the two men would take a seat near their work, pop open the lunch boxes they brought from home, and exchange pleasant, if not superficial, conversation about […]
Watch: 360 degree video shows what it’s like to hitch a ride dangling under a Blackhawk
Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction (SPIE) flights offer a unique way to get troops into and out of terrain that a helicopter may not be able to land on. To the untrained observer, SPIE flights might look like a helicopter simply lowers a rope, warfighters clip on with carabiners, and then they get taken for one hell […]
The Streamlight TLR-6: Increase lethality of compact and sub-compact handguns
Streamlight is one of two companies I trust with my weapon lights. The TLR 1 is my home defense companion on my handgun, and now the Streamlight TLR 6 is riding tight on my SIG P365. The P365 has become my EDC gun and the addition of a light and laser truly makes it a […]
How to clean your rifle like a Marine
“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 […]
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 […]
Gear in the Wild: Navy SEALs in their natural habitat
Members assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group 2 conduct military dive operations off the East Coast of the United States. U.S. Navy SEALs engage in a continuous training cycle to improve and further specialize skills needed during deployments across the globe. SEALs are the maritime component of U.S. Special Forces and are trained to conduct […]