As a veteran, you’ve likely spent a lot of time outdoors. Whether it was training for your job or simply enjoying nature, you know the woods quite well. But do you ever get the itch to head back out there and take on Mother Nature again? If so, you’ll need to plan ahead this time. […]
veteran
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, […]
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 […]
Important tips on transitioning from military to civilian life from a Navy SEAL
I lost everything I owned three years after leaving the Navy, including my marriage. Then I picked myself up, dusted off, and built a new life outside of my service. It was a tough, lonely, and sometimes scary, road. As we are experiencing one of the largest migrations of combat veterans to civilian life since […]
The RifleMug is an Army Ranger’s solution to your boring coffee cup
Here at the Loadout Room, we tend not to throw our hats into the Kickstarter ring all that often. It’s not that we aren’t a fan of crowd funding projects, it’s that we review gear — and most Kickstarters don’t have stuff for us to smash up on camera behind the office (what we call […]
Teaching an old dog new tricks: I may not be the Marine I once was but I’m cool with that
Since becoming a dad, there’s been a running joke among my friends and family about how fatherhood is making me soft. It’s a fair observation to make: I do spend a lot more time watching animated animals sing nursery rhymes now, and words like “cute” and “adorable” are now a part of my day-to-day vocabulary… […]
NFW Operation Enduring Warrior AutoPilot: A watch with a story
The Operation Enduring Warrior watch by NFW is by far one of my favorite timepieces to wear. It’s not because of any fancy movements or materials used. The reason is the story behind it and what the watch symbolizes to me. To me, the term ‘Enduring Warrior’ signifies someone enduring the effects of combat and/or the […]
Opinion: ‘The Punisher’ and the social utility of killing
With the release of season two of “The Punisher” just days away, I thought I would get a bit ahead of the power curve given the inevitable deluge of rival op-eds inbound—articles from major news outlets that will no doubt repeat the hoary old scare tactics that have long surrounded comic books, video games, and […]
Crate Club: Sneak peek behind the curtain
A recent road trip from Michigan to North Carolina put us right in the path of the new Crate Club distribution center in Kentucky. Only three minutes out of our way, we decided to pop in and see how things were going. Responsible for both Crate Club and Cuna Dog subscription boxes, GSD Logistics has […]
My Thoughts on ‘Excommunicated Warrior’ by Nick Koumalatsos
For me personally, book reviews are generally more difficult to write up. Maybe it’s just because it’s not as sexy as a suppressed short barreled rifle or high-speed piece of tactical gear. Not the case AT ALL with Nick Koumalatsos’s new book, Excommunicated Warrior. Through this book, Nick covers the 7 stages of transition when leaving […]