The Havok Journal

05/01/2026

The wreathed dagger. The winged parachute. The golden Ranger tab. The Ranger Scrolls. They are nothing more than objects. They are cheap metal and cloth, yet they mean so much more. They are the firefights. The repeated concussions, fractured bones, and compressed discs. They are the months of starvation and sleep deprivation. They are the culmination of a month of selection and years of training cycles and deployments. More importantly, they are the culmination of those lost. The pain suffered. The deployments passed. The lives lost. The lives destroyed. The lives saved.

The world sees the metal, cloth, and ribbons. We see what they mean. We feel their consequences. We wear the crushing weight of those tiny metal badges, cloth patches, and cloth ribbons.

The wreathed dagger. The winged parachute. The golden Ranger tab. The Ranger Scrolls. They are nothing more than objects. They are cheap We wear the crushing weight of those tiny metal badges, cloth patches, and cloth ribbons.

04/01/2026

For so many, after experiencing the traumas of war, the ability to “come home” mentally is difficult. A part of them is still stuck in a dungeon somewhere, reliving nightmares, destruction, and worse. Many of these men and women eventually become more disconnected, angry, and frustrated with life at home. The warrior who still thrives inside, desperately searching to find a purpose in this “new” life at home.

by Warriors Heart _____________________ At the end of each deployment, Chris* always came home. He would call often when deployed, and make sure he always At Warriors Heart, Warriors from every walk of life are treated, offering a variety of treatments for those undergoing the damaging effects of PT...

04/01/2026

03/01/2026

The power vacuum and weakened institutions in Iraq following the destabilization have fueled sectarian conflicts between the Shia majority and Sunni minority. This power vacuum has not only resulted in widespread violence within Iraq but has also spilled over into neighboring countries, especially Syria. The destabilization has created fertile ground for the rise of extremist groups, with the most prominent being ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).

These groups have taken advantage of the power vacuum, sectarian tensions, and disenfranchisement of certain groups to gain influence and control territories. The deteriorating security situation in Iraq has led to a massive displacement of people within the country and has also contributed to a regional refugee crisis. Millions of Iraqis have become internally displaced, while many others have sought refuge in neighboring countries, placing significant strains on the host nations (Pfiffner, 2010). The Republic of Iraq has been in a constant state of chaos for over two decades as a direct result of the De-Ba’athification policy.

by Master Sergeant Tyrone D. Barrow, US Army Throughout the early 2000s, the United States (U.S.) led an invasion of the Republic of Iraq. One intended Military historians would discuss the 2003 Invasion of Iraq for many years to come.

03/01/2026

Flashbacks and I
don’t know why

But I remember
That’s why I cry

There’s no atonement
We all deserve to die

Late night raids
I’d kick in their door

Terror comes knocking
Revenge on every floor

Still paying for those sins
I can’t take anymore

Don’t feel bad for me
I joined for this

Violence lasts forever
Ignorance is bliss

Our fingers on the trigger
These warning shots won’t miss

by Daniel Clancy Flashbacks and Idon’t know why But I rememberThat’s why I cry There’s no atonementWe all deserve to die Late night raidsI’d kick in their These warning shots won’t miss.

02/01/2026

When I got there I saw the 6 or 7 other guys there to read for the part were your traditional bouncer types, really big dudes in their 20s. I don’t look like that at all; I’m about 5’8″, 160. And I was 51 at the time. I saw them smirk when I walked in. They were whispering to one another, giggling and pointing at me. They were clearly mocking me. “Welp,” I thought, “that was a mistake, boys. I WAS gonna tank this audition, but not now. You might as well just go ahead on home. This part is mine.”

And it was. I hadn’t been home a whole hour when I got the call I’d been cast.

Confidence is everything. Back about 10 years ago I got a call to set up an audition time for a movie. It was kind of surprising because it wasn't my There's a life lesson in there somewhere.

02/01/2026

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: identity categories are a data strategy wearing a sensitivity pin. When a platform clusters content under “Black Stories,” it’s not just helping you find art; it’s helping advertisers find you. It’s a demographic funnel. It’s “community” as a billing code. Because advertisers don’t buy “good television.” They buy predictable eyeballs. They buy “people who might argue about this show online,” then sell those arguments back to everyone as “engagement.”

America loves categories. We invented the filing cabinet, the “medium” soda, and the comforting lie that if you put a label on something, you’ve Satire on dividing streaming content by identity instead of genre—how race and sexuality labels fuel profit, polarization, and cultural walls.

01/01/2026

I’ve always been disgusted with how the “faithful” can take advantage of your idealism and servant’s heart to save a few bucks. Shady pastors told me to “have faith” as they waddled out to their brand-new cars to beat the Sunday rush at the Golden Corral. Thankfully, despite making little to no money during that season, I knew what I was doing was important. That kept me going.

In 2015, I felt the winds of change blow into my life in a big way. I had been traveling the Southeast for the last four or five years doing a weird mix A personal essay on burnout in ministry, faith, exploitation, and finding unexpected purpose and stability working for the Department of Veterans A...

01/01/2026

Forgetting isn’t always intentional. It’s a kind of self-defense. People move on not because they don’t care, but because they can. The ones who remember most clearly are often the ones who suffered, and as their generation fades, so does the memory.

The Holocaust survivors who once stood in classrooms and told their stories are nearly all gone now. The survivors of the Killing Fields are diminishing. The voices of those who survived the Rwanda genocide are fading. And the list goes on. In their absence, myths and distortions grow. History gets flattened into political talking points. The lessons of atrocity get lost in the noise of social media outrage and geopolitical spin. And soon, the next generation, protected from — and therefore disconnected from — the horror starts to believe that humanity has somehow evolved beyond it.

That’s when it happens again.

“Never again.” Those two words were supposed to be a promise, not just a slogan. After the Holocaust, after the liberation of Auschwitz, Treblinka, From the Holocaust to modern war, history keeps repeating. Why “Never Again” fails without vigilance—and what remembering truly demands of us.

31/12/2025

Despite all the effort and money, veterans are less well than they should be. On average, they carry more chronic disease than nonveterans, most are overweight or obese, and their su***de rates are dramatically higher. On the metrics that matter most, we’re not catching up—we’re falling behind.

We keep thanking veterans with discounts and free stuff. Meanwhile, veteran health is lagging badly, and in some key ways, it’s getting worse. I’ve spent Veterans don’t need more swag—they need health-first support. Why wants vs. needs is backwards, and how perks can drive better outcomes.

31/12/2025

Twas the night before Christmas
Bombs fell everywhere
The horrors and carnage
So very few shared

Our country was snuggled
Asleep in their beds
While visions of luxuries
Danced through their heads

Soundly they slept
While the sheep dogs fought on
Unaware of the danger
That lurked everywhere

Troops who had vowed
To keep us all safe
Ran into harms way
At a lightening fast pace

It wasn’t for money
It wasn’t for fame
It wasn’t for reasons
That some would claim

They were not blood thirsty
Corrupt or unkind
They simply understood
The enemies’ mind

On foreign shores
In the middle of the night
One moment starry skies
The next artillery’s light

They fought for each other
freedoms sweet call
protecting liberty’s honor
a beacon to all

the hope was to keep
danger far from our shores
friends and family kept safely
whether in or outdoors

America the beautiful
Celebrates on Christmas day
With many less problems
Due to those in harm’s way

May God protect and spare them
Shield them with his arms
Bless their stress-filled dreams
Heal their broken parts

Replace the terror dreams
With visions of better times
Honor every second spent
As living sacrifices

We wish you Merry Christmas
May all your dreams come true
With families filled with love
Waiting anxiously for you

Thank you for your service
And when your time is through
Remember that you’re loved
By many you never knew

Twas the night before ChristmasBombs fell everywhereThe horrors and carnageSo very few shared Our country was snuggledAsleep in their bedsWhile visions of Thank you for your service And when your time is through Remember that you're loved By many you never knew