George E. Hand IV

In the relentless and shadowed world of special operations, Greg Coker’s journey from the 101st Airborne to the elite Night Stalkers is a testament to the resilience and unyielding spirit of those who dare to navigate the forefront of danger and darkness.

In the sweltering Key West sun, Big Jim’s sloop swayed lazily in the marina, a testament to his carefree, albeit solitary, existence, while the thunderous laughter of Pee-Pee Jack’s brood echoed like a boisterous symphony, painting a vivid portrait of life’s unpredictable rhythms and bonds formed in the most unexpected of crucibles.

In the unforgiving theatre of war, where chaos reigns and the line between heroism and madness blurs, it’s the steadfast courage of the few, like Coker and the PJ, that ignites a beacon of hope in the darkest of times.

In the dead of night, under a cloak of stealth and the vigilant eyes of the Night Stalkers, the desert transformed into a silent battleground where precision and bravery danced in the moonlight.

Amid the monochrome expanse of the Afghan desert, Chief Greg Coker, with the wily grit of a Texan Mustang, wove his unbridled spirit into the tapestry of war, lassoing fleeting moments of camaraderie and defiance under the relentless sun.

A rewind of our monthly cartoon, brought to you by our very own George E. Hand IV.

Greg Coker spent eight years as a combat pilot in the Levant and was present at D-Day in Afghanistan and Iraq. His tales are extraordinary.

CSM Thomas Payne aided the freeing of 70 prisoners during a Kurdish-led raid on an ISIS compound in Al-Hawija in the Northern province of Kirkuk in 2015.

In the midst of the maddening swim, fighting against nature’s fury and our own limits, there was a raw, gritty camaraderie that bound us together, stronger than the relentless waves we battled.

Sometimes I am actually asleep and something funny — that maybe only I think is funny — comes to me. I no kidding wake up audibly chuckling and think to myself: “Heh, heh… no problem; I’ll remember it in the morning and make a note of it for cartoon representation.” And you know… I seldom […]

Amidst the grueling swim, tension, and dark humor, I realized that even in the most desperate of situations, we sometimes have to find a way to laugh in the face of adversity.

Amidst the relentless pitch and yaw of our ACU vessel, we stood, a band of brothers girded by the sea’s moody whims, our resolve as unyielding as the ocean’s depths.