Luke Ryan

About the author

Luke Ryan is a SOFREP journalist in Tampa, FL. He is a former Team Leader from 3rd Ranger Battalion, having served four deployments to Afghanistan. He grew up overseas, the son of foreign aid workers, and lived in Pakistan for nine years and Thailand for five. He has a degree in English Literature and loves to write on his own as well, working on several personal projects.

The Hays Code: Real censorship in America

Most people admit that propaganda is pretty common in the United States in one form or another, but all out censorship is pretty rare. Freedom of speech is a hallmark of American values, and though private institutions may disallow one thing, or groups of people might discourage another, it is still generally legal to say […]

Pages of War: The origins of ‘We happy few, we band of brothers’

My previous installations of the “Pages of War” discuss how war affects literature of the time. You’ve probably heard it before: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.” And the following lines are quite popular among the western warrior community: “For he to-day that sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother…” […]

BREAKING: Over 230 dead, bombing and gunfire in Egypt

North Sinai, Egypt — An explosion went off Friday, followed by bouts of gunfire, in what is being reported at the deadliest terrorist attack on civilians in the Egypt. The death toll has surpassed 230, and over 100 people have been injured. The attack happened at a Sufi Mosque and according to Reuters, a bomb […]

Op-Ed: The wave of new fictitious leaders and what it says about our politicians

The following contains spoilers from HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy. Fictitious leaders have been portrayed in many different ways, but they usually have their flaws. A good story is often a reflection of the way things are, and our own leaders each have their particular brands of flaws–they are human, […]

Write it all down: a cathartic way to handle the after-effects of combat

Write it down. Not to sell–there are plenty of non-fiction veteran authors chomping at the bit to share their combat experiences with the world. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. The last mission of my last deployment was pretty hairy. Without getting into it, people died […]

Holiday diversionary tactics and net neutrality

I’m pretty far from a conspiracy theorist, and I can’t think of a single typical “conspiracy theory” that I subscribe to. With that said, most everyone would agree that the government does often do some pretty shady stuff—be it clandestine CIA operations or passing laws that are simply in the best interest of the politicians […]

Op-Ed: Charles Manson and the deaths of notorious men

Charles Manson died on Sunday, in a hospital in Bakersfield, California; he was almost 83 years old, had struggled with some gastrointestinal bleeding earlier this year and then was recently finished off by natural causes. In 1971 he had been sentenced to death, but before the ruling could be carried out, California did away with […]

Backlash against Aung San Suu Kyi’s silence begins to take form

Burma’s (Myanmar) de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been under harsh criticism in recent months, due to her apparent apathy toward the violence toward the Rohingya people. This criticism has begun to manifest itself into real action in taking away some of the honors she has earned during her years before she took […]

Authorities offer $100,000 reward for possible serial killer in Tampa

Seminole Heights, Tampa, FL — Police have offered a reward up to $100,000 “for information that helps solve the Seminole Heights homicides” as more parties throughout the Tampa area have contributed to the fund. Mayor Bob Buckhorn said that, We need to and will find who’s committing these heinous, senseless murders and when we do, […]

Alleged cop-killer captured in Pittsburgh SWAT raid

Though the investigation has not yet been concluded, Rahmael Sal Holt has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, murder in the first degree, possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm without a license. Holt had been on the run after shooting and killing New Kensington police officer Brian […]

The world mourns… Marilyn Manson? Read before you post

Charles Manson died of natural causes recently, having lived behind bars since he was arrested and imprisoned since 1971. The world didn’t exactly mourn his loss, and many wished that the death penalty would have been carried out like it was initially supposed to after his conviction. But, as is so common these days, many […]

US Marine pays last respects to his brother in arms

A former United States Marine by the name of 1st Sgt. James T. Hollingsworth passed away recently, and this compelling picture of his brother in arms, Master Sgt. William H. Cox, standing at Parade Rest has made viral rounds across the internet. According to Greenville News, the two fought together in Vietnam–1st Sgt. Hollingsworth was […]