Expert Foreign Policy, Security & Financial News
Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) are used by many individuals, including tactical athletes. These sorts of drugs are often thought of negatively, however for military candidates, they can have advantages such as being able to help the athlete cope with training volumes. This article will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of PEDs for tactical … [Read more...] about Performance Enhancing Drugs: The Benefits and Downfalls of Military Usage
This July marks the 73rd anniversary of the creation of the first true modern Special Forces unit, the First Special Service Force (FSSF). Canadian and United States SF units trace their lineage back to this historic Canadian/American joint unit, specifically the U.S. Army Special Forces and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment. The iconic red arrowhead with USA and Canada … [Read more...] about The great granddaddy of special ops: The First Special Service Force
"Unflinching: The Making of a Canadian Sniper" is the autobiography of Jody Mitic, who lost the lower half of both legs to a land mine in Afghanistan in 2007. He rose to fame in Canada when he and his brother raced their way to second place on "The Amazing Race, Canada" in 2013. In June 2014, he officially retired from the Canadian Armed Forces, but like many of us, he strongly … [Read more...] about ‘Unflinching: The Making of a Canadian Sniper’
The Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU) is probably one of the most unique in Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). Yes, one of these kids is not like the others. Like a lot of the operators who serve in it, CJIRU seems to have always been the odd man out, a small but vitally necessary and distinct capability. CJIRU’s mission is “to provide … [Read more...] about What a Nuclear Response Team looks like
Controversy is a kind of currency in the journalism business; it increases engagement by provoking passions in people and gets them sharing posts and pounding their keyboards in response. Speaking from personal experience, when commenters use all caps, it totally changes my mind around to their point of view. In all seriousness though, I don’t actually write my columns to … [Read more...] about This simple trick can make you the master of your mental health
As I previously mentioned in my article about the Canadian federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada ran on a platform to increase military spending while cutting nonessential positions and withdrawing from Canada’s contribution to the combat mission in Iraq and Syria. In October of 2015, newly elected Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau confirmed that he would keep … [Read more...] about Will Canada’s new prime minister weaken military alliances?
On 3 December, 2015, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced that all positions in the U.S. military will be opened up to women. “There will be no exceptions…they’ll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars, and lead infantry soldiers into combat. They’ll be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry, Air Force para-jumpers, and … [Read more...] about A Canadian’s View of Women in Combat
Probably one of the first questions you get asked in SOF whenever you tell someone your unit—especially if you're in a non-U.S. SOF unit—is, “What do you do?” In the Canadian Special Operations Forces (CANSOF), that's even one of the first questions you get asked from the regular forces, along with, “What’s the difference between Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) and the Canadian … [Read more...] about Canadian Special Forces 101: CANSOFCOM
One of the curious things about people is how quickly, and sometimes how slowly, we learn. In the wake of the Paris attacks and now San Bernardino, it seems people are finally starting to take preparedness a bit more seriously. We can sometimes be a bit harsh on civilians, and honestly, it is often quite funny, but when disaster strikes we all want everyone to be okay. We train … [Read more...] about 4 Ways to Survive a Terrorist Attack
With recent events, there is much buzz about collective security. The heart and originating purpose of NATO was to stand as a bulwark against increasing Soviet aggression in 1949. This is only part of the story, however. Soviet expansionism wasn’t the only animating factor in NATO’s creation; in the aftermath of the most devastating conflict the world has seen, there was an … [Read more...] about The History of Collective Security: An Attack on One is an Attack on All
On October 19, 2015, the Liberal party of Canada won the elections, assuming office and establishing majority control. The results of this federal election put young Justin Trudeau into the role of prime minister (the second youngest PM in Canadian history). Unlike the American system with checks and balances, the Canadian system went through some reform under PM Pierre … [Read more...] about Meet Harjit Singh Sajjan, Canada’s New Sikh Warrior Cabinet Minister
Job security for those of us in the military has never looked so horrifying as it did these past few days in Paris. Naturally, our thoughts go out to the first responders suiting up and heading out to take care of business. Next, we’re looking for retribution. As odd as it may sound to North American ears, Francois Hollande is a socialist president, but over there that’s not … [Read more...] about Taking Down ISIS: Why the Syrian Refugees Aren’t the Problem
Remembrance Day is almost upon us. It still strikes me how completely changed the day is from when I was growing up. Back then, it was about very old veterans in their navy polyester blazers and ill-fitting berets, laying dusty, cheap wreaths that appeared to be made from recycled artificial turf. When I heard their stories, I pictured them in black and white, just like all the … [Read more...] about Remembrance Day: For the Ones Who Didn’t Come Back
With the Canadian federal election scheduled to take place October 19th of this year, a major shift may follow in regards to the role of the Canadian Armed Forces. For the first time in Canadian history, the polls are showing a very tight race among the three major parties. Who comes out on top is anyone’s guess. I begin to worry when looking at the major parties' ideas about … [Read more...] about America Can Learn from Canadian Elections: 3 Parties, but Who Supports the Troops?
