American train, advise, assist program helped Russians win the war

American train, advise, assist program helped Russians win the war

As typical of Russian propaganda and so-called “fake news” we are told by state-sponsored active measures efforts like Russia Today that everything America does is imperialist, neo-colonialist, and needlessly provocative.  Watching RT is like listening to Noam Chomsky or Howard Zinn get up to the podium at some lefty university event wearing a sweater with […]

CIA Ground Branch Loadout

CIA Ground Branch Loadout

I recently came across the above picture which is reputed to be a CIA Ground Branch contractor’s kit that he takes out on operations.  On first glance, the picture is probably a few years old considering some of the kit, but it looks pretty legit. The desert tiger stripe uniform is one of the first giveaways […]

Armed firefighters and EMTs are a bad idea

Armed firefighters and EMTs are a bad idea

Texas lawmakers filed several bills this month that would allow firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the state to carry handguns on duty, according to a recent report from KXAN in Texas. The legislation has been proposed in the Texas State House, and would require the first responders to have a permit before being allowed […]

Op-Ed: The OSCE Monitoring Mission- Ukraine

Op-Ed: The OSCE Monitoring Mission- Ukraine

By now if you have been following the Ukrainian conflict, you will have seen or noticed and organization that calls themselves the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) the guys driving around eastern Ukraine in white Toyota Landcruisers. Below is a mission statement from their website. Who we are The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that […]

Humility: Mindset of the professional warrior

Humility: Mindset of the professional warrior

A popular image of the warrior emphasizes his confidence.  While confidence is important, however, humility keeps confidence from becoming bravado, and ultimately keeps the warrior alive. In mid-2004, I was a “roper,” one of the young Marines running (don’t get caught walking) around 1st Recon Bn with a sling rope and carabiner around their shoulders.  […]

Rugby and mental toughness: How a college club prepared me for the Marine Corps

Rugby and mental toughness: How a college club prepared me for the Marine Corps

Although immensely popular elsewhere in the globe, rugby didn’t start gaining any real traction in the United States until fairly recently.  It’s similarities to some of American’s favorite sports, namely football and soccer, may have kept many from embracing what seems like a brutal bastardization of the two – but I think it has more […]

Importance of Language, Cross-Cultural Communication in Special Forces Operations

Importance of Language, Cross-Cultural Communication in Special Forces Operations

Special Forces troops and all Special Operations Forces for that matter are masters at relationship building with host nation forces that they live with, train, and fight alongside in the world today. From the beginning of the OSS, the special operations forces had to earn the trust of their counterparts in occupied France before they […]