Turkish forces experience deadliest day since beginning Operation Olive Branch

During the deadliest day of the Turkish military’s Operation Olive Branch, Turkey has lost eleven soldiers to the Kurdish YPG’s combat prowess this past Saturday. The operation began last month in an effort to capture the territories of Afrin and Manbij from Kurdish occupation but has yielded little results other than mounting casualties on both […]

How to transition from a rifle to a pistol like a pro

Transitioning from a rifle or other primary weapon to a side arm can be a tricky process. The technique required is heavily dependent on the gear you use, different sling setups accommodate certain techniques better than others. A weapon transition should be simple and efficient above all else but when you transition is subjective to […]

Corruption in Kurdistan: illegal check points extort money from drivers

As the financial crises in Kurdistan continues, corruption is still a big problem that plagues the political climate. It has come to light, under the claim of Kurdish Prime Ministers, that recently five illegal checkpoints were set-up by political party affiliated officials to collect money for personal gain. The Kurdish regional government’s parliamentary finance committee […]

Iran pleads with Turkey to cease military ops

 As Turkey continues to advance on the autonomous Kurdish region of Rojava (northern Syria), opposition is coming from an unlikely voice in the middle east. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has taken a strong stance of opposition to what he views as a violation of sovereignty by Turkish military forces. Iran, who views the Turkish and […]

Beards, tattoos and tactical pants: My first SHOT Show

I follow our small team of writers up an escalator and onto the plaza floor that holds one of the many levels for SHOT Show. It’s a sea of booths filled with the latest in “tactical innovations” that the industry has to offer. Weaving around each other like a massive army of ants, are the […]

BREAKING: Marine killed in stabbing on Camp Pendleton’s School of Infantry – West

A United States Marine was stabbed to death at approximately 8 a.m Tuesday morning on Camp Pendleton, CA. The other Marine who stabbed him is currently in custody. NCIS is undoubtedly taking charge of the investigation, but has not yet released a statement to the press. Reports indicate that the stabbing happened during a fight between […]

Spectre Miniatures: Wargaming and art for the modern military mind

Spectre Miniatures is company that is based out of the U.K.; they produce a table top war game that uses 28mm miniature models to simulate modern combat scenarios. The game is designed to be played by multiple players running through reality based missions where an opposition force and assault force compete over objectives. The other […]

The many faces of Stolen Valor

The latest case of stolen valor to hit the news was self-acclaimed Green Beret war hero, Papotia Reginald Wright, who had created a group called the “8th Special Forces Regiment New York Honor Guard.” He claimed to have earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, among other awards he was never actually awarded. Though he […]

Arrests made in fatal stabbing of Marine in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 21-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine during a fight in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, police said Sunday. Officers arrested Jose Oscar Esqueda, 30, and Jeff Shai Holliday, 24, about 11 p.m. Saturday, said San Diego police Lt. Todd Griffin. The men are suspected of murdering Ryan […]

SERE: A foreign military volunteer’s perspective

Any everyday carry SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, escape) kit is a valuable piece of equipment. They can be applicable to any potentially dangerous situation. A well put together kit should try to cover a wide array of scenarios but also be as minimalist as possible; if it’s cumbersome to carry in casual situations, you probably […]

Training with the Ukrainian army’s elite snipers: Range time

Read part one here. Following our initial introduction and preliminary course of fire on the first day, the overall course structure was roughly laid out and presented to us, as students attending the sniper training. It was a course that consisted of a focus on marksmanship principles with long distance application paired with camouflaging and […]