Movie Review: ‘Megan Leavey’ is a solid love story about a Marine and her dog

Movie Review: ‘Megan Leavey’ is a solid love story about a Marine and her dog

When I was contacted about watching and reviewing an early screening of “Megan Leavey,” the upcoming dramatic biopic starring Kate Mara that tells the story of a Marine K9 handler and her experiences with a German Shepard named “Rex,” I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.  There hasn’t been a particular shortage of contemporary war […]

Final Thoughts, Memorial Day, Thank the Fallen Warriors, Not the Veterans

Final Thoughts, Memorial Day, Thank the Fallen Warriors, Not the Veterans

When one talks about Memorial Day, it is important to know what it means and most importantly who it is honoring. The thing to remember is, this day is reserved for the fallen warriors who died in defense of our country not for the veterans who march in honor of their missing comrades. Many of […]

Hand-to-hand combat for SOF (Pt. 5): 1980s and ’90s

Hand-to-hand combat for SOF (Pt. 5): 1980s and ’90s

Note: This is part of a series. You can read parts one, two, three, and four, here. The late ’70s and ’80s was a time of expansion and experimentation as U.S. SOF units digested the lessons of Vietnam and reveled in the Reagan presidency, which meant increased funding for all of the U.S. military, and especially special […]

When Getting Ready for Selection, Prepare but don’t over-train

When Getting Ready for Selection, Prepare but don’t over-train

I’ve been scouring social media for the past few days because I’ve gotten a few messages about training for selection and the gist of several of them had me wondering if some of the potential candidates were reading a few things that are out on social media and taking it as gospel. The first and […]

One Marine’s EDC gear – and why I’ll always carry two knives

One Marine’s EDC gear – and why I’ll always carry two knives

When it comes to choosing the stuff you keep strapped to you on a daily basis, there are a number of things you need to take into account: the environments you’re normally in, the laws in your particular state and county, weight, mobility, and perhaps most important of all – comfort.  It may sound awfully […]

Marines take over advising mission in Helmand

Marines take over advising mission in Helmand

CAMP SHORAB, Afghanistan — For the first time since the drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in late 2014, U.S. Marines returned to Helmand province en masse Saturday as the 300-person Task Force Southwest took over the training and advising mission there. Unlike its Marine predecessors in the region, Task Force Southwest is not a […]

When active-duty service members struggle to feed their families

When active-duty service members struggle to feed their families

Kara Dethlefsen lined up early on a recent morning for the food pantry at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base near San Diego. She and her husband, both active-duty Marines, took turns holding their 4-month-old daughter. “We most like to get the avocados, lemons, some vegetables to cook up,” says Dethlefsen, 27, who first heard about […]

Meet the first woman to lead a Marine Corps tank platoon

Meet the first woman to lead a Marine Corps tank platoon

Second Lt. Lillian Polatchek made history on Wednesday when she became the first female graduate of the Army’s Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course, and the first woman to lead a Marine tank platoon. Polatchek graduated from the Army-led Basic Armor Officer Leaders Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, at the top of her class of 67 Marines and soldiers. […]