Tag: Marines

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Which is more important readiness or culture?: Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter shocked the military last summer when he called for boosting the military’s high-tech force by finding civilians who already have those vital skills like cyber security and offer them “lateral entry” into the military — a chance to skip boot camp and put on […]

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 […]

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 […]

Air Commandos getting it done: For the first time, two airmen were awarded Air Force Crosses at the same ceremony for acts of valor during separate events in Afghanistan. Retired Master Sgt. Keary Miller. a pararescueman assigned to the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron in 2002, fought in the 17-hour battle that has become known as the Battle of […]

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 […]

As a young Marine, few potential duty stations come with more trepidation and anxiety than Twentynine Palms.  The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, or MCAGCC as it is sometimes called, is a sprawling military installation in its purest sense: while many military bases in the United States offer a pleasant and even domestic appearing […]

It seems like only five minutes ago that Brandon brought his team of warriors over to the famous York Hall, the home of boxing in the east end of London. I can still hear the cheers that rang out there as the veteran operators from both sides of the pond battled it out. The event—the Remembrance Rumble—hailed as […]

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. […]