How to become a Navy SEAL sniper: The only easy day was yesterday

To prove the value of mental management and rehearsal, I would often relate a true story related to the topic. A Navy fighter pilot was shot down in Vietnam, captured and imprisoned for years in the famous prisoner of war camp the “Hanoi Hilton”. The pilot was an avid golfer back home, and to get […]

Will the military dare replace a Civil War general with a Special Forces legend?

Recently, Stars and Stripes and several other publications have posted pieces on a proposal for renaming Fort Hood in Texas for Roy Benavidez, the Medal of Honor (MOH) recipient from Lindenau, DeWitt County, Texas. Benavidez was awarded the MOH for extraordinary heroism while rescuing several Americans during the Vietnam War on May 2, 1968.  Normally, […]

Sea World: Retirement home for the Navy’s dolphins

On a recent trip to Sea World, I had an unexpected meeting with a retired sailor…a former member of the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program. Her name is Cascade, and she’s living out her retirement at Sea World. Her trainer mentioned that Cascade used to protect nuclear submarines and did all kinds of interesting things […]

Recon Challenge 2019: Sweat, blood, and pain for a noble cause

On May 16, active-duty and veteran U.S. Marines from units stationed around the globe gathered in Camp Pendleton, California, to participate in the annual Recon Challenge. The Recon Challenge is an endurance event that takes participants through numerous tests inspired by the Reconnaissance Marine training and operational history. There is, for example, a grueling 30-mile […]

The Pic of the Day: ‘Legends in Flight’ Expo

Members of the 1st Helicopter Squadron fly UH-1 Hueys over Washington, D.C. during opening ceremonies of the Joint Base Andrews “Legends in Flight” Air & Space Expo May 10, 2019. The weekend event in Maryland featured headliners the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, as well as an impressive lineup of […]

The Pic of the Day: Never forgotten

Tech. Sgt. Pete Rivera, a recruiter for the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds,” looks at his reflection at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., May 8, 2019. Rivera has been on the team since 2018.

YouTube bans Navy SEAL who exposed stolen valor cases

The online video platform YouTube decided to suspend the account of a retired Navy SEAL known for exposing numerous cases of stolen valor. Known for his direct manner and incisive humor, retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Don Shipley used his YouTube account, tagged Buds131, as a hammer against military imposters, specifically Navy SEAL imposters. His […]

Special Operations Hall of Honor inducts 20 new members

In January 2019, the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) inducted 20 special operators and Medal of Honor recipients into its prestigious Commando Hall of Honor. The honorees represent military personnel from all branches except the U.S. Coast Guard. The actions that led to their induction span across decades of American small and large military engagements. […]

Op-Ed: The Special Air Service, the Punisher, and political correctness

British media reports state that Special Air Service (SAS) operators were ordered to remove all Punisher patches and other similar insignias from their kits. SAS received the removal order after military VIPs visited the unit’s headquarters in Hereford, saw the skull-like emblems on troopers’ combat kits, and considered them controversial. The rationale behind the decision […]