Never and somehow again
When dealing with an all-volunteer force, retention will always be an issue especially when civilian society is competing for the same talent.
Military
A ThanksGathering
Each Veterans Day weekend, a gathering of Army friends–bound by service, stories, laughter, and tradition–reminds us that shared rituals and gratitude knit together the history and heart of every community.
Sig P320: How the Army Ended Up Issuing Soldiers a Pistol That Shoots You First
Picture this: a Pentagon conference room full of brass so weighed down with medals they can barely sit upright. A stack of PowerPoints taller than the Washington Monument. Coffee so bad it makes MRE sludge taste gourmet. The mission? Pick America’s next service pistol. The result? They chose a pistol that might decide to shoot you before you even draw it.
Barbed Wire Lessons – What WWII POW Camps Teach Us About the Next Great War
During World War II, America quietly became a warden to over 425,000 prisoners of war—mostly Germans, Italians, and a few thousand Japanese. They arrived in Liberty ships and railcars, scattered to more than 700 camps across 46 states.
The Historical Precedents For “Kinetic Strikes.”
Use of force without direct Congressional authorization is often problematic. But that doesn’t make it illegal or unconstitutional.
Death by Regulation: How the DoD Lost Its Outdoor Soul
Once upon a time, every Army post had a Rod & Gun Club. Soldiers swapped stories over clays and venison stew, learned real firearm safety, and taught their kids what stewardship and discipline looked like. The firing line wasn’t political; it was practical. It built better Soldiers, shooters, better conservationists, and frankly, better Americans.
The Empire Eater — Lessons from the Graveyard of Empires, Epilogue
They called Afghanistan “The Graveyard of Empires,” and by the time the Soviets showed up, it already had a headstone collection. The Persians, the Greeks, the Mongols, and the British were all buried there in one form or another. Still, the Soviets thought they could be different. They always do.
Uncharted Waters, by Mike Courts
I believe we are in some uncharted waters as far as our government’s use of force is concerned. The President’s use of military force against alleged drug trafficking boats is going to break new ground and test the Constitution and international law.
The Empire Eater — Lessons from the Graveyard of Empires, Part I
They called it the Great Game — the 19th-century chess match between Britain and Russia for control of Central Asia. Somewhere between tea time and arrogance, the British decided Afghanistan would make a lovely buffer zone between their Indian colony and the advancing Russians.
From Farmer Strikes to Fighter Jets: Meet NATO’s New Boss, Mark Rutte
Hey, remember that wild farmer strike in the Netherlands a couple years back? The one where thousands of angry Dutch farmers rolled their tractors onto highways, blocked airports, and sprayed manure at government buildings because the government wanted to shut down half their farms to “save the environment”? Well — guess who was running that …
In the Matter of… Why I use ‘Levels’ instead of ‘Years of Age’ by Smitty
American Citizen Writer, Colonel (and Medical Doctor) U.S. Army Retired, offers up an inspirational anecdote about continuation of public service…after service.
World War Me: How the Global Elite Found a New Hobby
You have to hand it to them—wars are incredibly efficient. They fix unemployment, erase debt, trim the population, spike GDP, and make the right people filthy rich. If you were a global leader addicted to fame, adrenaline, and taxpayer cash, you’d love war too.
The VA’s “Community Care” Dental Program — Where Nobody Gets Paid and Everybody Loses
On paper, the VA’s Community Care dental program sounds like a dream: veterans can receive top-quality care from local civilian dentists without trekking halfway across the state to the nearest VA medical center. In reality? It’s a bureaucratic train wreck wrapped in red tape and sealed with an “apology for the inconvenience.”
From Vacuum Tubes to Pocket Radar: A Retired Geek’s Lament
I’m a retired Army math geek, and I’ll confess: I didn’t get to work on the sexy, world-changing projects my predecessors did back in the day. My career field was literally born because, in the middle of World War II, some engineers with more brain cells than social skills invented a device called the Variable Time fuze
The Coming Tomahawk Missile Failure
Plans to deploy Tomahawks to Ukraine will only reveal America’s weakness.
The Woke Reich: Don’t Let the Pendulum Smack Us in the Face
Here’s the problem with pendulums: they never stop neatly in the middle. They swing. And when one extreme breaks down, the opposite extreme often rushes in like it’s auditioning for the sequel.
Belgian Beer Run
When you spend enough time as a general’s aide-de-camp, you learn two things: first, generals are human; and second, there are certain things you just keep to yourself.
The War That Never Was”–An alternative history grounded in the real NATO, Part III
In February 2014, while Western leaders debated sanctions over Ukrainian protests, unmarked soldiers began seizing airfields and government buildings in Crimea. No insignia, no declarations, just discipline and precision — “little green men.”
The War That Never Was”–An alternative history grounded in the real NATO, Part I
An alternative history built from the true Balkans laboratory that almost ignited something far larger.
War Stories: The Beer Runs to SHAPE
Those were the cool days—the kind of small adventures you could still get away with back then. A snowstorm over the Ardennes, a borrowed BMW, and a rucksack full of Belgian beer.