Buying a house is one of the biggest financial decisions that starting families make. Though a no down payment mortgage loan can be attractive with the budget on hand and can potentially save you money on the upfront costs, it is not always the best move. When purchasing a home, you should be aware of the specific requirements for this ... Read More »
The scurvy disease has been known as the “Black Death of the sea” and was once considered deadly as smallpox. The sailors knew nothing about their vitamin C deficiency until Dr. William Paul Crillon Barton found a cure against scurvy while aboard the USS United States in 1809. Barton administered a citrus concoction to the crewmembers and spread the word ... Read More »
The feng shui forest, or fengshuilin, is situated in the ancient Hakka village of Guizhuping where it is protected and preserved for around 400 years. The heritage trees are believed to bring prosperity and good health to the Han people. They consider these forests to be sacred, so they give respect by putting incense-decorated shrines dedicated to the Earth gods ... Read More »
A new joint operational test event called Black Flag will be conducted by the 53rd Wing at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The 53rd Wing is the only wing responsible for operational test and tactics development for fighters, bombers, and remotely piloted aircraft. Black Flag aims to be the testing equivalent of the Air Force’s Red Flag training exercise but instead ... Read More »
British Galilean “optical” sights a more mysterious piece amongst collectors and students, as well as propose questions as to how large of a role they played in WWI. There are numerous questions regarding the sight that need to be answered, such as were they better than iron sights, and what evidence is there of their tactical use? American Rifleman delves ... Read More »
Webb is a Sgt. 1st Class in 7th Special Forces Group and is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. According to a source who worked with Webb, they reported he had recently worked on a classified intelligence program in Afghanistan run by Special Forces. After opening fire randomly into a bowling alley, Webb’s teammates spoke with Connecting Vets Radio and ... Read More »
As competition with China and Russia continues to rise, special operation forces must be reimagined for more ethical decision making and leadership. After decades of operators largely being focused on counterterrorism and counter weapons of mass destruction, they’re approach must shift. The need for the United States to build “micro-level relationships” has rose exponentially, with the Joint Special Operations University ... Read More »
When it comes to our nation’s heroes, they are the perfect example of the phrase teamwork makes the dreamwork. This War on Rocks article gives us perspective on just how much special operators collaborate. While it might seem like they would be specific to their own branch, Marine Corps operators work with other branches and may see a change in ... Read More »
Stew Smith observed the five common mistakes troops do during PT Test Training. Fitness tests are an inevitable part of being in the military and you have a high likely chance of passing the requirements when you have prepared adequately. He said getting better at your weaknesses while maintaining your strengths requires you to do workouts that you might not ... Read More »
Having power takes responsibility in every aspect of being a leader. Deborah Gruenfeld stated in her book Acting with Power, that “power is the capacity for social control.” Leaders have the ability to power up and power down depending on the circumstances each face. We all act with power to protect what is important to us. “Playing power down is ... Read More »
Michael Hyatt shares that the key to success is having a clear set of written goals that outline and provide actionable steps. For him, SMARTER goals mean being Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky, Time-bound, Exciting, and Relevant. He shares that it is critical creating SMARTER goals first to provide new clarity about what is most important to you to start a new year. ... Read More »
Operation Gratitude sends thousands of care packages from 20,000 deployed troops during the global pandemic. Kevin Schmiegel, Paul Cucinotta, and Danielle Tenconi shared their opinions about the importance of the act of giving in these uncertain times who beg to differ on the opinion expressed by Andrew James McCormick that care packages end up in burn pits. “They are powerful ... Read More »
Former Army staff sergeant and cartoonist Charles Schulz found inspiration in World War II in putting together the comic strip “Peanuts.” In 1942, he started his military journey and that meant that he would have to leave his sick mother who wanted to have a dog named Snoopy. Later, Schulz pursued cartooning, which he had trained for before getting drafted. ... Read More »
It was confirmed by Canada’s Armed Forces that a sniper from Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2) neutralized an ISIS target in Iraq at over 3,540 meters in 2017. The shot is the longest and one of the most difficult kill shots in military history. There are different factors in shooting at longer distances including but not limited to gravity, wind ... Read More »
The current chief of staff assigned to I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, took an oath to protect American citizens. However, he is currently facing allegations of domestic abuse and felony harassment. Col. Owen G. Ray is now sitting in jail after being arrested Sunday. The report given to police was that there was a disturbance with a weapon ... Read More »
SOFX The Crossroads of Special Operations