Commentary Friday, Sept. 12, 2014. It was a normal day. The event started late in the afternoon. We received a rather vague notification that a vessel of interest (VOI) may be heading through our operations area. It figured because we had just lost yet another helicopter—our fourth—to mechanical failure. On the upside, we were supposed…

The public goes about their day, to the mall, a movie theater, baseball game, beach, etc. Within that world, there is another world. A secret world. A world that is dangerous, volatile, and violent. Around the corner, an unassuming man motions another to approach him … a drug deal occurs. Out of nowhere, several individuals…

Commentary In Norse mythology, Nidavellir was one of the nine realms inhabited by the gods. It was home to the greatest craftsmen, who were known for their magnificent creations for the gods. Also known as Svartalfheim, or “home of the black elves,” it was a place where mighty weapons were forged, including an unsinkable ship…

Commentary It’s so frequent these days. It’s on the news nearly every day. An officer was shot and injured; an officer was assaulted; an officer was ambushed; an officer was shot and killed; an officer was stabbed and killed. President John F. Kennedy gave the law enforcement community a Memorial Day. May 14. A day…

Commentary “Left of Bang is an idea that is part of the Marine Corps Combat Hunter Program. Left of bang is everything you do before shots are fired, the lethal threat is presented, or a physical assault begins. Bang is the violent act or the event which occurred where control was lost, and right of…

Commentary 1978 was the year my eyes gazed at the saddest person I had ever seen. War-torn, the eyes of this man held years of pain and loss. No amount of tequila could wipe away the depression, and his emotional scars were worn like an old coat. Fast forward to 2021, when we celebrated 43…

Commentary Author’s Note: The United States Air Force’s decision to divest the A-10C “Warthog” has larger ramifications for future wars than just an airframe. The service plans to drastically reduce its capability and capacity to provide Close Air Support (CAS) to ground forces, leaving the sons and daughters of America and her allies to fight…

So I asked Chat GPT, “What is a ‘nonner’ in the USAF?” and this is what I got back. “In the United States Air Force (USAF), the term ‘nonner’ is a slang term used to refer to airmen who serve in non-combat, support, or administrative roles. The term is derived from the word ‘nonnuclear,’ which…

Commentary When you listen to the National Anthem, do you get tingles that run up your spine? When you see someone in need, do you help? Is there something deep in your core? For us, who raised our right hand and swore the oath, we believe in the oath, and that it is worth dying…

Commentary In 2019, I basked in the darkness and dined with my demons. They poured my favorite whiskey and my forever place at their dark dining table was set to welcome another fractured veteran. My cozy reservation at this somber dinner party was within grasp. When squared-up and standing face-to-face, I gave a subtle nod…