5 milestones in a Marine’s first enlistment
There’s an old joke that says there are only two branches of the military: the Army and the Navy. The Air Force is a corporation and the Marine Corps is…
This is how much sleep you should be getting before a mission
On deployment, troops are asked to complete some pretty intense missions under hostile conditions. Half of the time, they leave the wire with little-to-no sleep and still have to perform at a high level. Due to our crazy schedules, we are required t…
4 dangers medics face while deployed in combat
Being deployed to a war-zone is dangerous for any of our brave troops, regardless of MOS. As we step on to the battlefield, willing to sacrifice our lives, the enemy watches, attempting to understand the many roles of our allied patrols.
7 rituals younger troops do before deployment
Deployments are hard on everyone. But no one feels the sting of a deployment like the troops. The more senior troops who spout the phrase “not my first rodeo” like they came up with it really are used to the lifestyle change of deployments. They’…
Top 10 military photos of the week
Wondering what our military has been up to last week? From 5K fun runs to a 28-mile ruck march to honor the fallen, deployment ceremonies to raising sunken vessels, here’s…
7 things we did on deployment we’re totally proud of
When service members return from deployment, their world is never the same. In many cases, veterans’ cultural views and morals change after they’ve seen how a different part of the world works.
For the most part, we step out of our comf…
Everything you need to know about National POW/MIA day
Established in 1979 through a proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter, National POW/MIA Recognition Day is an annual event held on the third Friday of September. This event is usually held at the Pentagon and is often observed at military inst…
3 important lessons for navigating marriage after the military
I awake with a start. John isn’t in bed beside me. Throughout his military career, I never could grow used to an empty bed. Unlike before, I hear him breathing. He is in his recliner on the other side of the room. Either insomnia, a migraine or bac…
We’re falling for fall with these 5 cocktails with military origins
It’s Sweater Weather! And with that comes time for indoor cocktails that warm the bones and keep your inner fire glowing. As we lead into winter, there’s no better time to dust off the old cocktail shaker and explore some old-school mixed drinks. …
4 reasons military brats make better adults
There’s definitely something different about growing up a military brat. There are obvious things like always being the new kid, living all over the world and missing huge chunks of time with your service member parent. Life was a bit harder for yo…