Havok Journal owner joins us for a discussion about some of his recent articles. The Havok Journal serves as the voice of the Veteran community through a focus on current affairs and articles of interest to the general public, and the Veteran community in particular.
“Pecuniam Infinitum, Belli Infinitum: The Aid You’re Giving Gaza is Making the Conflict Worse”
We begin with a discussion about how humanitarian aid flowing into conflict zones may serve to prolong the war. A study by professor Netta Barak-Cohen and Dr. Jonatan Boxman showed that 85-87.5 percent of the aid sent to Somalia never reaches the intended recipients. Instead, aid becomes de facto supply lines for warlords, criminals and autocrats. These buckets of cash create a financial disincentive for reaching a peaceful solution. Charles doesn’t call for an end to humanitarian aide but points out the need for significant reforms in how these programs are administered.
“It’s Okay That You Never Went to War”
Next we discuss the feeling among some Veterans that they didn’t truly serve unless they fought in a war. Charles emphasizes that an armed force cannot function without EVERYONE doing their job, whether they are a Green Beret or a mail room clerk. He points out that on his seven deployments with Special Forces, he never fired his weapon at another human being. “As an intelligence specialists, if I had to fire my weapon at the enemy it was probably a bad day for everyone.” He emphasizes that everyone should take pride in their service, just don’t lie about what you did.
“Military Mindset: You’re Only Six Inches From Where You Want to Be”
This is a very inspirational article that discusses that the greatest limitation for many of us exists in the space between our ears. “Treat your mind like you treat your rifle; clean it daily, test it under pressure, know how it performs when the plan beaks and don’t let it jam when lives are on the line.”
We wrap up with a discussion about how the “Broken Windows” criminal justice theory should apply to military leadership. The theory states that if smaller crimes are ignored, they can lead to more serious criminal activity. Military leaders must enforce standards and apply them fairly to everyone. “The little things matter because one day, the big things will.”