The Importance of Critical Thinking for the Modern Warrior
“Le Penseur” (1904) in the Musée Rodin in Paris. Photo by CrisNYCa / CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped. During the classical period of Ancient Greece (5th to 4th century BC), the…
The Drengr Code: Viking Warrior Virtues
Guests from Overseas (1901) by Nicholas Roerich, depicting a Varangian raid. The Drengr Code was a set of principles that guided the behavior of Viking warriors. It emphasized bravery, loyalty,…
The Real War Is Not Out There
The Real War Is Not Out There by Donavon L Riley When the battle tightens its grip and the weight feels like it’s crushing your very bones, that’s when you…
The Mad Dance We’ve Known So Long
The Mad Dance We’ve Known So Long by Donavon L Riley Men murder each other for crumpled bits of paper, scraps of currency that we’ve convinced ourselves hold the key…
The Swans Were Not Saved by Their Cries
The Swans Were Not Saved by Their Cries by Donavon L Riley Freedom, in its abstract form, is a distant god, cold and indifferent. It makes a very stupid god.…
Combatting the Hegelian Dialectic
Combatting the Hegelian Dialectic by Donavon L Riley The pressure to “choose a side” is constant. Our response to politics and cultural events, our religious beliefs, our philosophical principles, our…
The Path of The Wild Man
The Path of The Wild Man by Donavon L Riley “The Wild Man can only come to full life inside when the man has gone through the serious disciplines suggested…
Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless
Nature’s Abundance Is Boundless by Donavon L Riley The land of Ireland, still ancient and wild in a few places, holds tales that stretch back to the dawn of civilization.…
EMS FIRST RESPONDERS Inspirational LIFE Opinion Planning PSYCHE Weaponizing the Behavioral Sciences Wisdom
From Operational Readiness to Catastrophic Injury and Beyond
Guest post by my friend Seb Lavoie When a tactical athlete suffers a catastrophic injury on and off duty, the focus must shift, at least temporarily, from prioritizing operational capacity…
Culture Faith LIFE Life and Family Mission Health Planning PSYCHE Weaponizing the Behavioral Sciences Wisdom
The Liberation of Fear: Finding Health and Strength after Fifty
The Liberation of Fear: Finding Health and Strength after Fifty by Donavon L Riley The sun hung low over the horizon, casting long shadows across the fields, as I met…