Not an Extreme claim to make, but being a linguist is one of the best jobs to have in the military. Being able to communicate in a foreign language opens many doors, both professionally and socially. Most cultures (France is an exception) appreciate visitors' efforts to converse in their local language, and yes, it can be fun as well as occasionally embarrassing. While there … [Read more...] about Lost in Translation: A Navy Linguist’s Wild Ride Through War Zones and Wordplay
Peter Morlock Jr Articles
The Rise of Campus Antisemitism: What Students Aren’t Being Taught
The unmitigated vitriol we are seeing at Harvard, Columbia, and over 500 other campuses world-wide since the unprovoked HAMAS October 7, 2023, massacre and subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza draws attention to these institution's failures to provide historical context, protect Jewish students, or provide the education for which they were established. Let’s start at … [Read more...] about The Rise of Campus Antisemitism: What Students Aren’t Being Taught
Handling Classified Information: Sound Judgment Required
Information is a weapon. From the first time I fired a .22 rifle at camp the summer after second grade to my first read-in and access to classified information and then to advanced weapons training and combat deployments with various Naval Special Operations Forces (NAVSOF) elements, there was never a doubt that I was being entrusted with weapons that, when used improperly or … [Read more...] about Handling Classified Information: Sound Judgment Required
The F3 Method: How to Hunt Down and Kill Terrorists
Radiofrequency and direction finding (RFDF) has been around since the early days of aviation. Today, communication intercept (COMINT), metadata collection, target, and identification/location play a major role in special operations and in the War on Terror. Bulk collection is essential for developing the "big picture," as satellites, national agencies, and tactical forces … [Read more...] about The F3 Method: How to Hunt Down and Kill Terrorists
Opinion: A Matter of Honor and the Fiction of Malcolm Nance
Reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s “deplorable” comments when she referred to supporters of then candidate Donald Trump, MSNBC analyst Malcolm Nance -- and self-appointed counter-terrorism, cryptology, intelligence, interrogation and linguistics expert -- has stated that all military persons that support the President are “not honorable.” As a retired Senior Chief (E-8), … [Read more...] about Opinion: A Matter of Honor and the Fiction of Malcolm Nance
Don McFaul: An unrecognized legacy
As I sat in church on Sunday morning, our Pastor asked the congregation if anyone had known a soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice. Along with a few others, I stood. Yes, I have known several Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors, but one sticks out on this Memorial Day Weekend -- the mission that claimed his life had a direct impact on my career and outlook on warfare. I … [Read more...] about Don McFaul: An unrecognized legacy
OP-ED: War and boxing, an ISIS analogy
Eliminating the “head of the snake” does not defeat an enemy, despite recent comments to that effect made by former Lt. Col. (USMC) Oliver North in a Fox News discussion/commentary regarding ISIL/ISIS. A constant and direct assault on the body destroys the heart and will of an opponent. In World War I, WWII, Desert Storm, OEF, and OIF (in the latter two we screwed up the end … [Read more...] about OP-ED: War and boxing, an ISIS analogy
The V.A. and veterans health care: A pro-option discussion
Over the weekend several veteran sponsored TV ads caught my attention. The most prominent being the VoteVets campaign where they are launching (actually launched on Aug 23) a half-million dollar campaign to oppose the idea of privatizing Veterans healthcare as opposed to continue to count on the much maligned Veterans Administration. While the ads were clear as to the reason … [Read more...] about The V.A. and veterans health care: A pro-option discussion
Islam in reformation
The concerns with Islam are far more significant than simply “radical jihadist” against the duality of western politics and ideology. It is an internal struggle that results in external consequences. Yet, with all the outrage and justifiable retaliations, religious reformation is not a new concept. Ask most people about the Christian Reformation and in all likelihood a brief … [Read more...] about Islam in reformation
Apple versus the FBI: How valuable is your personal privacy?
The iPhone of dead San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook has been in the hands of the FBI for weeks now. So why hasn’t the intelligence been accessed and evaluated for the protection of Americans against possible future attacks and the prosecution of additional terrorist conspirators? Encryption? Not really. Ethics? Possibly. Public perception and future market share? … [Read more...] about Apple versus the FBI: How valuable is your personal privacy?
Is Ted Cruz Eligible to be President?
The "birthers" have returned this election, though President Obama is no longer the target. Despite much ballyhoo, there was little question that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. That makes him a "natural-born citizen." That term is now a growing concern for Republican candidate Ted Cruz. Like many, I had put little faith in the growing debate; the law of blood and/or the law … [Read more...] about Is Ted Cruz Eligible to be President?
President Obama’s Latest Push for Gun Control Will Just Drive More Gun Sales
In a tearful soliloquy worthy of a Golden Globe nomination, President Obama outlined a series of executive actions that he will issue in order to further his anti-Second Amendment agenda. While pontificating about his disdain for gun rights—playing the emotional strings of still-grieving parents and family members whose loved ones were the victims of criminals, not law-abiding … [Read more...] about President Obama’s Latest Push for Gun Control Will Just Drive More Gun Sales