I lost everything I owned three years after leaving the Navy, including my marriage. Then, I picked myself up, dusted off, and built a new life outside of my service. It was a tough, lonely, and sometimes scary, road. We have recently… [Read more…]
I lost everything I owned three years after leaving the Navy, including my marriage. Then, I picked myself up, dusted off, and built a new life outside of my service. It was a tough, lonely, and sometimes scary, road. We have recently experienced one of the largest migrations of combat veterans to civilian life since World War II, and it is my goal to share my own transition … [Read more…]
Navigating the labyrinthine corridors of the Veterans Affairs (VA) system can feel like climbing Mount Everest, especially when it comes to dental care. Unlike general VA health benefits, dental care eligibility is a patchwork quilt of classifications, exceptions, and bureaucratic nuances. Let's sink our teeth into the current state of VA dental benefits and who qualifies for … [Read more…]
In the aftermath of service, the sacrifices of many veterans extend beyond the battlefield, often leaving families grappling with the void. Enter the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program, or Chapter 35—a beacon for those navigating the tumultuous seas of loss and transition. This program is a lifeline, offering educational benefits to the spouses and … [Read more…]
Remembering the Fallen: A Memorial Day Reflection I didn't learn the following unit well after I was sworn into the Army. Memorial Day is not about furniture sales or cookouts, though we often gather with friends and family in backyards across the country to cook out and down a cold one, and that's OK. It's the American way. No—this is a day to stop and remember. To walk … [Read more…]
In the intricacies of human existence, the longing to be both useful and necessary remains a universal aspiration. Across all sectors—from business to sports, military, politics, and beyond—people inherently strive to carve out a space where their contributions are valued and irreplaceable. Yet, an unsettling truth lurks beneath this aspiration: at various junctures in life, … [Read more…]
Two of America’s most recognizable former Navy SEALs, Rob O'Neill and Brandon Webb, sat down recently for an unfiltered, no-nonsense conversation covering everything from international flying culture to the cultural decay happening back home in the good old US of A. The interview, embedded below, feels less like your standard question-and-answer session and more like two old … [Read more…]
Choosing the Right Approach for Your Story As a Veteran who specializes in Military Editing, I often help other Veterans to write their Memoirs or biographies. Memoirs are a compelling way to preserve personal experiences, offering readers insight, inspiration, and connection. While all memoirs are based on lived experiences, they can take different forms depending on their … [Read more…]
I always inevitably get asked by my friends in the business community why the SEALs and SOF community are so Kardashian-like in their gossip. If you ever want a front-row seat to a testosterone-fueled soap opera with more backstabbing than a Game of Thrones season finale, just hang around the Navy SEAL community long enough, especially on social media. The Formula 1 grid is no … [Read more…]
There’s a sickness that plagues the veteran community, a self-inflicted disease that festers in the shadows of social media echo chambers and back-alley message boards where bitter men sip their daily dose of hate. It’s an addiction to drama, to public executions of fellow veterans by way of half-truths and outright lies. The latest target in the Coliseum? Tim Kennedy. A man … [Read more…]
If you are anything like me, you are a veteran, and you have chronic pain. It's not exactly a secret that most of us do. We suck it up and live with it because what choice is there? I'll also bet most of the veterans you know have some varying degrees of pain as well. It's an epidemic, but there may be hope on the horizon. On January 30, 2025, Vertex Pharmaceuticals … [Read more…]
Early Life and Aspirations Had he lived, Danny Dietz would have turned 45 this past Sunday. Unfortunately, fate never intended that to be. Born on January 26, 1980, in Aurora, Colorado, with proud Apache ancestry, Danny Phillip Dietz Jr. was a man whose legacy of valor and dedication continues to inspire. Here at SOFREP, we look at the fallen with an unflinching eye. … [Read more…]
In an impressive display of solidarity, over 100 Navy SEALs are preparing to descend upon Washington, D.C., in support of President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. This extraordinary mobilization, organized by members of the SEAL community, signals a powerful endorsement from America's elite warriors for the nominee. Pete Hegseth: A … [Read more…]
