Military culture
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How to spot a suicide bomber
Analysing Jack Reacher’s list of indicators. << Code Bleak TBC >> Hello there and Happy Thursday. I’ve made the mistake of starting Reacher Season 4 on Amazon. I know, I know. I have only myself to blame at this stage.… Continue reading
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Inter-military camaraderie
Why folks from different armies (often) get along. << Holiday hiatus TBC >> Hi there and Happy Thursday. Today’s post is going to be a short one because last week’s holiday in the UK was inadvertently extended due to a… Continue reading
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The purpose of the exercise is…
Unwrapping loose military terminology in everyday life. << Ballistics: movie myths versus reality Holiday hiatus >> Hi there. This week I’m going to dwell on a rather pedantic point which nonetheless is important because of what it says about our… Continue reading
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Modern myths about asymmetric war
Unravelling the hype and misconceptions about modern military technology and tactics. << The irreversible officer The truth about tricked-out weapons >> Hi there. The US-Iran deal-or-no-deal intrigue goes on. There are many aspects of this I could write about, but,… Continue reading
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The irreversible officer
Why the military commissioned profession is like no other. << Don’t call me “sir,” I work for a living Modern myths about asymmetric war >> Hello and Happy Thursday. This week I’m going to attempt to answer a question posed… Continue reading
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Don’t call me “sir,” I work for a living
Military world-building for creators. Part 1a: The rank structures << The Truth About Explosive Ordnance Disposal The irreversible officer >> Hi there. This week I’m going to delve into a topic which might be old hat to many of you,… Continue reading
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Our battles have plans, sir?
The movie myth of complex planning << Too big to not fail The truth about Explosive Ordnance Disposal >> I recently re-watched Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy because it landed on Netflix and it had been a few years since I’d… Continue reading
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Confessions of a WAG
The woman behind the man in uniform. << Tanks for the memories The Dublin Gunpowder Explosion >> Happy Thursday everyone! The Director is on a well-earned break this week and has decided to leave the blog open for a guest… Continue reading
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The path of the righteous soldier
Religion and the military << How to drive a tank Tanks for the memories >> Hi there. If you’ve been paying any attention to the news this week, you can’t have missed the tragic spectacle of US Secretary of Defense… Continue reading
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Thunderstruck
Why America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is actually a realistic military reality TV show. << Mass Destruction or Distraction? All the tech, still losing >> I’ve been writing the last few weeks about the War in Iran / Third Gulf… Continue reading
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Killer robots and asymmetric war
Some more thoughts on the war in the Persian Gulf 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Three lessons from the Third Gulf War Mass Destruction or Distraction?>> Hello. I’m afraid this week’s post is… Continue reading
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Three lessons from the Third Gulf War
What the US-Israel-Iran war has taught us… so far. 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Understanding EOD attire Killer robots and asymmetric war>> Hi there. As I promised last week, today’s post includes some… Continue reading
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High altitude, high supply
A review of The Fort Bragg Cartel 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Hard routine and camo cream What if every nuclear weapon was used? >> Hello there. This week I’m reviewing a fascinating… Continue reading
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Hard routine and camo cream
The importance of not being seen. 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Neutrality is not a shield High altitude, high supply >> Hello and Happy Thursday. This week I’d like to talk about the… Continue reading
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Neutrality is not a shield
Tackling another assumption of (Irish) neutrality. 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Nukes into ploughshares Hard routine and camo cream >> Hello again. This week I’d like to look at Irish neutrality again. I’m… Continue reading
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How the sausage is made
Military world building: how special operations happen. << New Year’s Resolutions Nukes into ploughshares >> Unless you’ve spent the last week under a rock you’ll have seen that the US Delta Force captured Venezuela’s dictator/president Nicolás Maduro on the morning… Continue reading
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Three locks for the price of one
Explaining Ireland’s “triple lock” on defence << Stand still so I can shoot you Explosive selection boxes >> Hi there. I hope you’re all gearing up for the Christmas/Holidays and taking some well-earned time off with loved ones. If you’re… Continue reading
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But WHY did you do it?
World-building for creators Part 2: Behaviour << Hitting a bullet with a bullet Stand still so I can shoot you >> Hi there. I’m continuing my series on military world building which I started a few weeks ago. Today I’d… Continue reading
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Setting the scene
Military world-building for creators. Part 1: C4 << Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice? Double nuclear trouble >> That’s not how the army WORKS… —Me, all the time, to the TV, to the eternal annoyance of my wife Hello and Happy… Continue reading
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Ireland and the Defence Industrial Complex
Can Ireland participate in defence tech and innovation while “staying neutral”? 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario The end of the line >> Hi there. This week I’m writing… Continue reading
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Fashion victims
How military dog tags became a style accessory. << You spin me right round baby… Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario >> Hi there. This week I’m taking / giving you a break from the ballistics series. As a reminder, so… Continue reading
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Send in the troops (Part 2)
How effective are military forces in tackling civil unrest? << Knock knock: Freedom delivery Woke warriors: Sustainability and the military >> Hello again. This week I’m jumping back a fortnight to go a little deeper on our discussion about using… Continue reading
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Send in the troops (Part 1)
Soldiers as law enforcement, disaster relief, and other miscellaneous tasks. << Silencers: not very silent The science behind the Massive Ordnance Penetrator >> Hello again folks. This week I’ve decided to give you all take a break from my ballistics series… Continue reading
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The importance of being alive
Security as military principle << Film review: Warfare Jelly vs. lead>> Hello again. I hope the weather’s been as nice for you as it has been for me; the only downside being the reduced desire to sit in front of… Continue reading
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My culture is not your fitness regime
Deconstructing the idea of the “boot camp” << Easter greetings and a bit about me Indiscriminate killers? >> This week I’d like to talk about boot camps. You’re probably aware of boot camps as a foundational part of military life,… Continue reading
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What do you do in the army?
How a peacetime army spends its time 🎧 Available in audio << Custard bombs Reacher’s last chance (Part 1) >> Hello again. This week I’ve decided to tackle one of those questions I spent my fifteen years of service trying… Continue reading
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Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction
A very MAD sort of logic << Military administration Flak Cannons and shotguns >> Hello again. I recently had the pleasure of seeing Steve Coogan in the stage version of Stanley Kubrick’s legendary Dr. Strangelove. Coogan plays the same characters… Continue reading
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Military administration
Napoleon’s first department. << Attention and the military Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction >> Hello again. Last week I mentioned that a military staff headquarters has distinct staff officer “cells” dedicated to different functions such as operations, logistics, signals, etc.… Continue reading
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Attention and the military
The myths and realities of military multitasking. << The military lone wolf in Hollywood storytelling Military administration >> In the last few weeks I’ve gone on a slightly coincidental binge of books and articles about productivity, focus, and deep work.… Continue reading
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The military lone wolf in Hollywood storytelling
And why this person is an (oxy)moron. << TNT vs. dynamite Attention and the military >> Hello again. This week I’m going to go on a bit of a rant about “lone wolf” operators in movies and TV (as well… Continue reading
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Memoirs of a CBRN crusader
A review of “Chemical Warrior: Syria, Salisbury and Saving Lives at War”, by Hamish de Bretton-Gordon. << Christmas greetings EOD Critiques: Don’t cut the red wire! >> Happy New Year readers! Whether you’re new to the blog or a returning… Continue reading
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Hurry up and wait
How the military organisation “flaps” to get things done. << Science Fiction Weapons: Lightsabers Chemical Weapons: Fact Vs. Fiction>> Welcome back to all my regular readers, and a fresh welcome if you’re new to the blog. This week we’re going to… Continue reading
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Book list: What’s life in the military actually like?
Some essential reading on military experience and culture. << Science fiction weapons: Lasers (Part 2) Science Fiction Weapons: Lightsabers >> This week I’m doing something a little different: rather than expound on some topic which “grinds my gears” because it gets the… Continue reading
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Film fashion faux pas
The importance of the beret in the military. << Firearm fails: Pushing the envelope of pistol performance (Part 3) Exploding cars (Part 1) >> This week I wanted to take a break from the frivolous stuff I normally write about,… Continue reading
