The Fire Pit

by Susan Katz Keating This is one of those times when running Soldier of Fortune gets interesting. Make that, really interesting. Folks frequently emerge from the shadows to fill me in on mysteries from years gone by, offering to show me old files, or point me in the “right” direction …

by Heath Hansen March 2006. My tour was over. I had survived. No more fire-fights. No more IED’s. No more raids. No more rocket-attacks. I was going home. Many servicemen spend time in-country without ever leaving “the wire.” As an infantryman, I basically lived outside the wire. Being shot at, …

Editor’s note: As the Marine Corps celebrates its birthday, what better way to say cheers than to tell the story of one of their favorite heroes, the legendary Chesty Puller. Lieutenant General Lewis “Chesty” Burwell Puller, colorful veteran of four World War II campaigns, Korea, and expeditionary service in China, …

Ron Desantis Was Ron DeSantis a U.S. Navy SEAL? That’s a question that frequently appears in the Soldier of Fortune inbox – so often, that we checked for answers. Here’s what we found. A native Floridian, DeSantis graduated with honors from Yale University, and also with honors from Harvard Law …

The Marine next to me started screaming, which I could clearly hear over the engine and wind noise  by Al Hagan As a Marine Corps lance corporal, I was going through helicopter training at Camp Lejeune. Our bird lands, we jump on, and I find that my seatbelt is adjusted …

by Tim Patterson, The War HorseIn the moments immediately after the collision—after an alarm had sounded at 2 a.m.; after the boat had rocked violently to starboard, rolling 45 degrees and back again; after many of USS Philadelphia’s sailors were thrown from their beds; after a DVD player had flown …

It started as an indie film, and turned into an international hit that spawned the popular Rambo series. First Blood was released on October 22, 1982, and grossed more than $125 million at the box office. Here’s a look at the first trailer that kicked off the film that turned …

SEALS Although not formally founded until 1962, the beginnings of SEALs trace back to when the U.S. military saw a need for a beach reconnaissance force. A coalition of “Scouts and Raiders” were formed in 1942. Today’s Naval Special Warfare operators can trace their origins to the Scouts and Raiders, …

Netflix’s remake of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is coming to the streaming platform on Friday, 28 October. The film tells the story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I. Paul and his comrades experience first-hand how the initial euphoria of war turns …

 by William Boudreau    Editor’s note: Former American diplomat William Boudreau encountered mercenaries during his career with the Foreign Service. Here are his recollections and observations about them. I will not advocate for a humanitarian award for any mercenary I have known. However, they embrace humanity. My point is they …