Lethal Minds Volume 33
Volume 33, 01 APRIL, 2025
Letter from the Editor
Like our military, Lethal Minds Journal is apolitical by design. We try to stay above the nation’s increasingly politicized fray, avoiding policy positions, though we’re open to our contributors taking them on our pages. As it turns out though, you can’t please everyone on the internet. Even trying not to take a position means sometimes you must take your lumps. The acceptance of that reality was one of my first, and most valuable, lessons in the military. I am a third-generation Marine. But I am a fifth-generation lawyer, at least by training and licensure. Matters of causation and liability were regular topics of discussion as a kid. So, when I showed up at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School and (deservedly) found myself afoul of an angry man with no forehead demanding to know just what my excuse was for existing, I took it as an opportunity to present my case. It was not well received. By the end of OCS, I had learned a new and useful phrase: “Sergeant Instructor, this candidate has no excuse, Sergeant Instructor.” No excuse. I was late learning it, but I leaned in. It is to my mind the best possible answer when one has been caught in a position wholly of one’s own making, in violation of expectations. But "No excuse" does not seem to be the default position for our civilian masters. They seem more inclined to look to Patches O' Houlihan's lessons in how to "dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge" rather than General Dwight D. Eisenhower's letter written in case 1944's Operation Overlord proved a failure, "The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone.” It’s political business as usual I suppose; applying, as we say in the uniformed services, “Different spanks for different ranks” to their actions. It’s one of the few things that seems to unite them across the aisle these days. Maybe everyone in Congress needs a 500-word essay and a weekend duty. I digress. The constant, aggressive pursuit of responsibility and accountability characterizes military leadership at its best. Many life-or-death decisions in our business are rooted in honor and timeless martial expectations of conduct. You’re there to go down with the ship. As then-Captain Will Swenson said of the action in which he received the Medal of Honor, "If I call for artillery support I do so understanding the possibility of civilian casualties. But that's my decision. That's my responsibility, my call.” Politicians don’t play by the same rules because honor is a mutable concept in politics, tied to advantage and the way the winds blow in a moment. As Kendrick Lamar says, “They not like us.” In an America where politics has become team sports, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we are like us. When you’ve moved on to worrying about life issues beyond whether the First Sergeant saw you take an angle across his grass, it’s easy to forget that you were once willing to die for someone that our broken culture now wants you to think is your sworn enemy. They’re not. They’re the soldier who took your duty so you could see your kid play baseball. They’re the sailor who came to pick you up because you were hammered, and she picked up the phone at 0200. And yeah, you likely argued about everything under the sun. Then you stood up, put a round in the chamber, and walked out the gate together to take on all comers. It’s the duality of the barracks, the spirit that says we’re going to take this disagreement out in the woodline, but if someone comes at you en route, it’s both of us against them. We live that at Lethal Minds. Join us. Lethalmindsjournal.submissions@gmail.com. Fire for Effect, Russell Worth Parker Editor in Chief - Lethal Minds Journal
Dedicated to those who serve, those who have served, and those who paid the final price for their country.
Lethal Minds is a military veteran and service member magazine, dedicated to publishing work from the military and veteran communities.
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In This Issue
The World Today
Clausewitz on the Emergence of Peace: Lessons for Our Time
The Written Word
Out On a Limb
Old Fox
A Horrible Way
Poetry and Art
Worship Me
“The more you sweat in peace”
Reading in the Morning
Health and Fitness
Tactical Strength Series, Part 1: The Foundations of Tension and Stability for Tactical Athletes
The World Today
In depth analysis and journalism to educate the warfighter on the most important issues around the world today.
Clausewitz on the Emergence of Peace: Lessons for Our Time
Jonas Frey
Peace does not emerge naturally when weapons fall silent, nor is it commonly the result of moral enlightenment. Instead, it is a strategic outcome shaped by interests, power dynamics, and calculated decision-making. Understanding how wars truly end — and why some peace settlements endure while others serve merely as temporary pauses — requires a careful study of military theory. Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) remains one of the most influential thinkers in this regard.
Clausewitz is best known for stating that “war is merely the continuation of politics by other means.” However, this logic does not end with the last shot. Peace, like war, is a political instrument shaped by strategic realities. Clausewitz's work provides crucial insights into the termination of war and the conditions necessary for a stable post-war order.
War Termination and Strategic Realities
Clausewitz argues that war is not a linear process but a dynamic struggle shaped by escalation, miscalculation, and shifting political factors. A war does not end simply because one side declares it over; rather, it concludes when strategic realities compel its cessation. Throughout history, wars have typically ended in one of three ways: total victory, mutual exhaustion, or political realignment.
A total victory by one side allows the victor to dictate peace terms. However, Clausewitz warns that a peace based solely on subjugation and coercion is often unstable. The defeated party may seek to reassert itself through economic recovery, diplomatic maneuvering, or new alliances. The Treaty of Versailles (1919), which imposed punitive measures on Germany, did not prevent renewed conflict. Instead, it fueled nationalist resentment and economic distress, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of World War II. In contrast, the post-World War II settlement, which incorporated Germany and Japan into a new political and economic system, created a lasting order and prevented the resurgence of hostilities involving those nations.
A second way wars may end is through mutual exhaustion, in which neither side achieves decisive victory and the costs of continuing exceed any potential gains. The Korean War (1950–1953) exemplifies this, as military stalemate led to a ceasefire rather than a formal peace settlement. While hostilities ceased, the core political disputes remained unresolved. Even today, North and South Korea remain technically at war, and tensions continue to shape regional security dynamics. This demonstrates the fragility of peace settlements based on exhaustion rather than conflict resolution.
The third, and perhaps most complex scenario in which a war may end, is political realignment, in which a war ends not through battlefield developments but due to broader shifts in leadership, ideology, or international relations. The Cold War (1947–1991) is a prime example. Rather than culminating in direct military confrontation, it ended due to internal transformations within the Soviet Union that dissolved the systemic rivalry between East and West. The Cold War’s conclusion highlights that wars can be terminated not only through force but also through fundamental political change.
The Fragility of Peace Settlements
Clausewitz cautions against assuming that a signed peace treaty is synonymous with lasting stability. If an agreement does not reflect strategic realities, it is likely to serve only as an interlude before renewed conflict. Three key factors frequently undermine peace settlements.
First, a military defeat does not necessarily mean a political defeat. Clausewitz stresses that war can continue through non-military means, such as economic recovery, diplomatic maneuvering, or asymmetric warfare. The Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 did not mark the end of conflict in the region. Instead, competing factions continued to struggle for dominance, leading to the rise of the Taliban and decades of further instability.
Second, the Oslo Accords illustrate how peace agreements can falter when they ignore existing power asymmetries. Intended to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the accords deferred key issues like borders and refugees, while the imbalance between the parties undermined implementation. In contrast, the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel reflected the actual strategic positions of both sides, resulting in clear concessions and a durable peace.
Third, the persistence of war mentality and conflict narratives can sustain instability even after formal hostilities cease. When mistrust is widespread, and both sides continue to view each other as intractable enemies, peace is unlikely to be seen as a stable or legitimate outcome.The Israeli-Palestinian conflict exemplifies this challenge. Repeated peace efforts have been undermined by deep-seated historical grievances, territorial disputes, and national identity struggles. When conflicting parties continue to frame peace as a temporary ceasefire rather than a sustainable resolution, the likelihood of renewed violence remains high.
Clausewitz and Contemporary Peacebuilding
Clausewitz does not provide a universal formula for achieving peace, but his work offers valuable insights into the conditions necessary for sustainable conflict resolution. A key takeaway is that peace must be politically and strategically viable, rather than being based on moral aspirations alone. Simply halting armed hostilities is insufficient; durable stability requires addressing the underlying causes of conflict and ensuring that all parties perceive long-term benefits in maintaining peace.
Additionally, stable security arrangements require more than military deterrence. Effective peacebuilding necessitates economic cooperation, political inclusion, and diplomatic engagement. The success of the European Union (EU) in preventing conflicts among former adversaries was not achieved through military dominance alone but through economic integration, political cooperation, and shared governance structures.
Finally, perceptions of legitimacy play a critical role in determining the stability of peace settlements. Clausewitz would ask how the conflicting parties perceive peace: is it viewed as a just and viable resolution, or as an externally imposed settlement? Agreements perceived as unjust or forced are less likely to endure. Sustainable peace requires not only formal treaties but also broader strategic consensus and acceptance among the involved parties.
Conclusion and Outlook on Ukraine
Clausewitz teaches that peace is not a moral aspiration but a strategic outcome. It is achieved through calculated decisions, shifts in political realities, and sometimes sheer exhaustion. The key question is not simply how to end a war but rather how to construct a peace that does not already contain the seeds of future conflict. Peace, as Clausewitz suggests, is not the opposite of war but a continuation of politics by new means.
This perspective is particularly relevant to the ongoing war in Ukraine. As of early 2025, the conflict remains defined by military confrontations, strategic calculations, and shifting international alliances. Efforts to negotiate a resolution face significant challenges, including divergent political objectives, territorial disputes, and broader geopolitical interests. The manner and extent to which Clausewitz’s framework applies to Ukraine will depend on the future trajectory of the war and the eventual balance of power.
Will the war conclude through total victory, in which one side decisively prevails? This remains uncertain, given the continued military capabilities of both Ukraine and Russia. Could it end through mutual exhaustion, where the cost of continued conflict forces both parties to seek a negotiated settlement? Some analysts suggest that prolonged attrition may lead to a political stalemate. Alternatively, the war might end through political realignment, as shifts in leadership or external diplomatic pressure reshape the landscape. However, given the scale of violence and the depth of resentment on both sides, such a resolution may be fragile at best. Rather than a comprehensive peace, the outcome may resemble a tense ceasefire or a punitive settlement—more akin to Versailles than reconciliation.
Regardless of how the war concludes, Clausewitz’s insights remain crucial for understanding the complexities of war termination and peacebuilding. The long-term stability of any settlement in Ukraine will depend not only on military outcomes but also on the broader political structures that emerge in the post-war period. The challenge for policymakers is to construct a peace that is strategically viable, politically sustainable, and resilient against future conflict.
The Written Word
Fiction and Nonfiction written by servicemen and veterans.
Out on A Limb, Lansing, MI, 6 March 2009
Benjamin Van Horrick
Hugh Shannon, owner of the Lansing Lugnuts, leaned back in his chair.
“We need a veteran.”
Brent Sellers, the team’s marketing manager, nodded.
“Yeah, we can get one.”
“Like a real one,” Hugh said, his voice firm.
“What do you mean?”
“One without a leg or an arm, maybe an eye patch or something.”
Brent raised an eyebrow.
“‘Or something? Are you serious?”
“Brent, you got us Joey Chestnut for Olive Burger Night. How hard can it be?”
Brent Sellers, whose student loans and failed home-flipping projects kept him in Lansing with minor league drama putting his major league ambitions at bay, had little choice. As the Lansing Lugnuts’ marketing manager, Brent ran gameday promotions.
Olive Burger Night, American Pie Night, UAW Night, Margaritaville Night, Fireworks on the Fourth, Bring Your Dog to the Park Night, Motown Night, Star Wars Night,, and now Salute to Service were all Brent’s crosses to bear.
Recent layoffs had also shifted his food and beverage duties to him. Now, the Nacho Shovel and Diesel Dogs were his headaches, too.
Hugh Shannon took empty seats as an affront. He always blamed “lame” or “JV” promotional night ideas and never the economy (which was terrible) or the mid-Michigan early spring weather (worse).
Salute to Service Night offered veterans a free ticket, a hot dog dubbed the Diesel Dog (trademark pending), and a non-alcoholic drink of their choice, but not a beer.
Hugh cared about veterans but more about margins. Giving away beers was wasteful, and Hugh was many things—an auto salvage magnate, a self-made man, a fallen Catholic—but not wasteful.
“We need a true hero to throw the first pitch,” Hugh pressed.
“What’s wrong with a recruiter?” Brent asked.
“This isn’t Toys for Tots, Brent. It’s Salute to Service—war heroes, man. The West Michigan Whitecaps are coming. We need asses in seats.”
“And a veteran missing a limb,” Brent said, hesitating. “This feels sensitive. We’ve still got wars going on.”
“We do?”
“I’ll find one,” Brent muttered.
Brent retreated to his office, a mess of old promo flyers and a list of small businesses to pitch for ad revenue. His sales calls flopped—budgets were slashed everywhere. His phone buzzed: four voicemails, all bill collectors.
Calls to local electric contractors, auto suppliers, insurance companies, and mortgage brokers went nowhere. Small businesses slashed payrolls and eliminated ad budgets.
By 11 a.m., he escaped to Pockets, a pool hall frozen in Lansing’s better days.
Brent drove south, away from the ballpark toward Pockets. Low clouds hung over Lansing, painting the city’s canvas slate gray. The blacktop streets remained white from the salt dropped to combat ice during the winter. Cars kept a white film on their exterior from the salt as well. Drivers held off on car washes, waiting out winter’s grip while dirty piles of snow flanked the roads.
Fluorescent orange tags on house doors pierced the grayscale. The color deer hunters wore now signaled the decaying conditions of homes and the neighborhood’s decline.
Pockets sat almost precisely on the line between low-income neighborhoods and a sprawl of warehouses, welding shops, and scrap metal yards. What better than a pool hall to serve as the line of demarcation?
Pocket's cues, tables, and faded decor gave Brent the consistency his job lacked—a refuge from a broken city that, like Brent, wasn’t beaten yet.
Growing up, the pool offered Brent a winter diversion. Too small for basketball, too timid for wrestling, too dense for swimming, Brent found that billiards offered a sport that suited his sensibilities: consistency, deference, and analytics.
His Dad took him to Pockets on visitation weeks to teach him the game and geometry. His father taught math, and his only child got a lesson in angles—both math and the game. Pockets was gritty. Bets sometimes sparked fights—fists flew, blood spilled. In an instant, pool players could become pugilists. “Don’t fight these men,” his dad warned. They’ve got nothing to lose. You do, son.”
Brent’s first break left a difficult but manageable spread to clear the table. No matter the break, Brent found ways to clear the table.
Just as Brent started his first game of eight ball, a man with a Gulf War hat entered Pockets.
Brent noticed the hat and decided to offer the man two free tickets after clearing the table.
The man in the Gulf War hat had skin tags, a day-old shave, and a halting gait that resulted from being a below-the-knee amputee.
“Want in?” Brent called.
“Yeah,” the man said. “Rack ’em up.”
“Dollar a ball?” Brent asked.
“I’m in.” He pulled a pack of Winstons from his pocket.
“Got a name?” Brent said.
“Richie. You?”
“Brent. Thanks for your service.”
“No sweat.”
“I had the trading cards,” Brent said.
“Trading cards?”
“Gulf War ones. Remember those?”
“Yeah, I heard ‘bout ‘em. Spent most of my time in Kuwait, not trading cards.”
Richie broke and set himself up to clear the table with ease.
Brent's eyes shifted from the table to Richie’s leg, or rather what was left of it.
Brent could not believe his luck.
“Nice shot,” Brent offered, trying not to look at Richie’s leg.
Richie knew his way around the table, moving at his own pace.
As Richie surveyed the table, set up his shot, and then executed it, Brent got the now familiar feeling that he would lose money again.
Down one game now, Brent asked for another chance.
“Sure.”
Richie broke again, giving him an ideal setup, making his win against Brent almost assured.
Brent thought fuck it—he saw an opening.
“Did, you know, you lose it over there?”
“What?”
“You know...” Brent looked down.
“No, man. Diabetes. Little Debbie got me, not the Haji. The Gulf War was, like, 100 hours.”
Brent’s head hung. “I was six–I don’t remember.”
“Sorry to disappoint you. After I take money off of you, I can sign your Gulf War cards if you want.”
Richie cleared the table with ease, and Brent reached for his wallet.
“I’ve got a problem,” Brent said.
“Besides your pool game?”
“Yeah. I work for the Lugnuts. We need a war hero.”
“And a second baseman. A war hero? What the hell?”
“For Memorial Day—my boss wants one to throw the first pitch. Maybe we could… not mention the details of your… situation.”
“Situation?” Richie’s tone sharpened. “Not interested, man. You gonna pay me or what?”
“Sorry,” Brent said. “I’ve got pressure from my boss.”
Richie softened. “Look, Brent, you’ve got a job, a boss, a nice cue. This’ll pass. It’s an inconvenience, not a problem.”
Brent pulled out bills and two Opening Day tickets. “Didn’t mean anything by it. Sorry.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Richie said, taking the cash and tickets. “We play and watch games to escape. That’s okay sometimes. Thanks for these. Good luck finding your war hero.”
Brent watched Richie limp out, a knot of relief and guilt in his gut.
Back at the office, Brent stared at his phone.
He dialed the VFW.
“Hi, this is Brent Sellers from the Lugnuts. I was wondering if you could help me with something…”
Old Fox
Eric Strand
The trench was mercifully quiet in the frigid dawn, save for the muffled sound of boots shifting in the cold mud. A grizzled soldier with a short wiry beard and tired eyes pulled his charging phone from a waterproof pouch and turned it on—it had been too dangerous to pull it out through the night. His buddies called him “Staryi Lis” – Old Fox – but it was more than a nickname, it ensured his security and safety; it was a barrier between his war-torn world and his family’s peaceful life in the foothills hundreds of miles away, where his wife and grandson sent him messages of encouragement and awaited his rare calls.
To endure the long hours of boredom—punctuated by attack drones, rockets, and shelling—the old man scrolled through his phone whenever it was safe. Gone were the days of writing letters from the trenches- the homefront was at his fingertips. The spaces around him were reduced to ruin by the fighting, yet his screen was filled with memes and HD combat footage recorded by unflinching drones from just days before. He would sit there- watching strangers, detached from the reality of war, promoting the clips of the 'best' videos while bored spectators making jokes, bragging about how they would have done things differently as if it was a football match.
His phone whirred with notifications. At the top of the list was a new reply to a post he had made the day before, a message in support of his country and his comrades. The username caught his eye: RedRoosterxx2003.
The comment was brash, full of mockery, and unmistakably from a young enemy Soldier. “Your ‘resilience’ is just waiting for NATO scraps, old man,” it read. Staryi Lis's brow furrowed, and anger flashed in his mind. He fired back a reply, laced with sarcasm and wit. What began as an exchange of barbs turned into a strange form of entertainment.
The cold hours slipped past as the old soldier and the insolent boy volleyed insults back and forth. The trenches echoed in the comments section as verbal blows were hurled—grammar, age, mothers, intelligence, loyalty, bravery, cowardice, dick size. Nothing was sacred.
That afternoon Staryi Lis was formulating his next retort and mid-scroll, he stopped cold. The RedRooster had posted a photo: a cocky pose of the young Soldier flexing with his rifle and kit, trying hard to show what a real hero looked like to his enemy and followers. It was the background of the image that made Staryi Lis’s stomach churn—a ruined blue metal barn peppered by shrapnel with an overturned green tractor beside it. Staryi Lis scrambled out of his dugout and peeked into the kill zone. There it was—the same damn barn on the trench line he had occupied a few months earlier, just 400 meters away, its splintered timbers still stabbed upward in the field like bones next to the shell of a blue scrap.
He had been waging a digital war on his phone with someone within the range of his rifle. Exhaustion sunk in and the words for the next insult to throw wouldn't come. The game had grown tiresome.
The idea to just block RedRooster2003 or just remove the app crossed his mind, as did memories of the concealment, comfort, and protection from the elements the twisted remnants of the barn had once offered him. With a sigh, he picked up his radio and did his duty. A report of concentrated enemy activity spotted at the barn was sent up the chain with the recommendation that their activity be disrupted.
Minutes later, a dozen supersonic munitions cut through the frozen air, shrieking overhead and erupting with deafening fury to delete the nearby grid coordinate in a matter of seconds. In the blink of an eye, the barn and the surrounding earth was devastated.
Staryi Lis held an unreadable expression, and slid the phone back into his pocket and wondered if he’d hear from his trench troll ever again or even see the video of the strike pop up online in the next few days. He returned to his watch, his sharp eyes scanning the desolate landscape and grey skies above, searching for a new game to play.
A Horrible Way
Adam Walker
The boy came walking up towards the gate. He must have been ten or twelve years old. He looked like all the other boys in the village. The ones who cry “Mister, Mister!” as they give a thumbs up or the middle finger with a big smile to the Marines who taught this to them. This boy wasn’t smiling though, in fact, he was crying. He walked resolutely forward.
The sentries shouted for him to stop, but he came onward. Post Two looked down through bino’s and radioed that the kid was wearing a vest. He could make out the bulge and the wires.
Corporal Levi, one of the Squad Leaders, was heard cursing as he ran towards Post One at the gate. The CO and Company Gunny looked over from a rooftop inside the compound. The kid walked on. Time seemed to move slowly but at the same time…there was no time.
Lance Corporal Simpson put his sights on the kid. He did not want to do it but knew he had to. This would be hard to live with if he made it home. He felt an electric, icy feeling pulse from his heart and course through his veins. A lump in his throat and an alkali taste in his mouth. He took a deep breath and focused on the sight picture through the scope. He willfully arrested his thoughts and told himself
“It’s just a target” eclipsing the instinct screaming silently “It’s a boy!”
Corporal Levi’s curses filled the air. “Wait! Hold your fire! …Open the gate!” Then, after a pause, “Now!” The sentries would have questioned the order or hesitated had it come from anyone else.
Corporal Levi was on his second combat deployment. He was aggressive and hard. His life was hard before the Marine Corps, growing up in foster care and feeling alone in the world until he found brotherhood in the Marines. Losing his best friend to an IED strike last year embittered him to the people in this worthless country even more.
Later, one of his Marines said they were sure he gave the order to hold their fire because he wanted to take the shot. Levi was already filled with so much hate that he could do the deed and spare another Marine from carrying that burden into old age.
No one expected what happened next.
Corporal Levi stacked his rifle against the concrete barrier. As the boy continued walking towards the outpost, the tears and pain on his face became visible. Corporal Levi walked out the gate alone.
The sentries started to follow him and provide security when he barked, “No! Stay!” pointing back to the Entry Control Point. He walked with purpose in his stride towards the boy.
He threw his helmet and protective eyewear to the ground. Mid-stride, he stripped off his flak jacket and likewise cast it aside. He opened his arms wide and quickened his pace.
The boy did not understand English as Corporal Levi said, “It’s ok, it’s ok,” but he saw compassion and a deep sadness radiate from the eyes of Levi’s hardened face. The boy lifted his arms, too.
They met in an embrace on a trash strewn road.
Corporal Levi hugged the boy and kissed the head that was weeping on his blouse.
This was the last thing they saw before the explosion left nothing but a crater and a wet mass of gore. It all happened so fast, but time stood still when great love was shown in a horrible way.
Poetry and Art
Poetry and art from the warfighting community.
Worship Me Brandon Noel I am God. I am Lord. Like other gods I take on many forms. Though I come in that of a rock, a powder, even a pill. I can make you walk out onto a roof to feel a cold night’s chill. Happy or sad, how you feel is unsure The one thing you know: like a bird, you can soar. So spread your hands wide and throw them high into the air And leap into my darkness without a care. I am God. I am your Lord. Like the Crusaders of the fifteenth century My soldiers kill to spread the word of me. You may laugh and giggle and think I’m a joke But I’ll have the last laugh as I creep into your lungs in the form of smoke. I am your God. I am your Lord. To other gods you may pray but to me you’ll stay Begging, on your knees, on your back, eventually from a gutter I’m your friend, I’m your enemy, even your lover Hear my voice ‘cause there is no other. Just as you’ve learned to perform your Sunday ritual. In time, I too, will become habitual. Now, I am your only God. Now, I am your only Lord. So, tell your children not a word of me For silence is golden and that is my key, To bring them in and experiment to see Just how much fun I can be. That pretty little girl, I can make wild, Or take into my grasp, your first-born-child. Worship me. “The more you sweat in peace” Stan Lake The more you sweat in peace The less you bleed in war Doesn’t apply To the warfare they glorify. It’s a tick for a tack, Eye for an eye. The more you sweat, The more they die. Is their blood less precious, Or somehow valued less? When civilians dance with death, A rhythm as old as time. When the bear has been poked And we seek blood for blood, What of those innocent Caught in the crossfire When we bring The war to their doors? The more they bleed The less of their humanity We allow ourselves to concede Because it’s not on our shores. The more they bleed in war The less we pay attention at home. Young men on both sides die, So old men can have their treasure. Heavy pockets full of spoils, Spreading democracy or destruction. Victory is written By the one with the biggest gun. The ones who now sweat in peace, Divided but still free. Reading in the Morning Evan Young Weaver Reading in the morning, in the dark, in the real morning, in the darkest and loudest part of the morning…It’s a perfect purpose for coffee, but it’ll confuse a dog. It’ll rub any sleeping person or animal no matter the warmth of relation to you, but they will love the effects someday. Or not. The ratio of dark ink on the light page contrasts against your small lamp singeing the dark. There are many raging battles like that when you read in the morning. A holding of the line against the eruption of the chaos of the day with the gently questioned order of Orwell or Ruskin. Perhaps Hunter S. Thompson is a bit much for 5:23 AM (exactly) if you want to have a non-deranged day. Even the plants aren’t ready and the birds haven’t started in the lushness and loudness of South Florida. It’s not yet time to roll out of your plywood crooked excuse for a bed in the cold of an Afghan February. Reading by the red light of a Petzl headlamp is a highly recommended experience and the mark of a true professional oddball. You can do it anywhere. The buzz from I-35 in Austin may have started but you slept through it already and it’s not John Irving’s fault that you picked the wrong hotel. The lights and facades of Vegas that no blackout curtain can blackout can match the predictability of a formulaic small print western; equally as cheap. Repeated short sighs of protest and an aggressive glance from man and beast are expected if your morning reading isn’t conducive to the latest prescribed rules of sleep hygiene. I am sure that all the greatest characters have been greatly concerned with this, but all writers have engaged in a wide conspiratorial effort not to write about it. It makes sense to me. All that matters, what or where, is that the morning always ends faster than the night begins.
Health and Fitness
Guidance for improving physical and mental performance, nutrition, and sleep.
Tactical Strength Series
Part 1: The Foundations of Tension and Stability for Tactical Athletes
Andrew Siepka, CSCS, Siepka Ludus Strength & Conditioning
Introduction
Strength is often misinterpreted as merely the ability to lift heavy weights or “max out,” leading many to overlook its broader significance in human and tactical performance. While absolute strength is undoubtedly important — true strength encompasses much more than just numbers. It involves the capacity to maintain tension and stability under load, which is essential for tactical professionals. Tactical athletes not only need to be strong; they must also be resilient, adaptable, and capable of maintaining peak performance in unpredictable, high-stress environments.
Tactical athletes — whether engaged in military operations, firefighting efforts, or law enforcement activities — frequently navigate chaotic environments where stability and tension are necessary in a variety of positions. Whether maneuvering through debris during a rescue, navigating unstable terrain while responding to an emergency, or executing tactical entries in high-stakes situations, these professionals rely on their ability to maintain form and functionality under stress. Viewing strength through this lens not only redefines our understanding of fitness but also fundamentally alters the approach we take in training and preparing these men and women for the complexities of their demanding roles and professions.
Defining Strength: Beyond the Numbers
The perception of traditional strength training stereotypically refers to “maxing out” lifts using compound exercises such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift. However, tactical athletes require more than just brute strength and raw power; they need a type of strength that is functional and resilient across various planes of motion, often while in awkward or unconventional positions.
Stability and tension serve as the cornerstones of tactical success. Stability refers to the body’s capacity to maintain control and balance under external loads, while tension involves the continuous engagement of muscles. Tactical athletes often operate under conditions where instability is a constant factor — whether carrying uneven loads, running, jumping, or sprinting in gear, engaging in combat, or operating in austere environments. Their capacity to sustain tension and control can be the critical factor that distinguishes success from failure, life from death, and the difference between returning home or bearing the unbearable burden of notifying loved ones of a tragic loss.
Dr. Stuart McGill, a leading expert in spinal mechanics, emphasizes the following point, “Strength begins with stability.” The capacity to generate tension in the core and effectively transfer it to the limbs is crucial for real-world strength. Tactical athletes must move beyond mere brute force; they require a form of strength that directly enhances their performance in the field.
Why Stability and Tension Matter for Tactical Professionals
Tactical environments demand a combination of strength, endurance, agility, and mental resilience. Yet, one aspect that is often overlooked is the ability to stabilize joints and maintain tension during unpredictable tasks. This skill becomes essential when loads and tasking can vary from carrying a partner, hoisting a pack, or traversing challenging terrain depending on the mission, operating environment or call. Maintaining tension not only helps prevent injuries but also enhances biomechanical efficiency and performance enhancement where it matters most:
Injury Prevention: Tactical athletes frequently carry awkward, heavy loads — such as rucksacks, gun belts, body armor, equipment, even injured teammates. These loads impose unique stresses on the body, heightening the risk of injury, particularly in the lower back, shoulders, and knees. Research indicates that a lack of core stability leads to compensatory movements that significantly increase the chance of injury (Zemkova, 2017).
Force Transfer: The effective transfer of force from the ground through the body to the load being moved is crucial. Achieving this necessitates a stable core and heightened tension in the muscles responsible for maintaining posture and control. McGill highlights the importance of “core stiffness” in maximizing force output during lifts. Without adequate tension in the core, tactical athletes may lose force, becoming less efficient and more susceptible to fatigue and injury.
Postural Control: Another critical aspect of stability is maintaining proper posture under load. Tactical athletes operate in dynamic, unpredictable environments where they must move swiftly, change direction, and adapt to uneven, unstable terrain while carrying equipment. Tension helps ensure that the body remains in optimal alignment for effective force production and injury prevention.
A study by Leetun et al. (2004) demonstrates that insufficient core stability is associated with increased rates of lower-extremity injuries in tactical athletes. Therefore, strength programs focusing on core stability and tension are essential for reducing injury risk and enhancing performance.
Training for Stability and Tension Under Load
To prepare the warrior class for their work, strength programs need to focus on stability and tension under load. This requires more than traditional strength training—programs need to incorporate exercises that challenge stability and tension across multiple planes of motion, under both symmetrical and asymmetrical loads.
Isometric Exercises: Isometric exercises build tension and stability. Movements like planks, farmer’s carries, and wall sits force the body to maintain tension without movement. These exercises mimic the demands of holding static positions under load, such as carrying gear or preparing for impact.
Unilateral Training: Unilateral exercises, such as single-leg step-ups, lunges, and single-arm presses, force the athlete to stabilize while moving. These exercises address left-right imbalances, which are common in tactical work (e.g., holding weapons or carrying gear on one side).
Dynamic Stability Work: Incorporating dynamic stability exercises like landmine rotations, sled pushes, and Turkish get-ups challenges athletes to maintain stability and tension in motion. This is especially relevant for tactical athletes who navigate unpredictable environments while under load.
Rotational and Anti-Rotational Movements: Tactical athletes need strength in all planes of motion, including rotational movements. Exercises like cable woodchoppers and anti-rotational holds (e.g., Pallof presses) build the strength to resist destabilizing forces during combat or high-stress situations (Snyder et al., 2017).
Core Stiffness and Bracing: Teaching athletes how to brace their core during lifts and movements is critical for force transfer and injury prevention. Exercises like dead bugs, bird-dogs, hollow holds and chaos training teach athletes to create tension in the core, keeping the spine stable under load.
Knowledge Transfer
The ability to maintain tension and stability under load is crucial for success in tactical professions. This skill enhances performance and plays a significant role in injury prevention. Tactical athletes must not only be strong but also resilient, adaptable, and capable of maintaining proper form in high-stress, unstable environments.
Strength goes beyond mere numbers; for tactical athletes, it involves sustaining tension and stability under load, especially in unpredictable conditions. A strength program that emphasizes these elements is vital for injury prevention, improved performance, and overall resilience. Tactical athletes who can effectively generate and maintain tension will not only thrive in the gym—they will also be prepared to perform at their best when it matters most.
To better equip tactical athletes for the demands of their roles, strength programs should focus on stability and tension under load. Incorporating isometric exercises, unilateral training, dynamic stability drills, and rotational movements will help develop the functional strength essential for real-world scenarios.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will dive into specific training strategies to enhance strength and stability while also building physical resiliency!
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This ends Volume 33, Edition 1, of the Lethal Minds Journal (01APRIL2025)
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