Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in his speech to 800 assembled generals, admirals and senior enlisted at Quantico, Va., on Sept. 30, 2025, quoted Eugene Sledge from his timeless classic With The Old Breed published in 1981. In his World War II memoir, Sledge wrote, “War is brutish. Inglorious and a terrible waste. Combat leaves an indelible mark on those who are forced to endure it. The only redeeming factors are my comrades’ incredible bravery and their devotion to each other.” Those words are also inscribed on his headstone at Pine Crest Cemetery in Mobile, Ala. Since its publication, no…

On January 18th, 1591, during the Burmese-Siamese War (pictured) King Naresuan of Siam killed Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat. The date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces day. — January 18th, 1813, was the birthday Joseph Glidden, who invented barbed wire. — Kevin Costner, who starred in Open Range, was born on this day in 1955. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any…

Editor’s Introductory Warning: The devices described in this article can cause great bodily injury. We live in a highly litigious society. Employing caltrops in any situation other than a “Without Rule of Law” societal collapse would invite a lawsuit that could potentially cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or perhaps even more than a million dollars in assessed damages, attorney fees, and court costs. There is also the potential for these to be stepped on inadvertently by family members, friends, pets, or livestock.  So, ONLY use them in absolute extremis, and only in a fenced-off area that will prevent the…

January 17, 1746: In the Battle of Falkirk Muir, the Jacobites under Charles Stuart defeated Hanoverian forces. — And on January 17, 1950: The Great Brinks Robbery. 11 men robbed $1.2 Million in cash and $1.5 Million in securities from armored car company Brink’s offices in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1956, eight of the robbers were convicted and handed life sentences in prison. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any…

My state boasts one of the longest rifle seasons in the country. While there are a few “primitive weapon” seasons scattered throughout on public lands, folks can gun hunt on private land from the weekend before Thanksgiving to the end of January. That’s two and a half months of gun season for you folks up North that complain about the orange armies flooding the woods for a whole week or two. With nearly a quarter of the year dedicated to gun season, you’d think most hunters could kill a deer from the hip, but that’s just not the case.After working…

Armed Citizen® Today A 23-year-old man attending a party on Jan. 10 in Sterling Heights, Mich., became embroiled in an argument with another guest, which started inside but continued outside. The man walked to the end of the home’s driveway, whereupon he allegedly opened fire at the partygoers, striking three of them. Another attendee was also armed, however, and fired back at the man, striking the alleged assailant and ending the attack. None of the injuries were fatal. The suspect is being charged with three counts of assault with intent to murder, three counts of felony firearm and one count…

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(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) During winter, even the U.S. Embassy monitored the grid closely. The possibility of a complete system failure was taken seriously enough that commercial flights were placed on twenty-four-hour standby for potential evacuation of official personnel. We were nongovernmental residents. Those plans did not include us. Our planning had to be personal. Cold changed how time felt. Days stretched and compressed unpredictably. Waiting became a skill. Movement slowed, not from laziness, but from necessity. Mistakes in cold were costly. Dropping something, misjudging exposure, forgetting a step could mean numb fingers, wasted effort, or…

On January 16, 1605, the first edition of “El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha” (Book One of Don Quixote) by Miguel de Cervantes was published in Madrid. — January 16, 1668: The Infamous sword duel between George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and Francis Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. They fought over Anna, Duchess of Shrewsbury and mistress of Buckingham. The Earl was mortally wounded. — The 20th Anniversary (2005-2025) SurvivalBlog archive waterproof USB sticks have arrived from the manufacturer!  Orders will be mailed out starting next week, in the order that they were received. We expect to sell out…

MeatEater is proud to introduce Mark Kenyonn as our new Director of Conservation.“As a lifelong hunter, angler, and father of two young boys, I view the future of wildlife and wild places as a very personal issue. So when Steve asked me to join MeatEater, back in 2017, the opportunity that excited me the most was the chance we might have, as a group of leaders in the hunting and fishing community, to make a positive difference on the future of conservation and the hunting and fishing way of life. I’ve looked at that as our ultimate goal ever since,…