This one got a little personal. Before closing up the boot camp articles, I felt compelled to do something different and talk about a touchy subject where military training is concerned. The word "Brainwashed" is thrown around way too much, and by people who really don't understand what the term means, burdening the military with negative stereotypes of being mindless, often dangerous and unstable drones. This article confronts that, explains some of the truth behind the myth, and what military training actually does in the way of military cognitive conditioning.

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/why-boot-camp-wont-brainwash-recruits/

After the drilling, the workouts, and the yelling, you reach a point where you are on your own. You're still surrounded by the rest of your platoon, but you are relying on your individual mental strength to continue on. This is the point where all the seemingly needless intensity will be required to see if a warrior has been pulled from the rough.

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/the-crucible-on-endurance-training/

The question comes up a lot on why we still drill in an era where armored troop transports carry Marines across the battlefield and 747’s can fly them across the world. Here I talk about the reasoning behind the tradition dating back thousands of years, as it is applied today.

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/09/09/they-are-called-drill-instructors-for-a-reason/

The next installment of the book is live.

http://thewritersblock.quora.com/The-Next-Warrior-Proving-Grounds-%E2%80%93-Part-2

Hey Patrons,

Today is the official opening of the book. If you want to share it with friends (please do) you can share this link to the wattpad:

https://www.wattpad.com/signup?nexturl=https://www.wattpad.com/home

or to the Quora link:

http://thewritersblock.quora.com/The-Next-Warrior-Proving-Grounds-%E2%80%93-Part-1

Once again, this wouldn't be possible without all of you. Thanks Patrons.

Hey patrons. Read about the major military parade taking place in China today, how it relates to the recent Chinese stock market crash, and how all of this bodes for the future of China and the future of international politics. 

https://defensetalk.quora.com/Chinas-Peacetime-War

This was a fun thought exercise to finally put to words many of the musings I've had in gaming. Turns out, the ramifications are terrifying.

So these dudes walking around half naked are the most important story you'll read this year. I know that was way more vague and elusive than I like to be with my patrons, but this is one of those stories that is so big that I want all my patrons to be curious enough to check this one out. As always, thanks patrons for being a crucial part of doing something important. 

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/the-22/

I've been published in Newsweek again!

There was a quite a kerfuffle put out a few days ago when a writer for the Washington Spectator cried out in a really weird rant that, along with other flags you've probably heard about lately, the POW/MIA flag is also a symbol of racism that needs to be removed.

That's pretty dumb, but I was privileged that a friend and one of the editors at Newsweek called me to give a response over what the real meaning to flag is as it waves today. Thanks everyone and I hope you enjoy.

http://www.newsweek.com/pow-mia-flag-veterans-racist-362553?piano_d=1

So school has started back up and that means I have less time to write. Sorry. Hopefully I can get back in the groove soon. In the mean time. Here is one of my favorite parts of the series that I was looking forward to putting out, an explanations of one of boot camp experience, explaining why yelling is so crucial to it. 

Hope you all enjoy. Thanks.

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/yelling/

So it looks like Patreon has reworked some things to make it easier for me to share my old answers on Quora directly with you here. If you haven't read the review... do it and make sure that everyone in the world knows what I think about this movie. Cheers!

http://www.quora.com/Reviews-of-The-Hurt-Locker-2008-movie/review/Jon-Davis-10

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/the-arts-of-war/

Today is another piece in the series on why boot camp needs to be so intense. The Arts of War. Today's article gives a brief on some of the actual combat skills recruits will one day need, as well as clearing up some misconceptions about them. Hope you all enjoy. Like and comment on what you think.

Black Friday. To Marines, it's got nothing to do with holiday shopping and is definitely one gift most would give back. All jokes aside it gives me the chills just thinking about it. Black Friday marks the first real day of boot camp. It's oddly a day which most of us will never forget while also a day which half blocked out of our mind. Either way, it's a day which you need to know about as it is, realistically, the most important day and the one that sets the pace for all those to come.  

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/black-friday/

I'm not going to lie. This one gets gruesome, not graphically. There's is no worries about that, but in the scientifically backed implications of it. People ask the weirdes stuff, but someone has to answer it.

What's worse. I don't know who I distrust more, the people who like this sort of thing, or me for writing it. That said, I hope you all enjoy it... kind of.

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/boom-head-shot-physical-realities-of-ballistics-and-the-instant-kill/

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/recieving/

Hey followers of JDT. Glad to be moving along with my guide to boot camp series. This post talks about the initial beginning to boot camp, Receiving. It also talks about something many people might find dubious, and that is the "outside the skinner box" mental pressures recruits are put under to get them shape up quickly to the military and training lifestyle.

As always, I hope everyone likes the segment. Comment below and let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Jon

I know that some of my greatest supporters are friends from overseas, but today is America's birthday, and as one of America's greatest fans I was motivated to write about it. In another Quora question turned post, I took the chance to talk about why we would choose a poem that doesn't, at first glance, seem all that related to America. It was just a cool story about a flag in a battle. Look deeper and you see, that there really isn't a better anthem for a nation quite like ours. 

Thanks and happy Independence Day from America!

Jon

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/07/04/now-that-4th-of-july-is-fast-approaching-what-do-you-think-of-the-american-national-anthem-and-what-would-you-say-of-the-meaning/

https://jonsdeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2015/06/26/why-has-isis-still-not-been-defeated-even-after-a-year/

This post describes some of the reasons why we (still) haven't been able to come close to stopping the horde of terrorists and tried to incorporate adorable analogies to make people actually read it. 

Thanks everyone!

Here is an article that attempts to give a little more information about some recently released misinformation on wounded veterans deployed overseas. Being that June is PTSD awareness month, according to someone, I don't know, thought it would be good to give a little bit of real information about the real types of injuries people face as well as call out some offenders in the "bad intel" department.

Hope you all enjoy.

Jon.