Mitchel Coffman is a New York City-based artist. He is the son of a Vietnam-era veteran and is the longtime friends of several special operations folks. His 25 oil-on-canvas portraits of fallen Rangers are featured at the 75th Ranger Regiment Hall of Honor at Hunter Army Airfield and his newest exhibit is an immersive look at the GWOT, titled, "Wish You Were Here." He has painted murals in Maryland and New York, including pieces for the Brooklyn Diner in Times Square and the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dakota Silvey is a New York-based playwright, stage manager, wildland firefighter and U.S. Air Force Veteran. Recorded in-person at the Players in NYC, Dakota spoke about life as both a writer and an active participant in the profession of arms. His play INTERMISSION PLAY placed second in Veterans Repertory Theater's latest 10-minute playwriting competition.

Peter Corbett is a medically retired 20-year veteran of the South Portland, ME police department with an extensive career as a patrol officer, school resource officer and member of the dive unit. Medically retired after struggling with PTS, Peter is a candid, heartfelt and compelling advocate for mental health in the first responder community.

Stephanie Kline is a playwright from Arlington, VA. She is a Marine Corps veteran, former Air Force dependent, and served as an Army civilian and defense contractor. 

Her short plays have won multiple competitions and festival selections, including selection to the NYC Players’ Theatre 2021 Short Play Festival with a four-night, off-Broadway run of ‘Torture Chamber.’ 

Her first full-length stage play-in-progress, a drama about the military’s treatment of servicemembers with PTSD, was selected for the 2023 Chicago Dramatists’ Scene Showcase. Stephanie is a Dramatists Guild member and studied playwriting at the Kennedy Center, DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Chicago Dramatists. 

Dan Lauria has appeared as a guest star in over seventy television episodic programs and more than twenty Movie Of The Week productions plus a score of motion picture credits.  Dan is a very familiar face to the off-off, and off-Broadway and regional theatre scene having performed, written or directed over 50 professional stage productions.  In 2010/11 Dan was seen on Broadway as the legendary coach Vince Lombardi in LOMBARDI, with the beautiful and talented Judith Light playing Marie Lombardi. The production was directed by Thomas Kail (Hamilton).  Dan returned to Broadway in the 2013 & the 2014 production of the Tony-nominated A CHRISTMAS STORY: The Musical directed by Tony winner John Rando.  A published playwright, Dan’s DINNER WITH THE BOYS and JUST ANOTHER DAY have received many productions. However, Dan is most recognized as the Dad on the highly acclaimed, Emmy-winning ABC television show THE WONDER YEARS.  Dan was most recently seen on the Fox TV show PITCH as manager Al Loungo and then joined the family of THIS IS US both series written by television’s most talented writer, Dan Fogelman.  Dan and dear friend, the lovely and talented Wendie Malick have performed the play THE GUYS by Anne Nelson, for veteran & firemen organizations around the country.  THE GUYS is a tribute to those brave men and women who died on 9/11. Wendie and Dan now do LOVE LETTERS as fundraising events for the development of new plays at regional theatres, and to save our planet and the animals that inhabit it. Dan is a Marine and Vietnam Veteran.

See Dan's JUST ANOTHER DAY in NYC this March!

Kat Furrow is a self-taught artist based in Carlsbad, California. She is a Navy veteran, a full-time student, and an art instructor with over a decade of experience. Drawing inspiration from her love of people and nature, Kat is passionate about her craft, utilizing bold colors and textures. She embraces an "Art Every Day, it’s a Mindset" philosophy, viewing her art as a metaphor for living life with curiosity and hope. As a "Trusted Art Seller" with the Art Storefronts Organization, she ensures quality and value in her work. Kat is open to commissions, special editions, and offers classes, embodying her belief in the transformative power of art.

Follow Kat here.

Tamim Fares is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. After struggling with chemical dependencies, he turned to writing. His work, featured in Lethal Minds Journal and the Savage Wonder literary blog, often delves into themes of struggle, recovery, and hope, reflecting his personal experiences.

For a deeper dive into his life and work, follow Tamim Fares on Instagram at Blackfoot Chronicles and Insurgent Chimichanga.

Episode 123 is our annual year-end episode featuring the entire core Havok Journal team. We talk about our favorite HJ writers, articles and themes from 2023 and look ahead to another year of exponential growth in 2024.

Mikael Cook is a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He holds a master’s degree in business administration, residing and working in Southeast Michigan. During the August 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan, Mikael was a part of the #DigitalDunkirk team that saved thousands of our Afghan allies that had been left for dead. He was personally responsible for the evacuation of 20 of our allies, most of whom have now joined him in Michigan. Mikael is an active member of the veteran community and continues his advocacy work for the Afghan allies left behind.

Buy Life and Death at Abbey Gate

I sit down with Havok Journal owner Charlie Faint to discuss the Israel/Palestine issues and get some recent historical perspective.