Blake Stilwell

Blake Stilwell is a former Air Force combat photographer with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations and Middle Eastern Affairs. Instead of using those, he (eventually) became a writer. His work has appeared on Business Insider, Military Times, We Are The Mighty, Fox News, ABC News, NBC Sports, HBO Boxing, and at the White House. Blake is based in Los Angeles but is often found elsewhere.

Email: Blake.Stilwell@Military.com

Latest Articles

An early sketch of Serge Obolensky from the cover of his book, "One Man in His Time: The Complete Memoirs of Serge Obolensky."

How A Russian Prince Became a US Paratrooper and Liberated Sardinia in World War II

When Lt. Col. Serge Obolensky left the U.S. military after World War II, his transition was like many other Americans leaving...

Vietnam Veterans bow their heads during the invocation during the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration ceremony at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland, N.J., May 20, 2016. (U.S. Army/ Master Sgt. Mark Olsen)

4 Important Things to Know About Vietnam Veterans

Vietnam veterans served during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.

(U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Jarad Denton)

The 5 Keys to Effective Cover Letters for Newly Separated Veterans

Even the days where employers use algorithm software to sort resumes before they ever get into a human's hands, many job...

(U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Siuta B. Ika)

How Veterans Can Take Over a Retiring Entrepreneur's Existing Business

VBP has been pairing retiring entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial-minded veterans across the country for more than a decade.

Somewhere in the Second Battle of Bull Run is a supervillain origin story.

How a Civil War Veteran Became One of the Greatest Criminals of All Time

Sure, there's nothing technically "great" about living a life of crime, but if that life became the inspiration for one of...

Veteran Edge Offers Support and Training for Veterans Scaling Their Businesses

There are countless business startup programs, incubators and training seminars for veterans starting a business for the...

(U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Jordyn Fetter)

What 'Culture' Means for Veteran-Owned Businesses

For some business owners, "culture" might sound like some gobbledygook corporations use to sound more woke.

Romance often outperforms reality when it comes to knights. (Eugene Delacroix)

6 Things You Should Know About Medieval Armor

Like most things depicted in movies and television, there are some funny ideas floating around about medieval armor.

Sometimes called, Zheng Yi Sao or "Wife of Zheng Yi," she's known to history as Ching Shih for what she accomplished once he died.

A Chinese Woman Led the Largest and Most Successful Pirate Fleet in History

While Caribbean pirates like Blackbeard could boast a handful of ships and hundreds of men. Ching Shih commanded an entire...

A soldier standing guard on the corner of 7th & N Street NW in Washington D.C. with the ruins of buildings that were destroyed during the riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Warren K. Leffler/Library of Congress)

6 Times the Military Was Used for Riot Control in the US

When local law enforcement can't restore law and order, the US military gets the call.

Coca-Cola is the most widely-distributed product on Earth.

Coca-Cola Was the Result of a Wounded Soldier Trying to Ease His Own Pain

In trying to cure his addiction, Lt. Col. John Pemberton created not only a $260 billion business but an entire global...

The first Taco Bell. It was saved from destruction and moved to Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine, California. (Taco Bell)

A Marine Corps Cook Spread the Gospel of Tacos Throughout America

Glen Bell engineered a way to pre-make hard-taco shells in large quantities, with less mess and faster, like hamburgers were...

Sh' That's Hot founder Shane Christensen (left) says hustle, good products and cooperation is the key to success. (Courtesy of Sh' That's Hot)

Veteran Businesses Can Thrive When Vets Help Each Other Get Started

Everyone needs help sometimes, and veteran entrepreneurs are in a position to help one another thrive.

Valery Sablin's mutiny and attempted revolution aboard the Soviet missile frigate Storozhevoy did not end well for Sablin.

'The Hunt for Red October' Is Based on This Real Soviet Mutiny

In the 1990 film "The Hunt for Red October," a Soviet Navy captain who is disenchanted with the Soviet system defects to the...

(U.S. Navy/Chief Petty Officer Diana Quinlan)

The 10 Highest-Paying Jobs for Veterans in Video Games Right Now

The best way to make a lot of money in video games is probably to be either a professional esports player or become an...

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Most Popular Military News

Commissary at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

Days Ahead of Massive Allowance Cuts for Some Military Families, Pentagon Allegedly Working on a Fix

Officials are already working behind the scenes to prevent the cuts from happening, a defense official with knowledge of the...

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and U.S. Army Gen. Mark A. Milley.

Top Military Officials Questioned over Drag Shows on Military Bases

The military's top uniformed officer suggested he does not support drag shows being hosted on military bases.

UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters assigned to the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division

9 Soldiers Killed as Pair of Helicopters Crash in One of the Army's Deadliest Training Accidents

Nine soldiers are dead after a crash involving two Black Hawk helicopters out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Wednesday night...

Ukrainian soldiers on captured Russian T-72 tanks.

Ukraine's Tank Force Shouldn't Stand a Chance Against Russia's, But Dumb Mistakes Keep Tipping the Scales

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Crewmembers attached to the submarine USS Montana.

Navy Identifies Submarine Sailor Who Died After Being Found on a Pier

Electronics Technician Navigation 3rd Class Devon Faehnrich was found by a fellow sailor at the shipyard at Newport News...

A military housing neighborhood at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

98 Military Families Silenced by Nondisclosure Agreements with Private Base Housing Companies

According to the Department of Defense, companies negotiated with military families to ensure they wouldn't badmouth their...

Latest Military Videos

SKorea, US Hold Large-Scale Landing Exercise

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Senate Votes to Repeal Iraq War Authorization

The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the resolution that gave a green light for the 2003 invasion of Iraq...

President of Taiwan to Visit the U.S.

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Investigations and Features

Trading on Patriotism: How Extremist Groups Target and Radicalize Veterans

The issue of extremist groups has gained attention after the riot on Jan. 6 aimed at preventing the peaceful transfer of the...

They Said the Rise in Military Suicide Is a Mystery. Traumatic Brain Injury May Be an Answer.

Veterans who have had a head injury are at higher risk for suicide, but these deaths can be prevented, experts say.

Army News

Photos of the nine Army soldiers who died in the crash of two Black Hawk helicopters.

Army IDs 9 Soldiers from 101st Airborne Killed in Black Hawk Crashes in Kentucky

The two helicopters were from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne, and were conducting a routine training...

U.S. soldiers during a live fire exercise at the Grafenwoehr Training Area.

Here Is the Army's New Counseling Form, Marking an Overhaul of How the Service Evaluates Soldiers

The new DA Form 4856 could dramatically shift discussions around professional development and help leaders better track their...

Navy News

Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Ben Garrett counsels a sailor in his quarters on the USS Bataan

US Navy Deploys More Chaplains for Suicide Prevention

Concerned with preventing growing numbers of suicides, the U.S. Navy is planning to make chaplains regular members of the...

Navy Identifies Submarine Sailor Who Died After Being Found on a Pier

Electronics Technician Navigation 3rd Class Devon Faehnrich was found by a fellow sailor at the shipyard at Newport News...

Air Force News

Airmen secure a JDAM onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Alarming Cancer Rates for Pilots and Ground Crews Draw Lawmaker Scrutiny: 'Let's Get Our Arms Around This'

A House Appropriations Committee member is urging the Department of the Air Force to ask for funding amid new reports and...

processing a cash transaction at Osan Air Base

The Air Force Overpaid Service Members in South Korea by $2.3 Million, But Won't Make Them Return the Money

Nearly 8,000 airmen stationed in South Korea will not have to pay back more than $2 million worth of overpayments issued last...

Space Force News

Terran I, a 3D-printed rocket, lifts off from Cape Canaveral.

Launch Debut of 3D-Printed Rocket Ends in Failure, No Orbit

The first stage did its job following liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and separated as planned, but the upper...

U.S. Air Force Airmen and Space Force Guardians marching.

125% Increase to Space Force Bonuses Part of 2024 Budget Request that Would Grow Ranks

The Space Force wants to grow the number of Guardians by nearly 10% and hopes to offer almost $5 million in new bonuses to...

Marine Corps News

Marine Maj. Joshua Mast and his wife, Stephanie, arrive at Circuit Court.

US Marine's Adoption of Afghan War Orphan Voided

The girl was an infant when she was found injured in the rubble after a U.S.-Afghan military raid in a rural part of the...

the main gate of Camp Pendleton Marine Base at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Camp Pendleton Is Latest Base to Find 'Forever Chemicals' in Drinking Water

Base officials believe their water supply was likely impacted by groundwater that seeped in from inland and uphill Orange...

Coast Guard News

The cutter Harriet Lane makes way through the Caribbean.

Coast Guard to Send Additional Cutter to Hawaii

The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing to beef up its presence in the Pacific with an 11th vessel for the Hawaii-based District...

Coast Guard Cutter Resolute's crew rescued 17 Cubans after they landed on Cal Say Bank, Bahamas

Coast Guard Saves 28 from Struggling Cuban Migrant Boat Off Key West. One Person Missing

Two people from the boat needed medical treatment and were taken to the hospital. Because they were caught at sea, the...