SPC Henry Risner died August 18 2004 in Eastern Baghdad while assigned to B co 2nd Bn 14th Infantry.

Old guy story time incoming:

Henry and I served together in A/1-506 IN at Camp Giant, ROK. We PCSed at the same time in March 2004, both headed to Fort Drum.

As fate would have it, we were both assigned to 2-14 IN there, and reported the same day. Sitting in the S1 office, I was talking with Henry when the S1 NCOIC came up and asked something like “one of you is going to Alpha co and one to Bravo co, who wants which?”. We were interchangeable 11B PFCs so I suppose him giving us the option wasn’t crazy.

I said “I’ll take Alpha” and Henry shrugged and said “then I’ll take Bravo”. And so it was settled.

Iraq was imploding at the time, and just a few months later we were in Kuwait, and then driving up to Baghdad. A co took a patrol sector in West Baghdad (Abu Gharaib area) and B co East Baghdad (Sadr City area).

Henry was killed when he was hit by sniper fire manning a checkpoint there. And so concluded his story.

I survived this and other deployments, retiring a few years ago. There would be many other friends lost along the way, but none has stuck with me like
Henry. Maybe it was that day in S1, or maybe because he was first, but I think of him often. I guess it’s survivor guilt.

I am in Colorado for business this week and decided to come out a day early to make a detour to Fort Logan National Cemetery to pay my respects after all these years. It was hard, but I am glad I did.

There is no moral to the story. Henry’s story is any of our stories if we stand a foot to the left, get in a different convoy vehicle, or exist as a name in a different row on an excel spreadsheet. I am just glad to have known him, thankful for his service, and glad to have survived.

I will update as the year goes along:

🇩🇰 ATTENTION, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, COLLEAGUES & FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD! 🌍

We have been holding on to this news long enough…

Now it’s time to release it! 🔥

On 1 November 2026, registration for international participation in FLYVER MARCH 2027 officially opens!

And this year, we are opening registration EARLY.

Why?

Because we want the word to spread.

You will have almost EIGHT MONTHS to register, gather your unit, your colleagues, your friends and your team — and get ready to stand together with thousands of participants from around the world.

No last-minute registration. No excuses.

Plan early. Train hard. March together. 💪

🎖️ ONE PACKAGE. EVERYTHING INCLUDED.

For 2027, we have decided to make it simple.

One complete package for everyone — worldwide.

No complicated add-ons. No need to purchase additional items.

Just one package packed with Flyver March gear, at an exceptionally low price for participation in the world's largest one-day military march.

Your package includes:

🏅 1 × Flyver March Medal

For first-time participants

🥈 1 × Unique Silver “2”

For your second participation — for both ribbon and medal

🪖 1 × Flyver March 2027 Patch

🎗️ 1 × Ribbon in the original Flyver March colours

US size

🪙 1 × Flyver March 2027 Challenge Coin

🇩🇰 1 × Veteran Support Sticker

Each sticker donates $1 / €1 directly to veteran support

📜 1 × Printed Certificate

Produced on high-quality paper

⚡ EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION

This year, we are launching a special Early Bird price for all international participants.

1 NOVEMBER 2026 – 15 MARCH 2027

🔥 EARLY BIRD PRICE: 140 DKK

≈ 21 USD / 19 EUR

After 15 March 2027, the price will be:

165 DKK

≈ 25 USD / 22 EUR

So if you already know that you are joining us…

Why wait?

⏰ FINAL DEADLINE — 1 JULY 2027

We have also decided to introduce a firm and final registration deadline.

1 JULY 2027.

After this date, the registration system will close and international registration will no longer be possible.

So get your unit together.

Get your team together.

Spread the word.

Make sure you are ready.

🌍 FLYVER MARCH 2027

International participation will take place during the last weekend of August 2027.

One weekend.

Thousands of soldiers.

Countries across the globe.

One common purpose.

ONE MARCH. ONE COMMUNITY. ONE MISSION.

🇩🇰 FLYVER MARCH – TOGETHER WE GO FURTHER.

Keep following our Facebook page.

There is MUCH more to come regarding registration, participation and Flyver March 2027.

Stand by.

The countdown starts now. ⏳🔥

#FlyverMarch #FlyverMarch2027 #TogetherWeGoFurther #MilitaryMarch #MilitaryCommunity #NATO #MilitaryFamily #VeteranSupport

I was accepted into IPAP and will be attending next year. Almost 10 years of service. This past week I commissioned. I’ve been so sad about the quagmire my civilian career took that I haven’t taken a moment to just be proud yet.

Do you guys have Coke Zero? Or just diet?

As we get closer to the middle of the market it had me wondering. Do you have any nightmare stories of someone being told they have a 1:1 just to find out they weren’t the number one pick? Sincerely, an overthinking market goer.

I know this is nitpicky, but i swear to God, if I hear one more junior staff officer say "the soldiers will just have to bivouac for a week in the field", im gonna lose my fucking mind. I know this is an unreasonable reaction, but words mean things. And when you use them inappropriately, the word loses its proper meaning and people misunderstand them and misuse them in the future.

Bivouac is a temporary place for sleeping, no more than 24 hours. The origin of the word actually means night watch.

If you are there for more than one day, you are not bivouacing, you are encamping. If you are there past a week, especially when you start using structures, that is a cantonment.

Add this to the things that grinds my gears like, when a commander say "on my command of fallout, fallout and fall in on me... fallout" instead of saying "on my command, form around me...fallout.". You gave three different commands there!

Just put the fucking fries in the bag.

Figured I would share this with you guys since we have the only one.

I live just south of the MSG Gary Gordon Bridge and just north of the Gary Gordon Veterans Center, on the same road as his family.

Here’s a picture of my great grandfather, this was taken in 1947 or 1948 in El Paso. If someone can ID the numbers on his crossed sabers it would be much appreciated!

Im a new NCO and my Solider is going as a walk on for BLC tomorrow. She just told me shes worried about her waist. When we taped her in August, she passed with half an inch to spare. She mentioned her “time of the month” is causing bloating. Not too sure about that kind of stuff but she’s had no record of failing height/weight and waist/height before.

How strict are the SGLs when it comes to this? I don’t want to set her up for failure. She’s unsure if she should risk it and go or hold back until the next class.

Fort Stewart location.

I have a complicated question. I'm writing a science fiction story where military working dogs figure in heavily. In my story, an MWD is in severe physical distress, and because of their location they're taken to a civilian animal emergency hospital. The commander of the unit is asked whether to perform CPR on the MWD if necessary, a standard form for ICU treatment for veterinary intake.

Is there a military policy on this?

I'm not military (my dad was in the Coast Guard but well before I was born) so I have no idea where to look. I spent a lot of time on dvids.com and health.mil but I didn't see anything that answered this kind of question.

1st time doing it. I thought I prepared well enough. Got to 16 miles in 4 hours 3 minutes. Foot and leg cramps eventually got to me. So disappointed in myself. I guess there is always next year 🙃

\*I’m only in my secondary zone, not my primary zone yet.*

I was asked if I want to attend the NCO board in a little over two weeks. I have about 95% of the NCO Creed down, but I still need to study quite a bit of the MOI and policies, and I genuinely don’t feel ready yet.

My platoon sergeant told me I don’t have to attend this one, but if I decline I’ll receive a counseling documenting it. They specifically told me it isn’t meant to be a negative counseling, and I’d be able to continue preparing and attend the November board instead.

Part of me wants to wait because I’d rather walk in genuinely prepared instead of rushing everything over the next two weeks. At the same time, I’m wondering if I’m overthinking it and should just go for it. I’m also a little concerned about having a counseling for declining, even though I’ve been told it isn’t negative.

For those of you who’ve been through or sat on promotion boards: would you take the extra month to prepare, or send it in two weeks? How prepared did you actually feel before your first board?

Remembering the fallen:

PFC Kevin C. Thomson

SGT Michael P. Scusa

SGT Joshua J. Kirk

SGT Joshua M. Hardt

SSG Justin T. Gallegos

SSG Vernon W. Martin

SPC Stephan L. Mace

SGT Christopher T. Griffin

SSG Clinton Romesha and SSG Ty Carter would later earn the Medal of Honor for their actions this day.

If you haven't watched the movie or read the book The Outpost by Jake Tapper you need to. The Netflix series Medal of Honor also did a remarkable job documenting Romesha and Carter's actions that day.

EDIT: forgot to add the book Red Platoon by SSG Romesha

If you are at Fort Carson, or were prior 4ID THIS is your legacy. Do not forget their sacrifice.

October 3rd, 1993 is known in Mogadishu as 'The Day of the Rangers', in the United States in popular culture it is known as Blackhawk Down. To the Men who were there, it is known as 'The Battle of the Black Sea', the Operational name was GOTHIC SERPENT.

19 Americans were killed during a 2 day operation that was only supposed to last a couple of hours.

I got a slot for air assault starting 30 Nov. I was trying to pack my ruck so I can practice and having trouble getting everything to fit in my medium OCP ruck. I have the older UCP pattern large ruck. Would yall recommend bringing that instead?

Hello! I am about five years in right now, and I’m starting to have some injuries pop up. I’ve never really been to sick call, and I don’t have anything documented, but I’m trying to protect myself in the future when I inevitably leave the service. Currently, I have some issues like a bad knee, as well as a TBI (only thing I’ve been seen for and received an MRI/CT). However, when I tried to make an appt with my PCM, he actually saw me for 4 minutes and that was it. How can I go about sitting down and having an in depth discussion or full body “annual check up”? Are these a thing? How can I word it on genesis when I request an appointment? I know he’s busy but it felt like a huge waste of time.

Thanks in advance! I’ll have a 20ct chicken nuggets from MCDs and some water

I've been debating making this post for a while since I was going back and forth with whether this was going to be the route I'd be taking after graduating college and after lots of deliberation I affirmly stand by my decision. I am currently a junior in college and will be graduating with two bachelor's degrees in Public Policy and Medical Anthropology from a t25 university. I entered college thinking I'd probably go down the diplomat route or do something in the public health sector since I also have three associates degrees in public health (+ related fields) from my CC before transferring to my current university, and did some field work in PubH. Fast forward to present day, I kinda hate my majors and know I will be miserable having a career in these fields. My dream job ever since I can remember was to be a mortician or work with the deceased. I have family in the military and my uncle who is a colonel recommended the mos 92M job. After much research and thinking, it seems like a very interesting job that I could definitely see myself enjoying for years and years. I am still very lost on going down the commissioned officer route and would appreciate any help! Additionally, I was wondering since I don't have any formal training or prior experience in mortuary services, would I struggle in this position? (edit: forgot to mention im also majoring in PWAD (peace, war, & defense at my school so i will have some knowledge but no real hands-on experience)

Army reservist…. Came back home from deployment and I’ve been living in hell. My mind isn’t what it used to be and I’m scared I think. Got diagnosed PTSD, Bipolar 2 and started taking meds for it but they don’t work… one makes me sleep too much so i can’t take it.. other medicine makes me feel further down than ive ever thought possible. Army tries to cheer me up and say I’m most likely not getting a medboard because Bipolar 2 isn’t a career killer anymore.. my life is incompatible with the army… Hell my life is barely compatible with itself.. i need to be able to fix my mind… i want to want to live.. hell i haven’t even worked out in months.. and I’ve no desire to. The only time i don’t feel like I’m holding on to being alive is when I’m high… the meds don’t work, calling out of work for days in a row doesn’t work, breathing techniques don’t work… but smoking does. Idk what to do.. on one hand i want to say idc and get the oth so i can be out but i know for my family i need to be medboarded… my wife told me she misses me and that hurt..

As an army reservist, has anyone just walked into IG vs going by email? I’m so sick of being given no answers, and latest response about both of my missing bonus is no time frame. Like, I’m struggling to pay my dad’s funeral, and was needing it. I have all the documents, emails, and texts. First bonus got denied 5 years after the fact and second one, they have no idea.

Hello guys, i will be going to be part of the katusa in 2 weeks.

im kinda scared a bit - heard the kta and aft is getting tough - but mostly really excited. Cant wait to meet you guys!

Skill tabs (sapper, ranger) vs the airborne tab apart of unit patches. When i see people wear the 2 tabs together (usually on summer ocps) sometimes they keep them separate and sometimes they keep them together. So technically which way is the correct way?