Joel Searls

Joel Searls is a journalist, writer and creative who serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve. His writing has appeared in Military.com, We Are The Mighty, Leatherneck Magazine and The War Horse. Joel has completed the Writers Guild Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project, is a produced playwright, a commissioned screenwriter and an entertainment consultant. His most recent feature film-producing project is “Running with the Devil,” written/directed by retired Navy SEAL Jason Cabell. His most recent TV series producing credit is with “Top Combat Pilot,” hosted by Dennis Quaid.

Latest Articles

Jack Carr, the author of 'The Terminal List' series of books, served with the Navy SEALs.

How Jack Carr's Time as a Navy SEAL Permeates 'The Terminal List' Universe

These days, Jack Carr is a busy man. The author of seven "The Terminal List" books, he has also helped oversee television...

Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) and Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper) are shown during a scene from 'The Terminal List: Dark Wolf."

'Terminal List' Prequel Series 'Dark Wolf’ Delves into the Darker Side of Warfare

Based on the bestselling "The Terminal List" books from author Jack Carr, the series revolves around SEAL James Reece, who...

Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland on set (A24)

4 Questions for 'Warfare' Filmmakers Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza

24's "Warfare" has a relatively simple mission: to drop audiences into the chaos of a Navy SEAL mission gone wrong, told in...

Acclaimed screenwriter William Broyles Jr. (right) served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

How a Military Veteran's Experience in Vietnam Inspired Him to Write 'Cast Away'

Academy Award-nominated screenwriter William Broyles Jr. is a decorated Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran and shares how "Cast...

June (Kim Hunter) and Peter (David Niven) stand against the judge, jury and trial members.

This Gem of a Movie About an Airman’s Brush with Death Holds Up 80 Years Later

“A Matter of Life and Death” is a romantic fantasy that centers around a British airman’s love for a U.S. Army Air Corps...

Utkarsh Ambudkar, Sonequa Martin-Green (middle) and ‘My Dead Friend Zoe’ director/co-writer Kyle Hausmann-Stokes prepare for a scene in which the 2 actors play a shooter arcade game.

How ‘My Dead Friend Zoe’ Reflects its Director’s Real-Life Military Experiences

"My Dead Friend Zoe" -- now available on several streaming services -- is inspired by the experiences of director and co...

Sonequa Martin-Green, left, and Natalie Morales in 'My Dead Friend Zoe.'

'My Dead Friend Zoe' Delivers an Eye-Opening Message for Military Veterans

In "My Dead Friend Zoe," a female Afghanistan veteran -- engaged in a mysterious relationship with a wise-cracking (and dead)...

'Warfare' is a visceral story of modern combat and brotherhood.

'Warfare' Is One of the Best War Movies of the Post-9/11 Era

"Warfare" is a must-see that brings full combat immersion, miles of depth and natural believability, making for one of the...

TV producer Chas. Floyd Johnson is on the set of 'JAG' with U.S. Marine Corps Cobra gunship helicopters in the background.

The Circle Makes Its Rounds: ‘NCIS’ Producer Chas. Floyd Johnson on Military Service and Hollywood Success

Chas. Floyd Johnson is the executive producer for the long-running CBS TV series “NCIS” and won an Emmy for his work on “The...

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

Should You Accept the First Job Offer?

All jobs aren’t created equal, and in the frenzy and frustration of a post-military job search, anything that feels...

This Medal of Honor Recipient Reenlisted to Avenge his Brother's Death in Korea

Ronald Rosser, who had already served three years in the Army, signed back up for one simple reason: revenge...

'Greatest' US Soldier Took a Tank Round to the Leg and Kept Fighting

The accounts of everyone who watched Matt Urban mount a tank under heavy fire in Normandy were "remarkably consistent"...

Wreckage of Turkish Military Cargo Plane that Crashed in Georgia

A Turkish accident investigation team reached the crash site of a military cargo plane early Wednesday and was inspecting...

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

Army Considering Fort Benning as Site for New Nuclear Power Program

Fort Benning is among the nine locations the U.S. Department of the Army has selected as a potential site for its next...

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jeremy Beaven, right, commanding officer, Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) and Sgt. Maj. Joseph Caputo, serves cake to service members and civilian personnel during an April Awareness Month proclamation signing event at MCBH, April 1, 2025. Servicemembers often build strong ties with each other that last long after they leave the military. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dezmond Browning)

Together We Served Helps Veterans Reconnect with Comrades

Together We Served works to connect former servicemembers through large online search portal.

Navy News

Together We Served Helps Veterans Reconnect with Comrades

Together We Served works to connect former servicemembers through large online search portal.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School alumnus, delivers the keynote address to the school's Class 166 graduates June 13, 2025, during the graduation ceremony at the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department in Hollywood, Md. (U.S. Navy photo by Jacob Moore)

Pentagon Says It’s Investigating Sen. Mark Kelly After Video Urging Troops to Defy ‘Illegal Orders'

The Pentagon says that it is investigating Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona for possible breaches of military law...

Air Force News

Back of Air Force agent for special investigations

Federal Prosecutors Say 2 Texas Men Made Plans to Take Over a Haitian Island

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations was among the investigating agencies.

President Donald Trump talks to reporters outside the White House.

Trump Teaming up With Jack Nicklaus to Revamp 'President's Golf Course' at Joint Base Andrews

The president took an aerial tour of the Courses at Joint Base Andrews aboard Marine One.

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Together We Served Helps Veterans Reconnect with Comrades

Together We Served works to connect former servicemembers through large online search portal.

The procession of graduating midshipmen, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis

Jurors Convict Man for Posing as Decorated Veteran, POW and Reaping $146K in Benefits

Mikhail Robin Wicker, 39, of Dilworth was found guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Paul of wire fraud, mail fraud, using a...

Coast Guard News

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., arrives at the chamber.

Senators Want Answers From Coast Guard on How it Probes Displays of Swastikas or Other Hate Symbols

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., warned that “relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to...

Coast Guardsmen assigned to the Law Enforcement Detachment conduct small boat operations with sailors assigned to the littoral combat ship USS Charleston during a southern border support mission in the Pacific Ocean, May 30, 2025. (Navy Seaman Joey Sitter, DoW).

Coast Guard Reverses Course on Policy to Call Swastikas and Nooses 'Potentially Divisive'

The U.S. Coast Guard has released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses just...

Joel Searls

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