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.

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

Johnson on Military Action in Greenland ‘I Don’t Think That’s Appropriate’

Johnson on military action in Greenland ‘I don’t think that’s appropriate’.

Venezuela's Interim President Declares 7 Days of Mourning for Soldiers Killed in US Attack

Venezuela's interim president declares seven days of mourning for soldiers killed in US attack.

Danish PM Says a US Takeover of Greenland Would Mark End of NATO

Danish prime minister says a US takeover of Greenland would mark the end of NATO.

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in US Court Appearance

Maduro pleads not guilty in US court appearance.

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

American and Australian troops dug in together during the Battle of Hamel. Hamel was fought in the early morning and by a happy arrangement on what was their National Day, United States troops attacked, at battalion strength, for the first time in the British line. Their part in the operation not only made the day memorable for them, but created a great bond between the Americans and Australians. Left to right: five unidentified; Private Jamieson, 42nd Battalion; Lance Corporal Bellamy, 42nd Battalion. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Battle of Hamel: Australian Soldiers Taught American Doughboys to Fight Germans in WWI

For the first time in American history, U.S. soldiers would fight under a foreign command. In 93 minutes, they would help win...

The Second Seminole War (1835–42) took place in Florida between the U.S. military and the Seminole people. (Dade Battle by Ken Hughes 1974/Miami History Center)

Seminole Warriors Fought the US Military to a Stalemate in the Florida Swamps

Fewer than 2,000 Seminole warriors held off an American force that eventually numbered more than 30,000 troops. It became the...

Navy News

Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly After Warning About Following Illegal Orders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona...

U.S. military aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico.

How the US Captured Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro

Trump said a few U.S. members of the operation were injured but he believed no one was killed.

Air Force News

Air Force veteran Dominic Marino was murdered in the fall of 2018. Police are still searching for leads in his case. (Photo from obituary)

Who Killed Dominic Marino? 7 Years Later, Murder of Disabled Veteran Baffles Police

More than seven years after Dominic Marino was brutally killed inside his Connecticut home, police are still searching for...

President Donald Trump talks to the media.

With Capture of Maduro, Trump Treads Into Uncharted Territory

Trump has now twice used U.S. forces to carry out risky operations against American adversaries.

Space Force News

President Donald Trump holds top a signed executive order as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth watches in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

How Trump’s 2025 'War' Agenda Rewired the Pentagon

Trump’s 2025 executive actions reshape how the current administration defines national security.

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

Louis Tanzer, a retired 105-year-old staff sergeant, raises his fist after eating cake during the United States Marine Corps 250th birthday celebration in Boston. (Photo from Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

105-Year-Old Massachusetts Veteran Believed to Be Nation’s Oldest Marine

Louis Tanzer, likely the nation's oldest living Marine Corps veteran, received quite a celebration after turning 105 years of...

GySgt Cord Burgan conducting CBRN training in Okinawa, Japan, in 2022. Burgan was one of the nine appointments designated to switch from Master Sergeant to First Sergeant in January 2026 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Weston Brown)

Master Sergeant to First Sergeant: Marine Corps Revives Decades-Lost Flexibility

The Marine Corps has launched a pilot program allowing master sergeants to apply for redesignation as first sergeants...

Coast Guard News

US Forces Board Venezuela-Linked Sanctioned Oil Tanker in North Atlantic, US Official Says

A U.S. official says U.S. forces have boarded a Venezuela-linked sanctioned oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing...

The Port of Guam as seen from the motor vessel Kenyo, offloading cement in Guam, on Oct. 20, 2022. The Port of Guam is the island's only deepwater port and receives about 90 percent of the island's imports. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir)

Energy Impact of MARAD Takeover of Deepwater Ports From Coast Guard

U.S. officials said the change in who's overseeing deepwater licenses will boost domestic energy revenue and allow for global...