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...

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Most Popular Military News

Exclusive: John Ripley, the Marine Who Blew Up the Dong Ha Bridge, to Receive the Medal of Honor

More than 50 years after hanging beneath a Vietnam bridge to stop a North Vietnamese armored invasion, Marine Col. John...

A man speaks through a bull horn during a demonstration in reaction to the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran outside the Israeli consulate on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

From Iraq to Iran: How Congress Handed Over War Powers to the Presidency

The 9/11 attacks were a sea change in U.S. foreign policy and diminished congressional authority, with partisanship on...

Air Force veteran Jason Morgan is pictured on a mission in Northern Ecuador, a week before he sustained life-changing injuries. (Jason Morgan)

Left Face Down in the Mud: How an Air Force Veteran, Amputee Found Hope

A life-changing injury and having to raise three kids alone made Jason Morgan more resolute in the long run.

Bonnie Carroll, founder of TAPS, hugging a survivor (Photo courtesy of TAPS).

After the Knock on the Door: How TAPS Supports Military Families for Life

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Colin Jost dressed as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a mock press briefing during a Saturday Night Live sketch. Credit: NBCUniversal / Saturday Night Live

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Latest Military Videos

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Video showing moment of strike on Iranian school that killed over 165 people.

Trump Attends Dignified Transfer of Soldiers Killed in Middle East

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Mojtaba Khamenei Chosen to Succeed His Father as Supreme Leader of Iran

Mojtaba Khamenei chosen to succeed his father as supreme leader of Iran; AP explains.

How the Conflict in the Middle East Has Evolved

How the conflict in the Middle East has evolved.

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

Kentucky Soldier in Saudi Arabia Is 7th US Casualty to Die in Iran War

A Kentucky man who joined the Army straight out of high school is the seventh U.S. service member to die in combat during the...

US Begins Large Military Drill with South Korea While Waging War in the Middle East

The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South...

Navy News

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Gilbert Elliott, an engineer equipment mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 12, 3d Marine Logistics Group, kneels for a portrait while on an Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel off the coast of Naval Base Point Loma, Calif., on June 13, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sergeant Patrick King)

Unmanned Naval Fleet Bolsters Marine Corps Force Design in Pacific

Blue Water Autonomy's Liberty Class autonomous ships are poised to revolutionize Marine Corps Expeditionary Advanced Base...

General Dan Caine and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth listen as President Donald J. Trump oversees Operation Epic Fury at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, FL, March 1, 2026. (White House photo by Daniel Torok)

Strike on Iranian Frigate Triggers Debate Over Law, Morality and Congressional Authority

A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters. Whether the strike was justified, whether survivors should...

Air Force News

US Begins Large Military Drill with South Korea While Waging War in the Middle East

The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South...

Left Face Down in the Mud: How an Air Force Veteran, Amputee Found Hope

A life-changing injury and having to raise three kids alone made Jason Morgan more resolute in the long run.

Space Force News

After the Knock on the Door: How TAPS Supports Military Families for Life

After a service member dies, families face a lifetime of grief. TAPS founder Bonnie Carroll explains how the organization...

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Becker)

The Ultimate High Ground: Space in US Defense Strategy

The 2026 Defense Strategy elevates space as the new high ground. In an exclusive interview, Stephen Kitay explains how AI and...

Marine Corps News

Unmanned Naval Fleet Bolsters Marine Corps Force Design in Pacific

Blue Water Autonomy's Liberty Class autonomous ships are poised to revolutionize Marine Corps Expeditionary Advanced Base...

US Begins Large Military Drill with South Korea While Waging War in the Middle East

The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South...

Coast Guard News

U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tyler Jaggers

A Wedding Proposal and a Promotion Honored a Coast Guardsman Before He Died of Injuries From Mission

The Coast Guard awarded Tyler Jaggers the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest military awards for heroism.

A U.S. Coast Guard 36-foot Special Purpose Craft-Training (SPC-T) boat maneuvers in front of the USCG Cutter Fredrick Mann (WPC1160) in Women's Bay during ARCTIC EDGE 2026 (AE26) at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak in Kodiak, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Thirteen Bahizi)

Coast Guard Bidding Process For New Facility Was a 'Formality': Lawmaker

A U.S. congressman told Military.com that the Coast Guard's bid process was just a "formality" and not transparent.

Joel Searls

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