Author Archives: Starbuck

About Starbuck

"Starbuck" is the online moniker of Major Crispin Burke, a US Army aviator qualified in the UH-60 and LUH-72 helicopters. Major Burke has served in the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, and Joint Task Force-Bravo in Honduras. In what is likely a sad statement on the state of humanity, Major Burke's writings, musings, and irreverent cartoons have been featured at Small Wars Journal, National Defense University, Foreign Policy Online, Wired Magazine, Egremont, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Great Satan's Girlfriend.

Le Sigh

Posted on 16 May 2012 by Starbuck

Blogging will resume when I get my household goods.  That means I’ll be back up and running no later than June 7th. PS–Never use your iPad as a desktop replacement.

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Milblog Conference 2012

Posted on 11 May 2012 by Starbuck

I’ve arrived in sunny San Antonio, Texas, where I’ve begun a job which will put my writing skills to good use. It’s because of my job that I will be unable to attend the 2012 Milblog Conference.  (And, if half … Continue reading →

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WOI’s 2012 Milbloggie Nominees

Posted on 09 Apr 2012 by Starbuck

And WOI’s 2012 Milbloggie nominees are: Best Army Blogs: Doctrine Man PowerPoint Ranger The Barefoot Strategist Best US Military Veteran Blogs: On Violence VAntage Point Best US Reporter Blogs: Line of Departure (Military.com) The Best Defense (Foreign Policy) Danger Room (Wired) At War … Continue reading →

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The Foreign Policy News That Matters

Posted on 09 Apr 2012 by Starbuck

We weren’t named a “COIN blog to read” by Columbia Journalism Review for nothing: I’ll be “in transit” until I arrive in the US on the 24th.  Posting will be light ’till then.

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Slipping through the cracks

Posted on 07 Apr 2012 by Starbuck

Over the last two years, the Army’s had no shortage of proverbial “strategic knuckleheads“: alleged WikiLeaker Bradley Manning; the “Afghan Kill Squad”; and most recently, a soldier charged with murdering seventeen Afghan civilians. Striking in many of these cases is … Continue reading →

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Give me a Huey, any day.

Posted on 07 Apr 2012 by Starbuck

I have certified all facts in this video as 100% accurate. (Slightly NSFW language)

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Moving

Posted on 26 Mar 2012 by Starbuck

After two amazing years in Germany, I’ll be moving to US Army North, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  My report date is April 27th. Not to worry, I’ll still be updating the blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Tumblr … Continue reading →

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Foursquare Fearmongers Fan Social Media Flames

Posted on 25 Mar 2012 by Starbuck

OPSEC evangelists are never lost for apocryphal anecdotes.  Take the rumor that late-night pizza orders from the Pentagon tipped off reporters to Gulf War planning in 1990; or the Iraq War-era claim that bloggers were divulging secrets to the enemy (Psst…they … Continue reading →

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Return to Target: You’re Doing it Wrong

Posted on 21 Mar 2012 by Starbuck

Fortunately, no one was killed in this AH-64 crash, allegedly filmed in Paktika, Afghanistan.  According to ISAF officials, the crash occurred on 6 February.  (One hawk-eyed observer spotted a yellow horse-head insignia on the side of the aircraft, indicative of … Continue reading →

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I lied. THIS is the final word on Joseph Kony.

Posted on 13 Mar 2012 by Starbuck

“Problem solved.  Problem staying solved.  Rangers lead the way”

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