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

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)...

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...

'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

Dr. Troy E. Meink appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee

Meink Confirmed as Air Force Secretary in Senate Vote

The Senate voted 74-25 to confirm Troy Meink, who has been principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office...

Hegseth's Plan to Cut Senior Military Jobs Could Hit More than 120 High-Ranking Officers

Based on the percentages outlined by Hegseth and his senior staff, 20% of the 44 authorized top active duty general and...

Child tests her brushing techniques on a stuffed animal

Dozens of Air Force Families Disenrolled from Day Care at New Mexico Base as Staffing Woes Grow

Dozens of families at a New Mexico Air Force base have been suddenly and unexpectedly warned their children will be...

Coal Shed Brewery on Mare Island in Vallejo, Calif.

Navy Subs, Nuclear Secrets and Beer: The Riveting History of Bay Area’s Mare Island

Mare Island supported the Navy during both world wars and helped spy efforts during the Cold War by using nuclear submarines...

Army Combat Fitness Test at Fort Campbell

Tweaks to Army's Physical Fitness Test Are Relatively Modest

The Army has approved a series of revisions to its physical fitness test, recalibrating performance benchmarks in a modest...

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., speaks during a news conference on the Equality Act at the Capitol

Wisconsin Veterans Voice Concerns as Trump's VA Cuts Loom

With 2,400 Veterans Affairs employees fired by the Trump Administration, and DOGE plans to cut about 80,000 more, the...

Latest Military Videos

Master Class: Interview Genius: Strategies for Veterans to Excel When Everything Is an Interview

This engaging course is specifically designed for veterans like you, giving you all the tips and tricks to turn...

Russia Marks 80 Years Since Defeat of Nazi Germany With Massive Parade - AP Explains

Russia marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II with a massive military...

Village in Pakistani-Controlled Kashmir Assesses Damage After Shelling From India

Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in Kashmir overnight, killing at...

Pakistan Says It Shot Down 12 Indian Drones and One Attacked Military Target

Pakistan's air defense system shot down a dozen Indian drones overnight, as one attacked a military target near the...

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

An artist rendering depicts a street with 3- and 4-bedroom townhomes in the new Arapahoe Village housing area.

Fort Carson Family Among First to Move into New Housing, Full Timeline for Construction Unknown

The McGrew family of five will be among the first to move into 56 new townhomes on Fort Carson, representing the first phase...

A target pops up at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on the Big Island of Hawaii

Army Hits Snag in Effort to Keep Hawaii Training Range Land

The ruling is an embarrassing setback for the Army after years of working on the document and submitting several drafts since...

Navy News

Navy Subs, Nuclear Secrets and Beer: The Riveting History of Bay Area’s Mare Island

Mare Island supported the Navy during both world wars and helped spy efforts during the Cold War by using nuclear submarines...

Hegseth Orders End to Race Consideration in Admissions at Military Service Academies

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered all military service academies to no longer consider race, ethnicity or sex for...

Air Force News

Dozens of Air Force Families Disenrolled from Day Care at New Mexico Base as Staffing Woes Grow

Dozens of families at a New Mexico Air Force base have been suddenly and unexpectedly warned their children will be...

Meink Confirmed as Air Force Secretary in Senate Vote

The Senate voted 74-25 to confirm Troy Meink, who has been principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office...

Space Force News

Meink Confirmed as Air Force Secretary in Senate Vote

The Senate voted 74-25 to confirm Troy Meink, who has been principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office...

Space Command Could Bring 4,700 Jobs to North Alabama, Congressman Says

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R- Monrovia, remains confident that the decision to bring U.S. Space Command to Huntsville will be...

Marine Corps News

The Gundam 22 dedicated cenotaph memorial in Japan

Osprey Safety Investigation Stalls in Congress, Angering Gold Star Families

Congress' probe into the safety of the military's V-22 Osprey last summer following multiple deadly crashes has been stalled...

Marines march pass a platoon of new recruits at MCRD San Diego

A Woman Drove into a San Diego Military Facility by Mistake. She Now Faces Deportation.

A spokesperson for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot said that if a person without proper authorization attempts to enter a...

Coast Guard News

An uncompleted U.S. Coast Guard Cutter sits in a hangar bay at Bollinger Shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana

Louisiana Shipbuilders Bollinger, Edison Chouest Join to Bid on $22B Coast Guard Cutter Program

Two of Louisiana's largest shipbuilders, Bollinger Shipyards and Edison Chouest Offshore, have joined forces to compete for a...

A 30th Sex Assault Claim Filed Against Coast Guard Academy

A 30th sexual assault complaint was filed against the U.S. Coast Guard, a law firm representing former Coast Guard Academy...

Joel Searls

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