Joshua Skovlund

1 month ago | taskandpurpose.com | Joshua Skovlund

On March 18, 1945, Army 1st Lt. Jack Lemaster Treadwell saw eight of his soldiers gunned down while assaulting a heavily fortified, seemingly impregnable section of the Siegfried Line near Nieder-Wurzbach, Germany. The Siegfried Line was a defensive perimeter around the western front of Germany, littered with pillboxes — bunkers — tank obstacles, and other defenses designed to slow the Allied advance.

1 month ago | taskandpurpose.com | Joshua Skovlund

In a state of frenzy, Army Technician Fourth Grade James Lobnow, took up a hammer and smashed the buzzing bugs attacking his flesh. Deployed to Ramgarh, India, during World War II, Lobnow faced giant mosquitos, an enemy that could sting and, worse, one that carried malaria. Nearby, an Army photographer snapped a photo of the combat.

1 month ago | taskandpurpose.com | Joshua Skovlund

The command sergeant major, in any Army unit, is notorious for coming up with creative team-building events that infuse the crushing effect of “the suck.” Ruck marches, never short on pain and misery, become even worse when you combine Arizona’s high temperatures with gas masks and full packs. The photo, posted to the military’s imagery and video database in 2017, captures the very essence of a command sergeant major. The image may be old, but the pain and regret in that shot are eternal.

2 months ago | taskandpurpose.com | Joshua Skovlund

Millions tuned in from sports bars and their living rooms on Sunday to watch Super Bowl LIX. At the same time, soldiers in C. Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, were in the field training at Fort Stewart, Georgia, when their first sergeant surprised them with a watch party projected on the side of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle. The architect of this particular field-grade Super Bowl Sunday was 1st Sgt.

2 months ago | taskandpurpose.com | Joshua Skovlund

Many service members, veterans and their families think a large-scale war is likely to break out in the next three to five years, a recent survey found. The latest Military Family Lifestyle Survey by Blue Star Families, a non-profit aimed at advocating for military families, released its 2024 results on Tuesday. The survey polled 5,573 respondents, about half of whom were spouses or partners of current troops.