There is More to Military Members Than Killers and Breakers of Things

October 02, 2025 • Stew smith

When Politics Fail, Our Military is Called to do These Things

"The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools"

The United States military and those who serve are at first defenders of freedom and democracy. But, yes, because of the failure of a desired political outcome, they are called to kill and destroy things. But military members also selflessly sacrifice family holidays and their personal safety so we can have a country that enables the "American Dream." While our military needs to know the latest and best of military tactics and be equipped with the best gear and technology, the U.S. military is more than "killers and breakers of things." In fact, the military is much more than that.

The military has core values and a broader purpose that many military personnel embody, going beyond the narrow perception of them solely as fighters. A military's work encompasses a wide range of duties, many of which involve selfless sacrifice for the protection of others.

Physical and moral courage: Facing fear, danger, and adversity is a core tenet of military service. This can range from enduring physical duress to taking a stand on what is honorable, even if it is unpopular.

Facing danger for others: Service members often knowingly put their personal safety at risk to protect the public. The U.S. Army states that its purpose is to "serve and protect America". While there is a mission for combat units to kill and destroy, we must also keep safe and preserve life. The commitment of our military members reaches far beyond just killing and destroying. While most of our training is focused on accomplishing this task, saving lives is also a core value.

The ultimate sacrifice: For some, this commitment leads to the ultimate sacrifice of their life in defense of their country and its values. Every military member sacrifices something. From attending funerals of our friends to the separation and absence from our own loved ones.

Protecting the oppressed: Military forces are also used for humanitarian and peacekeeping purposes, which frequently involve protecting vulnerable and oppressed populations.

Humanitarian aid and disaster relief: Military units are often called upon to assist with large-scale emergencies and natural disasters, both domestically and internationally. The U.S. Army and Air Force provide medical care, food, water, temporary housing, and search and rescue services to populations affected by crises.

Interventions to protect human rights: Humanitarian intervention is a term used to describe the use of military force by states or international organizations to prevent or end widespread violations of human rights, such as genocide or ethnic cleansing.

Historic role: The use of military forces for humanitarian purposes has been a long-standing tradition globally, often involving providing logistical support to civilian populations in need.

While I do not disagree that our military should be the epitome of fitness, health, and mental toughness, we are much more than tough guys who just kill people, break things and should avoid polite society. We are strategists, tacticians, experts in air, land, and sea operations, masters of logistics, students of history, protectors of democracy and freedom, humanitarians to the oppressed, and much more.

Many of our veterans continue to serve are their military service through public service jobs in law enforcement and fire fighting and volunteerism. These core values of service and commitment do not go away for many of us. Thank you for your service for those who have served, currently serving, or those considering military service. I appreciate you for all you do.

There is More to StewSmithFitness.com Than You May Know

Who is Stew Smith? Coach, Trainer, Author, Podcaster

I'm the former Navy SEAL that special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com

Quick Summary:

You can always email Stew Smith if you have questions (Stew@stewsmith.com)

FREE Fitness (all topics) / Mindset Articles and Workouts - Latest info on training for any goal! (over 1000)
eBooks, Books and eBooks in PRINT (over 40 options)
Spec Ops Swim Critiques on social media - YouTube, TikTok, Instagram
Live QA / CSS Critiques Mon / Tues 9am (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)
Podcasts (over 200)
Stew Smith Fitness APPs - Triad version, Pushup Push APP, Pullup Push APP, FBI workout APP
FREE Navy SEAL Exercises Apps - iPhone, Android
Membership Site - Get access to 100s of week of training programs and unpublished workouts we are currently doing each week. Constantly updated weekly with new articles, videos, and workouts of the week.
Tactical Fitness Course - 80 minutes to learn how to get both TO and THROUGH spec ops selection programs.
Online Coaching - Get personalized programming designed for your goals, abilities, time per day, days per week, equipment/facilities...etc.

Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit https://www.stewsmithfitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success for many special ops level selection programs in the military and police world.

Books and eBooks Available (All Levels of Fitness)
The Specific Military / Special Ops Physical Fitness Workouts

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4 Grinder PT
Navy SWCC Workout

Army PFT Workout (Prep For Rucking, OPAT, ACFT)
Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout
Army Air Assault School Workout
Army Airborne Workout

Advanced Running Program - Special Ops Supplement Plan
USMC RECON / MarSOC Workout
USMC OCS / TBS Workout
USMC IST and PFT

The Combat Conditioning Workout
Air Force PJ / CCT Workout Battlefield Airman Prep Course
The UBRR Upper Body Round Robin Workout / Spec Ops version

The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer / Navy SAR Workout
The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)
The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps Boot Camp Workout

The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Workouts

The FBI Academy Workout | FBI Workout Vol 2
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT
Calisthenics and Cardio

Online Coaching Options

Online PT CLUB - Premium Coaching -

Do you need a program that actually works for you? We can build it personally for you and your personal goals and help you fit it into your day with the equipment you have available. Let us be your training partner and coach.

Many people ask me what the difference is between the Premium Program and the Online PT CLUB Coaching. The people in either program receive personalized training from me - Stew Smith - tailored to fit your abilities, goals, available time per day, days per week, facilities, and equipment. We communicate regularly about your progress, and your feedback helps me create the plan for the next week. There is no standard workout template and then "see you later." These programs are designed week by week with ongoing communication between us to determine the best approach for the upcoming week.

Tactical Fitness Course - Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.

Member's Only Content / Services Program!

If you want access to years worth of workouts, favorite workouts of the week, free fitness APP, closed Facebook Group, video / picture library of exercises, and more access to LIVE Q/A sessions check out the Stew Smith Fitness Members Section.

The dashboard below has the links to all the information, archives, videos, and links to workouts, podcasts, live Q and A lessons.

Consider this! - A Membership Program and Gain Access to Exclusive Content
(click for Fitness Club Dashboard - members only)

← Older Post