It All Begins With a Story
Welcome to The Havoc. No doubt, if you've found this page, it is either because the admin beaned you over the head with it, or you are just a really good snooper of stuff on the internet. This site and it's sister sites exist as platforms for content expression of it's ownership (and sometimes like-minded co-owners). But like all things that you see on the internet, it all starts with a story, an idea, or an event that compels someone to write something, right? (Yes.)
The melodichavoc.com domain has been owned by me since about 2013. It's existed in a number of different incarnations over the years, but it never really had a purpose until sometime in May 2019. The first bit of content made it's way onto the site on 18 June, and that was followed up by a "soft opening" on 4 July. I relaunched everything in January of 2020 - just in time for COVID-19 to totally sack the rest of Earth.
Despite all of that, this is not my first horse and pony show. I have been operating content on the internet since about 2004. From 2004-2009 I had operated a series of online forums for discussion of all types and varieties. From 2009-2013, I continued to operate one or two in some capacity but then took a break from it all - it was around that time that I procured the current domain. All previous builds were based on forums, but "The Havoc" has always been different. It has always been just a place for information. The dawn of social media really put a hamper on all things forum, and so too did any plans for me to continue on the path of forum software.
As for the name, music has always been a big part of my life. After all, both of my parents were music teachers. My godparents were both musicians as well. My attention to military and history has traces within my family, but in the immediate sense, not so much. While it had not occurred to me at the time how relevant the name "melodichavoc" was, it slowly dawned on me. History is pieces of a puzzle, much in the way that a movement or piece of sheet music is a puzzle in a grander story that is a song. If you weave them together haphazardly or have them all set alone, it seems to be a sea of chaos or havoc. Woven together properly and intertwined however, it becomes a harmonious work of art. Thus, the name of Melodic Havoc carried over.
The Main Mission
The main mission I had in mind when I started this site is to provide a place to post my own writings and musings on historical content and events. That evolved slowly into a much more daunting task of aggregating data, making documents available, and fielding research requests outside of my regular job. As time progressed, I suddenly realized I was handling information that had yet to even be somewhat pushed out to the internet. Things like tactical atomic deployment, Triple Threat Weapon platforms, and the insanity of Cold War doctrines were all subjects that were largely lost to time in the context of the internet.
Other subjects simply demanded that more people see and remember them, such as the D-Day Invasion, the Battle for Fallujah, or Hamburger Hill. Then there's those niche history topics that some people simply don't know about, the fascinating components of history that are still shrouded in mystery, and others that are simply too unreal. I found it interesting, and thus I thought others may find it interesting too.
For these reasons, I created this site as a means to education, but to do so through entertaining means that may not fit into the mainstream method of education. History is a collection of biases, controversy, and scandal. Why not act like this is the case? After all, history is a symphony of different melodies that make up a whole piece.
The Kid
I go by "The Kid" on most internet exchanges. On social media, of course, I used a real-er name (it's still fake). I am a graduate level historian with concentrations in Cold War American Military Aviation and Late-Cold War American Military Logistics. I also have a Bachelors in American Social History and Art History. In 2017, I started working as a Department of the Army Civilian at the command level. I work as a historian in this capacity, and it is my full-time job.
What Kind of Stuff is Here Anyway?
A lot of the content that is posted here is stuff that I've found or others have found for me. They can be from work archives, digital archives, or just books that I've gone through and scoured. Generally I will try and keep subject matter within my own field of expertise. Growing up I was always an Air Force brat, so my thoughts tend to trend more towards them as well. That's not to say I don't post Army stuff (actually, I've posted a lot of Army stuff), but I generally find Air Force stuff easier.
There is a network of sites that make up the whole here. Subject matter that isn't historically related I put on a subdomain I call "The Alter" (for you Fate fans). The Alter is basically where all of the weeby stuff that I enjoy goes, so if you find yourself interested with some of that stuff, you can jump over there.
Lastly, please note that nothing here represents the official thoughts or opinions of any Department of Defense entity, period. The views expressed here are explicitly the views of the author and are in no way a reflection of any third party entity unless otherwise stated.
One Last Thing...
If you found this site useful or interesting, I'm extremely flattered. I am grateful to anyone who visits this site and at least finds it in some form entertaining or enlightening. I encourage you to tell you friends and family about it who might also benefit from it. I will never throw up ads or pay for clicks, this is an organic website that is home grown. I will repeat some things though from the "old" about page that are still true despite this update:
No, I’m not interested in advertising the site.
No, I’m not interested in advertising your site.
No, I’m not interested in SEO.
No, I’m not interested in “likes” or “shares.”
It’s a website, and if you found it – anyone can find it. Enjoy it for what it is. An uncensored, immature, and sometimes professional page of amusement, entertainment, and monotonous literature.