Blake Stilwell

About Blake Stilwell

Blake Stilwell is an associate editor covering military entertainment, veteran employment and entrepreneurship and military history.

He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angles, work that includes ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO. After spending two years in Washington with White House Communications, he joined the Near East Foundation as its Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media and government partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015, and joined Military.com in 2019.

Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Coffee or Die, Recoil Magazine, Skillset Magazine, We Are The Mighty, American History Magazine, MHQ and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in his native Ohio. He spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house.

Expertise

2001 - 2007: Combat Photojournalist, United States Air Force
2007: Intern, ABC News, Longform Documentary
2008: Assistant Editor, NBC Olympics
2008-2009: Media Manager, HBO
2009-2011: Technician, White House Communications Agency
2013-2015: Media Officer, Near East Foundation
2015-2019: Managing Editor, The Mighty Networks
2019-Present: Associate Editor, Military.com

Education

2002: AA, Audiovisual Production, Community College of the Air Force
2004: BFA, Graphic Design, American Intercontinental University
2008: MA, Television, Radio, Film, Syracuse University
2013: MS, Public Relations, Syracuse University
2013: MA, International Relations, Syracuse University
2013: Certificate of Advanced Study, Middle Eastern Affairs, Syracuse University

Connect with Blake

Email: blake.stilwell@military.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/blakestilwell

Latest Articles

Famous Veteran: Bob Ross

Bob Ross was probably the nicest person who ever lived, and it showed through in his work. Most of America knows him as the...

Fan favorite R. Lee Ermey stars in the little-known Australian movie ‘The Siege of Firebase Gloria.’

5 Little-Known Facts About R. Lee Ermey, the Military’s Favorite Gunny

Ermey didn’t go right into acting and if it weren’t for his Marine Corps-level determination, we might never know him at all.

Sgt. James P. Connor after receiving the Medal of Honor, March 1945. (U.S. Army)

How a Medal of Honor Recipient Inspired a ‘Fighting Team Which Could Not Be Stopped’

James P. Connor received the Medal of Honor after leading his troops through an impenetrable wall of mortars.

The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche transits through the San Francisco Bay for the first time en route to its homeport of Alameda, California. (U.S. Coast Guard/Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin Metcalf)

5 Awesome Things to Know About US Coast Guard History for Its Birthday

For more than 230 years, the first line of American coastal defense has been the United States Coast Guard.

(Kelly O'Sullivan/U.S. Marine Corps photo)

7 Fast Facts About Veteran Employees for National Hire a Veteran Day

Every July 25, National Hire a Veteran Day reminds employers what veterans can bring to their businesses.

Shaggy poses with the award for best reggae album for ‘44/876’ at the 61st annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2019.

Famous Veteran: Shaggy

Reggae superstar Shaggy served in the Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm.

President Harry S. Truman presents the Medal of Honor to Army Cpl. Ronald Rosser at the White House on June 27, 1952. (U.S. Army photo)

'Vengeance Is Mine': This Medal of Honor Recipient Reenlisted to Avenge his Brother's Death in Korea

Born in 1929 in Columbus, Ohio, Rosser was one of 17 children. As the oldest of the bunch, he was naturally very protective...

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Courtney R. Lawrence, directs "The Commandant's Own" Drum & Bugle Corps during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tun Tavern, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nov. 10, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Jacquilyn Davis)

How to Join the Navy and Marines in Celebrating Their 250th Birthdays in Philadelphia

The year 2025 marks the 250th birthday for both branches of the U.S. military and Philadelphia -- the birthplace of each --...

The Best Military Books We Read in 2024

Just like last year, 2024 was a banner year for military books. They captured our attention, and who knows? They may just do...

15 Things You Need to Know About the American Flag

Curious about what the flag really stands for and how it came to be? Let's take a closer look.

A soldier standing guard on the corner of 7th & N Street NW in Washington D.C. with the ruins of buildings that were destroyed during the riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Warren K. Leffler/Library of Congress)

6 Times the Military Was Used for Riot Control in the US

When local law enforcement can't restore law and order, the US military gets the call.

U.S. Army soldiers during a sweep of the Viejo section of Panama City on Dec. 27, 1989. (U.S. Army photo)

That Time Army Rangers Got in a Gunfight with the Crips Street Gang

Army Sgt. Bill Foulk bought a house in a rough neighborhood as an investment. He wanted to protect it.

A UH-1D helicopter from the 336th Aviation Company sprays a defoliation agent over farmland in the Mekong Delta. (U.S. Army/Spc. Brian K. Grigsby)

Why the US Used Agent Orange in Vietnam and What Makes It So Deadly

The United States military sprayed nearly 12,000 square miles of Vietnamese jungles with the chemical defoliant over a 10...

Operation Honor: Rural Salute 2025 is set for June 6-7 at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. (Courtesy of Michelle Lang)

A Military Spouse Gathers Resources for Rural Veterans, Then Throws a Party to Bring Them All Together

Michelle Lang is the founder of Operation Honor: Rural Salute, a nonprofit with the goal of connecting rural veterans and...

Ken Burns' 'The American Revolution' is scheduled to begin airing on Nov. 16, 2025. (PBS)

Ken Burns Reveals Why He Chose to Tell the Story of 'The American Revolution'

Legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns once called the Civil War "the most important event in American history," because...

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Most Popular Military News

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While most vets won't be impacted by the ongoing government shutdown, concerns may ramp up the longer it persists.

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Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

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Veterans, Who Saw One of Their Own Arrested by ICE and Charged, Say Feds Are Undermining Democracy

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Latest Military Videos

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Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

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Army News

Driver Sentenced in Crash that Killed Lewis-McChord Soldier, a Father of 4

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Vietnam veterans of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, stand with Army Maj. Gen. John W. Weidner, chief of staff for U.S. Strategic Command, Col. Robert Newbauer, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District, American Legion Post 1 Commander Lennie Roth and others after a ceremony Sept. 18 at American Legion Post 1 in Omaha, Nebraska. Fourteen veterans of Bravo Company were honored for acts of valor and meritorious service in Vietnam more than 50 years ago. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Delanie Stafford)

Bravo Company Vietnam Veterans Honored with Long-Overdue Bronze Stars

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Navy News

Trump USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier

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Rear Adm. Gregory Huffman, commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), delivers remarks during NETC’s change of command ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, June 18, 2025. The museum recently opened an exhibit honoring Vietnam prisoners of war. (United States Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Zachary Melvin)

National Naval Aviation Museum Honors Vietnam POWs with Emotional Exhibit

A new exhibit at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, is giving attendees a rare glimpse into life for...

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Veterans, Who Saw One of Their Own Arrested by ICE and Charged, Say Feds Are Undermining Democracy

Days after a 70-year-old Air Force veteran was among five people charged while protesting outside a suburban U.S. Immigration...

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U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

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A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

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U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nosikahhokli Melendez, a fire support Marine with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, prepares to depart on a MV-22 Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, during exercise Keen Sword 25 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Manuel A. Serrano)

Marines' AI Edge with Project Dynamis

Discover how the Marine Corps' Project Dynamis integrates AI to enhance joint force operations against peer threats. Explore...

Retired Marine Aviator Amy McGrath Launches Comeback Bid in Seeking the Seat of Retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell

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Coast Guard News

Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Harris receives new shoulder boards from his children during a promotion ceremony June 21, 2018, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training in Charleston, South Carolina. (U.S. Coast Guard/Ryan Dickinson)

Coast Guard Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks

Explore U.S. Coast Guard ranks from seaman to admiral. Learn about the rank structure, pay grades, insignia, and promotion...

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Motor Lifeboat CG-36538 was restored by dozens of volunteers after more than 8 years of hard work.

Cape May Maritime Museum Brings 73-Year-Old Coast Guard Lifeboat Back to Life

The CG-36538 was built in a Baltimore shipyard in Curtis Bay in 1952 and was primarily used for winter rescues and winter...