Aaron Gell, Author at Task & Purpose

By Aaron Gell Mar 5, 2020

History

CIA agents were on the ground before we invaded Iraq, and they knew it was going to be a clusterf*@k

"It’s not Hollywood, it’s not sexy. It’s the down and dirty — guys doing what had to be done.”

By Aaron Gell May 18, 2018

Lifestyle

Will Prince Harry Have To Decide Between His Uniform And Beard?

Maybe we should just call him Prince Hairy? The young royal, who is set to marry a lowly American, Meghan...

By Aaron Gell Apr 27, 2018

News

After Falling Prey To Loan ‘Scammers,’ 3 Pissed-Off Vets Are Fighting Back

Here’s a brain teaser for all you mathletes out there: Ricky is an Army vet whose 30% disability rating from...

By Aaron Gell Apr 20, 2018

Entertainment

Before He Died, Avicii Gave Us One Of Dance Music’s Greatest Military Tributes

DJ and recording artist Avicci died on Friday in Muscat, Oman, of undetermined causes, Variety reported today. EDM is not...

By Aaron Gell Apr 9, 2018

Community

‘They Didn’t Have To Kill Him’: The Death of Lance Corporal Brian Easley

This article was published in collaboration with the editorial team at Longreads. The thing that everyone remembered about the man...

By Aaron Gell Mar 26, 2018

History

Paul Bremer, Ski Instructor: Learning To Shred With The Bush Administration’s Iraq War Fall Guy

Lots of people want to be ski instructors at the Okemo Mountain Resort. Nobody gets rich doing it, but there...

By Aaron Gell Mar 19, 2018

Analysis

Putin’s Biggest Enemies Threw A Powwow Just To ‘Piss Him Off.’ Here’s What They Said

Mitt Romney was not among the attendees at the first-ever PutinCon, a day-long symposium held in New York City on...

By Aaron Gell Feb 5, 2018

Analysis

After Iran Kidnapped US Troops, A Scrappy New Jersey Law Firm Went After The Banks It Says Helped Them Do It

A few years back, Osen LLC, a boutique law firm operating out of a nondescript office park in Hackensack, New...

By Aaron Gell Nov 7, 2017

Family & Relationships

A Powerful Look At How Gold Star Families Mourn Their Fallen Kin

Photographer Inbal Abergil remembers her confusion the first time a friend invited her to the beach for Memorial Day, shortly...

By Aaron Gell Oct 23, 2017

Entertainment

With ‘Last Flag Flying,’ Hollywood Tries — and Fails — To Do Right By Veterans

Never in history have fallen warriors been so popular. Presidents trip over themselves to comfort their next of kin, and...

By Aaron Gell Jul 18, 2017

News

Minnesota Town Shuts Down Plan To Allow Satanic Veterans Memorial In Public Park

The Satanic Veterans Memorial is looking for a new home after the town of Belle Plaine, Minnesota (pop. 6,900), where...

By Aaron Gell May 13, 2017

Lifestyle

The Tea Party’s Favorite Painter Is Going Wobbly On Trump

“He’s either going down as the best president ever, or the worst president ever,” the artist Jon McNaughton was saying...

By Aaron Gell May 3, 2017

Gear

Meet The Man Behind One Of Instagram’s Finest Gun Feeds

Just a few miles inland from the Atlantic coast, in a modest, Florida subdivision, at the end of a gracious...

By Aaron Gell Mar 3, 2017

News

George W Bush Opens Up About Veterans, Iraq, And The Healing Power of Art

“Painting a picture is like fighting a battle,” Winston Churchill once wrote, in what may be the dumbest statement ever...

By Aaron Gell Feb 27, 2017

Opinion

Happy Mattis Day: The Plan To Defeat ISIS Is Due Today

Well, it’s February 27. You know what that means. Today is Mattis Day. On January 28, President Trump signed an...

By Aaron Gell Feb 6, 2017

Gear

Some Guy Made A Chair Out Of Gold-Plated AK-47s

What do you get for the man who has everything? Like, literally, everything? Imagine you’re a visiting dignitary from foreign...

By Aaron Gell Feb 1, 2017

Entertainment

‘Bullets Of Justice’ Is the Most Insane Thing We’ve Seen Since ‘Range 15’

At the height of World War III, the U.S. government develops a top-secret new weapon it hopes will lead to...

By Aaron Gell Jan 31, 2017

News

America’s Cyber Warriors Party Hard And Are Terrible At Their Jobs

The word “salad” in Arabic is pronounced sulta. The word “authority” is alssulta. Say it with me, people… You might...

By Aaron Gell Jan 30, 2017

News

Is There A Mole In Trump’s West Wing?

White House officials leaking inside information is nothing new. They do it to push certain policies, to spin reporters, to...

By Aaron Gell Jan 27, 2017

News

Russian Kids Can Grow Up Reading This Military Children’s Book

While America’s children are setting fires in the streets and burning calories on Bluetooth-enabled exercycles, Russian toddlers are getting schooled in...

By Aaron Gell Jan 27, 2017

Entertainment

‘Apocalypse Now’ Is Becoming A Videogame

Francis Ford Coppola has given game developers the greenlight to turn his acclaimed 1979 war film, “Apocalypse Now,” into a...

By Aaron Gell Jan 25, 2017

News

The Standing Rock Sioux Have A New Fighter In Their Corner — Ronda Rousey

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey may not have seen much success in the ring lately, having suffered a stunning loss to...

By Aaron Gell Jan 23, 2017

Community

Meet The Marine Veteran Whose Heartfelt Plea To Flag-Burners Just Went Viral

It’s fair to say the inauguration of Donald Trump has stirred some passions in the electorate. But with the exception...

By Aaron Gell Jan 19, 2017

Entertainment

Metallica’s Frontman Narrates A Documentary About Porn Addiction

James Hetfield, the lead singer of the world’s greatest rock band, Metallica, is lending his beloved rotary hammer of a...

By Aaron Gell Jan 19, 2017

News

How To Get A Special-Edition Commemorative Donald Trump Coin

It may be a few years before the U.S. Mint sees fit to honor our 45th president by putting his...

Aaron Gell

News

Featured by Aaron Gell

CIA agents were on the ground before we invaded Iraq, and they knew it was going to be a clusterf*@k

Will Prince Harry Have To Decide Between His Uniform And Beard?

After Falling Prey To Loan ‘Scammers,’ 3 Pissed-Off Vets Are Fighting Back

Before He Died, Avicii Gave Us One Of Dance Music’s Greatest Military Tributes

‘They Didn’t Have To Kill Him’: The Death of Lance Corporal Brian Easley

Paul Bremer, Ski Instructor: Learning To Shred With The Bush Administration’s Iraq War Fall Guy

Putin’s Biggest Enemies Threw A Powwow Just To ‘Piss Him Off.’ Here’s What They Said

After Iran Kidnapped US Troops, A Scrappy New Jersey Law Firm Went After The Banks It Says Helped Them Do It

A Powerful Look At How Gold Star Families Mourn Their Fallen Kin

With ‘Last Flag Flying,’ Hollywood Tries — and Fails — To Do Right By Veterans

Minnesota Town Shuts Down Plan To Allow Satanic Veterans Memorial In Public Park

The Tea Party’s Favorite Painter Is Going Wobbly On Trump

Meet The Man Behind One Of Instagram’s Finest Gun Feeds

George W Bush Opens Up About Veterans, Iraq, And The Healing Power of Art

Happy Mattis Day: The Plan To Defeat ISIS Is Due Today

Some Guy Made A Chair Out Of Gold-Plated AK-47s

‘Bullets Of Justice’ Is the Most Insane Thing We’ve Seen Since ‘Range 15’

America’s Cyber Warriors Party Hard And Are Terrible At Their Jobs

Is There A Mole In Trump’s West Wing?

Russian Kids Can Grow Up Reading This Military Children’s Book

‘Apocalypse Now’ Is Becoming A Videogame

The Standing Rock Sioux Have A New Fighter In Their Corner — Ronda Rousey

Meet The Marine Veteran Whose Heartfelt Plea To Flag-Burners Just Went Viral

Metallica’s Frontman Narrates A Documentary About Porn Addiction

How To Get A Special-Edition Commemorative Donald Trump Coin