About
Joshua Skovlund is a staff writer for Task & Purpose and a former U.S. Army forward observer. He has been covering the military, veterans, and first responders for over three years, reporting on assignment from Ukraine during the opening salvo of the Russian invasion, multinational military exercises in Germany, and during the 2020 civil unrest in Minneapolis. His previous bylines include Coffee or Die Magazine and Outdoor Life.
Experience
After serving as a forward observer in the U.S. Army, I earned my paramedic license and spent five years working as a Minneapolis paramedic before transitioning to a career in multimedia journalism. Since then, I have extensively covered both the first responder and special operations communities. I've traveled the world, telling stories with a pen in hand and through the lens of my camera, from the early days of the riots in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, to multi-national training exercises in Germany.
Education
- U.S. Army
- Licensed paramedic
Highlights
- A true multimedia reporter who can report and write everything from daily news to longform features, capture still photography, and shoot video often in dynamic and austere environments.
- A trusted reporter in the military and veteran community.
- Featured on CBS Audio’s Eye on Veterans.
Notable Works
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Operation Red Wings Through the Eyes of the Night Stalkers
Coffee or Die Magazine
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Minneapolis set on Fire After George Floyd Death
Coffee or Die Magazine
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Best Night Vision Goggles of 2023
OutdoorLife
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Women are Fighting Side by Side with Men on Front Lines of Iraq Protests
Coffee or Die Magazine
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When 'the Boys' are Back in Town: A Special ops vet Explains why Elite Units Train in US Cities
Coffee or Die Magazine
Fun fact
I’m a family man first and foremost, a husband and father who writes poetry and nerds out on mushroom, spider, and moth-focused photography.
