Duffel Blog is the first and only satire news outlet devoted to the U.S. military and national security community. At a time of increasing global conflict and crisis, our team of military veteran writers provides much-needed levity on serious topics and help to remind everyone — especially those in the trenches — that a lighthearted jab or a well-placed joke can go a long way. Since our founding in 2012, we have poked fun at generals, lieutenants, and everyone in between while helping military members and civilians think critically about national security through satire and smart humor.

"Duffel Blog is a beautifully crafted response to an increasingly stuffy environment in today’s America. Duffel Blog reminds us of much of what we in the military fight for — the freedom to think our own way and to laugh about the absurdities without being mean-spirited.” 

—James Mattis, 21st Secretary of Defense

So why a newsletter and why now? Duffel Blog was founded on the premise that there was plenty of humor to be found in the national security world. And after a decade of publishing and millions of readers later, it’s safe to say that we were right.

But times are incredibly tough in digital media — even more so for a small, independent publication like Duffel Blog that is produced by a single editor and part-time writers from across the military spectrum. That's why we switched to an email newsletter format in 2020, so we could build a closer, more direct relationship with our readers that was not at the mercy of the algorithm or declining advertising rates. And now that all those annoying and intrusive advertisements are gone, we primarily rely on reader support to pay our writers and editors for the original content they produce so we can keep the military community laughing week after week.

“I think I have learned more about U.S. military culture from reading Duffel Blog than I have from many hundreds of academic articles on the subject.”

—Tom Ricks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

A free membership to Duffel Blog gets you:

• Occasional public posts

Becoming a Duffel Blog supporter gets you:

• Ad-free access
• Every single Duffel Blog story (about 3-4 per week)
• Unlimited access to our archive of 4,000+ stories
• Community features and shop discounts
• Our undying gratitude for directly supporting a team of military veteran writers and editors and helping to sustain us for the long haul

Either way, welcome and thank you! We’re glad you’re here.

What readers say

• “[Duffel Blog] reminds me of The Onion in its early days. They’re clearly having fun doing it, which is part of what makes it successful.” — Scott Dikkers, founding editor of The Onion
• “Behind the biting wit and outrageous headlines is a satirical prowess that not only engages the reader with pointed absurdist humor but does so with the intent to challenge every level of the military experience.” —Maximilian Uriarte, New York Times bestselling author and creator of Terminal Lance
• “Some of what [Duffel Blog] turns out just might be the best military satire since Joseph Heller wrote Catch-22.” —David Martin, CBS News
• “They’ve made a lot of fun of me and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.” —Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis

Media Coverage of Duffel Blog

• Rep. Pat Fallon claimed SPLC listed 2 veterans organizations as ‘hate groups.’ His source? A satirical news blog. (The Washington Post)
• Duped by Duffel Blog, a congressman claims that the VFW and American Legion were labeled hate groups (Task & Purpose)

• GOP Politicians Have Repeatedly Been Bamboozled by Satire. Are We One Onion Article Away From Total Chaos? (Washingtonian)
• Move Over, Sammich Jokes: Women Make Their Mark on Military Humor (Military.com)
• A New Era of Military Comedy from the Ranks (War on the Rocks)
• Duffel Blog Founder Releases Book to Mark 5 Years of Military Humor (Military.com)
• Duffel Blog makes fun of military absurdities — and has the Pentagon laughing, too (The Washington Post)
• The Duffel Blog: Like 'The Onion' In Camo (NPR)
• Oops! McConnell duped by parody news report on Gitmo (MSNBC)
• Senate Minority Leader Fooled by Report in Military Version of The Onion (Wired Magazine)
• Where the U.S. Army Is Winless (Time Magazine)
• Military satire on display via the Duffel Blog (Military Times)
• Prank and File: These Military Reports Are Out of Line (The Wall Street Journal)

• The Military's Version Of The Onion Is Now So Popular Its Server Just Crashed (Business Insider)
• Fake military news site gains traction (Columbia Journalism Review)
• US Army Changing Bayonets For Tomahawks (Gizmodo)

Disclaimer

Duffel Blog is a parody of a news organization, and all content it publishes is satirical in nature. No content should be regarded as truthful, and no reference to an individual, company, or military unit seeks to inflict malice or emotional harm. All characters, groups, and military units appearing in these works are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual military units and companies is purely coincidental.

Duffel Blog is not intended for readers under 18 years of age or those without a sense of humor.

Have questions about Duffel Blog?

Check our our Frequently Asked Questions page.