Why Subscribe?
I’m Dr. Crisanna Shackelford—Shack to those who know me. With over 32 years of combined service in the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense (DoD), I’ve built a career in strategic leadership, national security, intelligence, and warfare. Operating at the highest levels of government, I’ve provided decision-making expertise that has directly shaped defense policies and advanced global security objectives.
A Trailblazer in Military Service
My career path is one of distinction. I was among the first women selected for the EP-3E Naval Reconnaissance platform, where I developed critical intelligence-gathering skills in some of the world’s most high-risk environments. My operational experience, combined with leadership roles in defense and intelligence, gave me rare, specialized capabilities essential for high-level engagements with organizations like the NSA and other national security agencies.
After transitioning to senior intelligence roles within the Department of Defense, I focused on the intersection of defense policy, intelligence, and emerging biological threats. This included the growing concerns around mandated vaccines and their impact on military readiness. This unique expertise continues to shape my advocacy today.
Champion for National Security and Medical Freedom
After facing forced retirement due to my principled stand against DoD's COVID-19 policies, I shifted my focus to a critical, often overlooked issue—vaccine injuries within our military and veteran communities. I founded Real Reactions, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the healthcare, compensation, and recognition of military personnel and veterans harmed by mandated medical interventions. Our mission is clear: demand accountability for vaccine injuries and push for the systemic reforms needed within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Through Real Reactions, I’ve led efforts to influence public policy, focusing on those who have given their all for our nation and are now suffering from the very medical interventions meant to protect them. My work is driven by the belief that military readiness and health are inseparable, and we must protect the integrity of both our service members’ physical and psychological well-being.
Complex Systems, Strategic Advocacy, and Thought Leadership
On this platform, I will provoke thought and spark critical discussions on national security, defense readiness, and the complex interdependencies shaping these areas. My focus goes beyond military health; I examine the wider implications for global stability and security. I’m committed to breaking down silos, driving the conversation on complex systems, and the impact of health crises on national defense.
Having studied nonlinear warfare and complex adaptive systems, I bring a strategic lens to understanding how crises evolve, how they disrupt systems, and how we can mitigate their impact. The interconnectedness of health and security is central to my work, and the long-term implications of biologics on military personnel and their families must be addressed now.
As an advocate for medical freedom, I challenge conventional thinking on healthcare policy, urging immediate action to protect those who defend our nation.
Strategic Insight and Hard-Hitting Advocacy
This platform is for those ready to engage with hard-hitting commentary on global issues—be it the future of national security, the intersection of health and warfare, or the necessary reforms in military healthcare and veterans’ rights. My articles will bridge gaps, question institutional thinking, and raise urgent issues that demand answers.
The inaugural article will address the direct relationship between today’s child health crisis and tomorrow’s national security crisis. This is not theory—it’s a pressing reality with profound consequences.
A Call to Action
The time to think differently about the challenges we face is now. This means questioning authority, embracing complexity, and driving the hard conversations that others shy away from. For me, that means engaging military leaders, health experts, policymakers, and the public to discuss the future of defense, health, and global stability.
Drawing from years of experience in nonlinear warfare and complex systems, I provide a lens for navigating the multifaceted challenges we face today.
Final Thoughts
Real Reactions and my advocacy are rooted in a single, actionable mission: to fight for the vaccine-injured, demand systemic reforms, and ensure those who serve are not abandoned by the very systems meant to protect them. This is about accountability, justice, and the future of our military readiness.
Thank you for subscribing and joining the conversation. Together, we can ask the tough questions and chart a path toward a more secure, resilient future.
For ongoing insights, follow me on X at @DrC_Shackelford and @RealReactionsNP. Visit my website at realreactions.org for more on my nonprofit’s mission and to access articles on the intersection of healthcare and military readiness.
In closing, a final note about me: Curiosity and inquisitiveness are the engines that drive my work. Over the years, serving as a catalyst for change has been a consistent theme in my life. If you’re curious about the literature that has shaped my worldview, here’s a glimpse at some notable works that have influenced my thinking:
Jullien's Treatise and The Silent Transformations
Hirschbein's What If They Gave a Crisis and Nobody Came? Interpreting International Crisis
Tsoukas's Complex Knowledge
Kasapoglu’s Russia’s Renewed Military Thinking: Nonlinear Warfare and Reflexive Control
As we confront the complexity of today’s challenges, it’s clear that everything is interconnected. This insight drives my approach to shaping a future of clarity, strategic foresight, and purposeful action.
Again - Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s continue the conversation.
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