About Battlesight Zero
Every veteran has a story worth telling.
My job is to help tell them.
Meet the Editor
I'm Kyle Watts — a Marine Corps veteran, a storyteller, and the founder of Battlesight Zero.
I served as a Communications Officer (0602) and left active duty as a Captain in 2013. That year, I began freelance writing, and in the nearly fifteen years since, I've had the privilege of interviewing dozens of Marines — from men who served in World War II, to Korea and Vietnam veterans, to Marines who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, to those still on active duty today. Since 2022, I've served as the full-time Staff Writer for Leatherneck Magazine, the magazine of the Marines, published by the Marine Corps Association.
BZO started as a simple place to share my published work with the veterans I was interviewing — many wanted to read something I'd written before trusting me with their own story. It's grown into something bigger since.
Kyle with USMC Vietnam veterans at the 50th anniversary reunion of LZ Margo in 2018.
Kyle viewing artifacts at the National Museum of the Marine Corps' storage facility in 2024 with a veteran of Guantanamo Bay's Minefield Maintenance section.
Why Your Story Matters
If you're a veteran reading this page, I want you to hear something directly:
Your story matters.
Not just the medals or the firefights. The ordinary moments too — the friend who made you laugh in a bad place, the lance corporal who saved your life without ever realizing it. Those are the stories your family will want to know.
Telling it is worth it.
I've watched veterans sit down for an interview bracing for the worst and walk away lighter. Being heard accurately, by someone who also wore the uniform, is incredibly impactful. For me, it is truly a sacred experience.
Your family will treasure it.
Some of the most moving messages I receive mention spouses, children, and grandchildren who finally understood something about their Marine they'd been trying to understand for decades. A well-told story becomes a family heirloom. It outlives all of us.
I have never had an occasion to share any of these combat experiences with anyone outside the tight circle of warriors with whom I was privileged to serve. Thanks to you, it has been a good thing. Until your article, my wife or immediate family never knew much detail about our combat operations. Now, she has come to understand, and called me her hero this morning.
BoB B.
1st Force Recon, Vietnam, 1968-69
If You Have a Story to Tell
I interview veterans of every era and every MOS. There is no story too small, no service too quiet, no experience that isn't worth preserving. If you've been carrying something around for years and don't know where to start — start with an email. I'll take it from there.
Stay Connected
New feature stories drop every few weeks. If you'd like to be the first to read them — and hear the occasional behind-the-scenes note on what I'm working on — drop your email below.
No spam, no noise. Just the stories.
About the Store
Every shirt, hoodie, print, and sticker in the BZO store exists to support this mission. All proceeds go directly toward covering operating costs and funding the work of interviewing, writing, and publishing these stories. When you buy something from BZO, you're helping keep these stories alive. Thank you.
