Fear & Courage

Matt was one of my students at The Citadel, one of the six United States senior military colleges, and he graduated in 2015. He was commissioned as an Army Infantry Officer and has completed Ranger, Airborne, and Long Range Surveillance qualifications among others. He has served as a Platoon leader in the 4th Infantry Division and served on deployment to Afghanistan in 2018 and 2019. It is always a treat for me to have a former cadet on the podcast who I knew in those formative years.

Earl Granville is a retired Army Staff Sergeant. He served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as an Infantryman, enlisting in 2001 and deploying to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He lost part of his leg when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle in eastern Afghanistan in 2008. He is a Team Member for the veteran run and owned non-profit Operation Enduring Warrior, is pursuing his bachelors degree in counseling, and also speaks publicly about the importance of finding help in battling mental adversity after the passing of his twin brother, Staff Sergeant Joseph Granville, who took his own life December of 2010 while still on Active Duty.

Jason “Jake” Jean is an Air Force Veteran who enlisted as part of the Security Forces. He was medically discharged from the Air Force and has since started and run several successful companies. His current effort, Tattered Beans is a veteran focused coffee retailer that gives $4 of every bag sold to military veterans and veteran related causes.

Col Jack Jacobs is a retired Colonel in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the Vietnam War. He currently serves as a military analyst for NBC News and MSNBC and previously worked as an investment manager.

CPT Maggie Smith is a US Army Cyber Officer with over 14 years of experience as both an enlisted Soldier and commissioned Officer. She is currently on Advanced Civil Schooling orders to George Washington University (GWU) and is a second-year Ph.D. student of public policy. She commissioned as a 2LT and earned her MPP with a focus in Homeland Security and Intelligence Policy at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy while doing the Army's Green to Gold Program to earn her commission. Maggie dealt with the challenge of a positive BRCA2 genetic test and subsequent health decisions while serving on active duty and hasn’t allowed that to slow her down at all. Maggie is also an ultra runner, mom, and wife to Patrick, also a US Army Veteran, and is looking forward to an assignment teaching at West Point.

Ian Turner is a Sheriff's Deputy and Detention Officer. He is a former US Army Infantry Noncommissioned Officer with deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

COL (ret) John Spiszer is the Chief of Staff for US Army Japan at Camp Zama, Japan. COL Spiszer retired in 2014 with 30 years of service to the United States Army. Spiszer is a 1984 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point completing numerous military training and education courses during his service including the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course, the School of Advanced Military Studies (known as SAMS), the Naval War College, and the Joint Combined Warfighting Course. Mr. Spiszer’s key Army command and staff assignments are Chief of Staff, V Corps and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany; Executive Officer to the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan; Commander of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center and Senior Commander of the Hohenfels Military Community, Hohenfels, Germany; Commander of Task Force Duke, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, and Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan; and Commander of the Polar Bears, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, Fort Drum, New York, with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

COL (ret) John Spiszer is the Chief of Staff for US Army Japan at Camp Zama, Japan. COL Spiszer retired in 2014 with 30 years of service to the United States Army. Spiszer is a 1984 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point completing numerous military training and education courses during his service including the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course, the School of Advanced Military Studies (known as SAMS), the Naval War College, and the Joint Combined Warfighting Course. Mr. Spiszer’s key Army command and staff assignments are Chief of Staff, V Corps and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany; Executive Officer to the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Kabul, Afghanistan; Commander of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center and Senior Commander of the Hohenfels Military Community, Hohenfels, Germany; Commander of Task Force Duke, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, and Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan; and Commander of the Polar Bears, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, Fort Drum, New York, with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Captain Bobbie Ragsdale is an armor officer in the US Army and served in the 10th Mountain Division, deploying to Baghdad, Iraq as a Scout Platoon Leader. At the deployment’s completion in 2009, he returned to Ft. Polk where he served as a Troop Executive Officer and Assistant Operations Officer before deploying again to Wardak, Afghanistan in 2010. While in Afghanistan, he served simultaneously as TF Slugger’s Information Operations Officer, Civil-Military Operations Officer, and lead non-lethal planner. He led Regional Command (East)’s Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program in Wardak Province. CPT Ragsdale was then assigned to the Joint Readiness Training Center as a Platoon Observer Coach Trainer and Troop Commander. He completed his Master in Public Administration degree at Harvard’s Kennedy School in May, 2016. He is currently assigned to Camp Shelby, Mississippi as a company senior observer, coach, trainer with First Army.

Captain Bobbie Ragsdale is an armor officer in the US Army and served in the 10th Mountain Division, deploying to Baghdad, Iraq as a Scout Platoon Leader. At the deployment’s completion in 2009, he returned to Ft. Polk where he served as a Troop Executive Officer and Assistant Operations Officer before deploying again to Wardak, Afghanistan in 2010. While in Afghanistan, he served simultaneously as TF Slugger’s Information Operations Officer, Civil-Military Operations Officer, and lead non-lethal planner. He led Regional Command (East)’s Afghan Peace and Reintegration Program in Wardak Province. CPT Ragsdale was then assigned to the Joint Readiness Training Center as a Platoon Observer Coach Trainer and Troop Commander. He completed his Master in Public Administration degree at Harvard’s Kennedy School in May, 2016. He is currently assigned to Camp Shelby, Mississippi as a company senior observer, coach, trainer with First Army.

This episode is the second half of my talk with Colin Daniels. If you missed the first half, check out episode 11 where we talked about his experience as a Cadet at The Citadel, Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader Course, and the start of Ranger School.

1LT Colin Daniels graduated from The Citadel in 2015 and received a commission in the Field Artillery branch. He completed the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, OK with a follow-on assignment as a Company Fire Support Officer in 1s

Benjamin Bunn served as a US Army Special Forces Noncommissioned Officer and then, following his commission as an Airborne Infantry Officer. Ben served in a variety of Special Operations and conventional leadership roles on multiple tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the military, Ben founded Cigar City Crossfit, a successful gym he currently runs in Tampa, FL.

Benjamin Bunn served as a US Army Special Forces Noncommissioned Officer and then, following his commission as an Airborne Infantry Officer. Ben served in a variety of Special Operations and conventional leadership roles on multiple tours to both Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the military, Ben founded Cigar City Crossfit, a successful gym he currently runs in Tampa, FL.

Tim Crockett is a veteran of the British Royal Marines and Special Boat Service with service in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and various other international assignments. He then worked as a security consultant for various clients including Turner Broadcasting, Al Jazeera America, VICE, and CNN International. He was instrumental CNN’s acquisition of a VHS tape library that showed Al Qaeda’s chemical gas experiments, terrorist training tactics, and previously unseen images of Bin Laden and his top aides in Afghanistan. He currently works in travel risk management, and international medical, security, and travel assistance.  Tim plans to row across the Atlantic Ocean solo and unassisted, which means he will not receive any resupply during the 3000 nautical mile journey. He will take part in an annual race called the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, which has been going on for more than 20 years now. Tim will attempt this amazing feat of human physical and mental endurance at the end of this year in order to raise awareness for veteran suicide and promote the individual connections that truly make the difference for those struggling.

Sam Deen is a former Army Captain and 2006 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He served as a rifle and then scout platoon leader in 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division on their deployment to the Pech and Korengal River Valleys in 2008 and 2009. He owns and runs Crossfit Van Zandt and Crossfit Van Zandt South, as well as Van Zandt Coffee Co and his real estate investment company GP Delta, in Canton Texas. Sam is a candidate for United States Congress in the 5th district of TX.

LTC Jimmy Howell is a US Army Infantry Officer. He served as a platoon leader and company commander in various light infantry units as well as the 75th Ranger Regiment with 8 deployments spanning over a decade to both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

LTC Jimmy Howell is a US Army Infantry Officer. He served as a platoon leader and company commander in various light infantry units as well as the 75th Ranger Regiment with multiple deployments spanning over a decade to both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Sam and Ann Matta both served as US Army Captains and Critical Care Nurses. They deployed together to Iraq for 15 months and currently work as a flight nurse and critical care nurse practitioner respectively.

Major General David Burford is a retired US Army Special Forces National Guard Officer who has also worked for Southern Company for 40 years and has been with Southern Nuclear since 2005.

John Flinn is a Paramedic in Greenville, SC. He served 4 years as a Marine from 1996 to 2000.

William Denn is a US Army Military Intelligence Major currently serving as a Planner on the division staff of the 82nd Airborne Division. Patrick O'Donnell is a US Army Acquisitions Corps Major and is currently serving as an Experimental Rotary Wing Test

The Fear and Courage Podcast tells the stories of military service members, law enforcement officers, and first responders. These experiences are intense and in many ways foreign to the majority of people. The show includes stories with intensity, unique experiences, personal impacts (positive and negative), and lives changed for the better or worse as a result of a career of service. By telling the impactful stories of education, training, operations, traumas, victories, career paths, and family experiences that come from service, we hope to better understand the full impact of one person's choice to serve. I hope for the personal impact on those who serve to be a factor in the national conversation about military deployment thresholds and national and state law enforcement/first responder policy and regulation.