Mike Drop

Major John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army officer who served 25 years in uniform, including two combat tours in Iraq as an infantry platoon leader and later as a company commander during the Battle of Sadr City. In this part 2, he describes taking command of a company hours after it was devastated by an Iranian-backed rocket attack, and explains how he rebuilt a broken, stop-lossed unit into one of the most requested companies in his battalion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army officer with more than 25 years of service and is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on urban warfare. In this conversation, he breaks down the conflict with Iran, challenges popular predictions about escalation, and explains why war remains inherently human, political, and unpredictable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of this conversation, Derek Janisch talks about rebuilding his life after prison — reconnecting with his ex-wife in Hawaii, moving back to California, and starting over as a father, husband, and businessman. The conversation closes with a deep dive into faith, free will, and how his time in jail shaped a worldview built on second chances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Derek Janisch spent a decade in the SEAL Teams, deploying to Afghanistan and the Philippines, before his life came apart at home. In this part 2, he talks openly about the affair that ended his marriage, the arrests that followed, and the night on a Humboldt County cannabis farm when a dispute over money ended with him being shot in the chest. It's a raw look at what happens when a warrior's nervous system has nowhere left to go, and how one man found his way back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Derek Janisch took PKM and RPG fire in Afghanistan and walked away alive. Years later on a California cannabis farm, an argument over $3,000 put a bullet in his chest. In this episode he breaks down both nights, the firefight that should have killed him and the one that almost did, plus the recovery, the scar people mistake for a war wound, and how he ended up back in California teaching shooting at the Outfit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of this conversation, Nic McKinley traces his path from private personal recovery work to founding DeliverFund, and delivers a hard-hitting breakdown of the forces enabling child trafficking in America today. He names Roblox CEO David Baszucki's own words on predators and minors, connects the Epstein files to a broader pattern of political silence, and lays out the exact mechanics—burner phones, anonymity loopholes, and smartphone adoption—that turned trafficking into a scalable market. Nic closes with concrete policy proposals and a direct challenge to parents and everyday listeners on what real accountability looks like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nic McKinley returns for Part 2, picking up right after his time as a Pararescue instructor and walking through his recruitment into a specialized CIA unit. He details the grueling 30-day vetting process, the shooting standards that eliminated seasoned special operators, and the small-team tactics that shaped his work overseas. Nic recounts high-speed chases, joint operations with elite military units, and his rise to Country Team Leader in a nuclear-armed nation—before revealing the two pivotal moments that first exposed him to child trafficking and set him on the path toward founding DeliverFund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former U.S. Air Force Pararescueman and CIA officer Nic McKinley — a Harvard grad dubbed "the real Jack Ryan" for his operational background across spec ops and intelligence work — breaks down how his 11 years as a PJ and later role as country chief of a special CIA unit exposed him to the realities of child trafficking and illicit markets, work that eventually became the foundation for DeliverFund, the nonprofit he now runs that arms law enforcement with technology, actionable intelligence, training, and data-driven tools to fight human trafficking. We dig into how smartphones and gaming platforms turned into a direct pipeline connecting predators to kids, why the policy fixes are obvious but the people with the power to enact them won't touch it, and what it actually takes to hunt a human trafficker for a living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final chapter of Tu Lam's story, the walls come down completely. Part 3 opens where the inner war is still raging — fame, an imposter's burden, and a broken heart that Eastern philosophy and psychedelics couldn't fully fix. What follows is Tu's account of the moment he finally surrendered to Jesus Christ, how three years of daily Bible study rewired his understanding of sin, sacrifice, and purpose, and what it now means to walk as a disciple in the tactical and law enforcement world he built his name in. Host Mike Ritland and Tu also go deep on marriage in special operations, the global consequences of the Iraq War, the trap of media consumption, and what Tu carries every day — on his hip and in his heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Green Beret and Special Mission Unit operator Tu Lam opens up about the hidden battles that followed one of the most decorated careers in special operations. In Part 2, Tu and host Mike Ritland go deep on his years conducting covert intelligence work, the opiate addiction that took root after a 2005 IED blast and quietly consumed nearly a decade of his life, and the shame of a medical retirement he never felt he earned. From rock bottom in a dark room to becoming the most downloaded character in Call of Duty history, Tu traces the long road back — through psychedelics, spiritual warfare, and an encounter he never expected — to something that finally gave him peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Green Beret Tu Lam served over 23 years in Special Forces, deploying to 27 countries, and is the founder of Ronin Tactics and author of The Way of the Ronin. In this episode, Tu shares the full arc of his extraordinary life — from being born in Saigon and escaping war-torn Vietnam as a child refugee on a wooden fishing boat, to becoming one of the most elite operators in the U.S. military. They dig into the Bushido code, the warrior's path, faith, addiction, and what it truly means to surrender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jay Collins — Green Beret, combat amputee, and Florida's Lieutenant Governor — is now running for Governor, going up against a Trump-endorsed opponent in what he calls a fight to protect Florida's values and keep the state from falling backward. In this episode, Jay breaks down why he's speaking out against his primary opponent, foreign interference in Florida politics, the dangers of unchecked AI and hyperscale data centers, his push for classical education and trade apprenticeships, and why he believes when Florida leads, America wins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jay Collins served as a one-legged Green Beret before retiring on his own terms, then transitioned into nonprofit work and eventually Florida politics — passing 55 bills in three years as a state senator and now serving as Lieutenant Governor under Ron DeSantis while running for Governor. In this episode, Jay breaks down the VA system's failures and how to fix them, why states should lead where Washington has repeatedly failed, and what it takes to bring a combat veteran's mindset into government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jay Collins spent 23 years in Army Special Forces, serving in South America and the Middle East as a Green Beret, where he was shot in the arm and ultimately lost a leg from injuries sustained in combat. A recipient of two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman Badge, Jay went on to serve in the Florida State Senate and now serves as Lieutenant Governor of Florida, currently running for Governor. In this episode, he takes us back to Firebase Anaconda in Afghanistan, one of the worst defensible positions imaginable, and breaks down the presence patrol where he took a round to the arm, the mortar blast that would silently cost him his leg years later, and what it took to keep fighting through all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kyle Morgan opens up with raw honesty about his decade with 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force). He details the legendary Radisson Blu Hotel hostage rescue in Mali that he led, the intense pre- and post-Radisson deployments, the personal toll of repeated blast injuries and combat trauma, his struggles with alcohol, opioids, ego, and moral injury, multiple DUIs, and the difficult path to redemption, sobriety, faith, and retirement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kyle Morgan continues his conversation with Mike Ritland, detailing his remarkable journey through the U.S. Army. From his turbulent youth and early deployments with the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, through Ranger School, the Old Guard, and Special Forces as a Green Beret, to his selection and service with 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force), Kyle offers unfiltered insights into combat, leadership, personal struggles with alcohol and ego, team dynamics, failure and redemption at Delta selection, and the profound impact of service on his life and faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kyle Morgan spent over 20 years in the Army as a Green Beret and Delta Force operator, serving in every kinetic conflict since 9/11 including deployments to Colombia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. He is best known for leading the hostage rescue and evacuation at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali, where terrorists killed 20 people and took 170 hostages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major James Capers spent years after Vietnam running ambushes behind enemy lines, surviving an assassination attempt in Hamburg, and serving as a bodyguard to President Nixon before a general sent him home after receiving intelligence that his wife and son would be killed on a Saturday morning. But the moment that defines this episode happened after his bloodiest mission — when he was loaded onto a helicopter with his wounded men and his dead dog King, flown through a storm, and placed in a hallway with the bodies. Someone walked by and said this one is dead. Then another person stopped, looked closer, and said this one is breathing. They pulled him out and brought him back to the operating room. In this episode, Major Capers closes out his story — the ambushes, the training mission loss that made him retire, and what he believes about the country he fought for and would fight for again. Support Major James Capers https://www.instagram.com/major_james_capers_jr/ https://www.capersthedoc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/p/Major-James-Capers-Jr-100040737672030/ https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/holt-oral-history-program/james-capers-jr-major ---------- SPONSORS PARTICLE FOR MENCheck out Particle's Face Cream here: https://particleformen.co/mikedrop and use my code MIKEDROP for a 20% discount sitewide AMERICAN FINANCING NMLS #182334 nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-891-3262 for details about credit, costs and terms. Visit https://AmericanFinancing.net/MikeDrop. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99 BETTER HELP Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/mikedrop/ BEAM Here's the deal: Beam is giving my listeners the ultimate patriot discount of UP TO 40% off. Try their best‑selling Dream Powder and get UP TO 40% off for a limited time. Go to https://shopbeam.com/products/dream-powder-4?variant=41387075567671&selling_plan=1794441271&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=mikedrop&code=applied15&discount=MIKEDROP and use code MIKEDROP at checkout. NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAINING Train like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience. https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-seals TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog's Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog's health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike's bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major James Capers ran 50 missions in Vietnam as a Force Recon Marine — combat swims in shark-infested waters, a POW rescue that earned him his first Purple Heart and Bronze Star, and a four-day battle that left him wounded with his legs broken and his dog dead. He was one of the few African Americans in Force Recon, and fought his way into Combat Swimmer school when the commanding officer tried to send him home before he even started. He spent three months at Khe Sanh facing a Chinese division, and when the helicopter finally came in on his bloodiest mission, he put every man on board and stayed on the ground alone. President Trump called him personally to invite him to the White House to receive the Medal of Honor. In this episode, Major Capers walks through the missions and what it cost him to bring everybody home. Support Major James Capers https://www.instagram.com/major_james_capers_jr/ https://www.capersthedoc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/p/Major-James-Capers-Jr-100040737672030/ https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/holt-oral-history-program/james-capers-jr-major ---------- SPONSORS PARTICLE FOR MENCheck out Particle's Face Cream here: https://particleformen.co/mikedrop and use my code MIKEDROP for a 20% discount sitewide AMERICAN FINANCING NMLS #182334 nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-891-3262 for details about credit, costs and terms. Visit https://AmericanFinancing.net/MikeDrop. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99 BETTER HELP Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/mikedrop/ BEAM Here's the deal: Beam is giving my listeners the ultimate patriot discount of UP TO 40% off. Try their best‑selling Dream Powder and get UP TO 40% off for a limited time. Go to https://shopbeam.com/products/dream-powder-4?variant=41387075567671&selling_plan=1794441271&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=mikedrop&code=applied15&discount=MIKEDROP and use code MIKEDROP at checkout. NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAINING Train like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience. https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-seals TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog's Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog's health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike's bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major James Capers led a four day mission in Vietnam that should have killed him. His unit was inserted, took heavy contact, and fought through the night with everything they had. He was wounded, his dog was killed, and when the helicopter finally came in to pull them out, he told the crew to take his men and leave him behind. President Trump signed a bill awarding him the Medal of Honor for what he did on that trail, outnumbered and outgunned, refusing to abandon a single Marine no matter the cost. In this episode, Major Capers sits down to walk through the mission, the decisions made under fire, and what it actually means to bring every man home when everything around you is falling apart. Support Major James Capers https://www.instagram.com/major_james_capers_jr/ https://www.capersthedoc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/p/Major-James-Capers-Jr-100040737672030/ https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/holt-oral-history-program/james-capers-jr-major ---------- SPONSORS PARTICLE FOR MENCheck out Particle's Face Cream here: https://particleformen.co/mikedrop and use my code MIKEDROP for a 20% discount sitewide AMERICAN FINANCING NMLS #182334 nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-891-3262 for details about credit, costs and terms. Visit https://AmericanFinancing.net/MikeDrop. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99 BETTER HELP Sign up and get 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/mikedrop/ BEAM Here's the deal: Beam is giving my listeners the ultimate patriot discount of UP TO 40% off. Try their best‑selling Dream Powder and get UP TO 40% off for a limited time. Go to https://shopbeam.com/products/dream-powder-4?variant=41387075567671&selling_plan=1794441271&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=mikedrop&code=applied15&discount=MIKEDROP and use code MIKEDROP at checkout. NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAINING Train like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience. https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-seals TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog's Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog's health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike's bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Army Sergeant Major and Green Beret Terry Wilson closes out a conversation that covers everything from geopolitics to personal redemption. Terry and Mike dig into the Venezuela raid, the consistency problem with U.S. foreign policy, and whether fighting an ideology like Islamic extremism is even winnable. Then it gets personal — Terry reflects on rebuilding his marriage, watching his kids move forward after losing their brother, and how faith, not discipline alone, became the foundation that finally held. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Army Sergeant Major and Green Beret Terry Wilson returns for Part 2 with some of the rawest conversation yet. From witnessing a Chinook go down in flames in Afghanistan to losing his son in 2020, Terry opens up about the grief he buried for years — and what it finally took to break him open. A brutally honest look at rock bottom, rebuilding, and the unlikely path that brought him back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Army Sergeant Major and Green Beret Terry Wilson spent 24 years in uniform with the 7th Special Forces Group, racking up 11 combat deployments and nearly 11 years total downrange. He is now the CEO of Tactical Edge Coaching and Consulting, where he works with high performance men to become better leaders in all aspects of their life. In this episode we get into the daily troops in contact grind of Helmand Province, watching a Chinook get blown out of the sky a couple hundred meters away, recovering bodies from the crash site through the night, losing a teammate to an IED within days, the brutal reality of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and hitting rock bottom after losing his son before faith and fitness gave him a way back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Marine Force Recon Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Kuperus closes out his conversation with Mike Ritland with the kind of honesty that makes people uncomfortable — and that's exactly the point. From a brutally candid take on the "silent professional" myth and what weak leadership actually looks like, to a raw account of his ibogaine experience in Mexico and what it revealed about his relationship with his kids, Kuperus doesn't hold back. He also weighs in on Iran, Israel, the Epstein files, and why he thinks the Monroe Doctrine is the only foreign policy that makes sense. And after nearly losing everything to a court-martial he should never have faced, he found his next mission: The Reason Outdoors, a nonprofit using hunting and the backcountry to pull veterans back from the edge — one hunt at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Marine Force Recon Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Kuperus returns for part two with some of the most harrowing combat accounts you'll hear. From a near-fatal friendly fire incident involving Cobra attack helicopters, to navigating an IED-saturated district center while rescuing a shattered sniper team, Kuperus pulls no punches on what it actually costs when leadership fails on the ground. He also recounts the operation that quietly identified a Taliban shadow governor in northern Helmand — the kind of mission that rarely gets told. The conversation shifts into a candid reckoning with the military's promotion system, the compounding damage of poor senior leadership, and why the men who fight hardest are often the ones the institution fails most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Kuperus is a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant with 17+ years in infantry, recon, and Force Recon. Medically retired after multiple combat deployments and enough kinetic stories to fill a book. From leading teams in Now Zad to pulling his own guys out of multiple IED strikes, this one gets raw fast. We talk leadership failures in combat, hunting, ibogaine, and why the system chews up warriors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former SAS operator Phil Singleton reflects on life after the Regiment. He shares his candid thoughts on the Falklands War, his decision to leave the SAS, and the remarkable journey that followed — from bodyguard work in Saudi Arabia to becoming a U.S. citizen, training American law enforcement with Heckler & Koch, and building his own international tactical training company. Now in his 70s, Phil offers unfiltered perspectives on geopolitics, Britain's direction, America's strengths, and the simple “Rastafarian lifestyle” he lives today. This episode closes with honest wisdom, humor, and hard-earned life lessons from a true warrior and veteran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former British SAS operator Phil Singleton shares hard-earned insights from his distinguished career. He offers a firsthand account of the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege in London, detailing the planning, explosive entry, chaotic assault amid fire, and the realities of hostage rescue. Singleton also reflects on his experiences during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the rigorous SAS selection process, endurance testing, and other deployments including Belize, Brunei, and the Falklands. With candid perspectives on leadership, adaptability, counter-terrorism, and the human side of elite operations, this conversation delivers unfiltered veteran insight and operational history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phil Singleton spent years operating in the shadows — tier one SAS, Operation Nimrod, the Iranian Embassy siege — and then quietly disappeared into a second career training thousands of law enforcement officers across the U.S. as Training Director for Heckler & Koch. He doesn't carry a cell phone, doesn't chase recognition, and until now has been one of the most quietly consequential British operators most Americans have never heard of. This week Phil pulls back the curtain on what it really took to earn that winged dagger, what it was like to storm a foreign embassy in the middle of London on live television, and why — at 72 — he's perfectly content stacking bananas in a grocery store produce aisle with zero regrets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final installment of this three-part conversation, Adam Schwarze lays out his policy vision with the same directness he brought to the battlefield. From making nuclear energy his Senate legacy to dismantling deficit spending and bureaucratic rot, Adam doesn't speak in talking points — he speaks from experience. The conversation also gets into opposition research, the corruption baked into federal elections, the U.S.-Israel relationship, term limits, and why the VA system may need a complete rethink. Raw, informed, and unfiltered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Schwarze—Marine infantryman turned Navy SEAL officer, Harvard-educated warrior-scholar, and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota—sits down with Mike for part two of a raw, unfiltered conversation. From completing BUD/S as a seasoned combat veteran to conducting 75–100 real-world ship boardings in the Middle East, Adam's operational resume is as uncommon as his path to politics. The conversation cuts through the noise on Iran, the lessons learned from splitting forces across Iraq and Afghanistan. Adam also breaks down the ground-level mechanics of running a grassroots Senate campaign in one of the few states where money and name recognition don't automatically win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Schwarze enlisted in the Marines three weeks after watching the Twin Towers fall live from his senior year English class and never really stopped fighting. Nine deployments, 70 plus countries, classified undersea SEAL operations, and now a grassroots Senate run in Minnesota with no establishment backing. This one gets into all of it, the rocket shots in Iraq, the brother who died in his arms, what it actually took to cross from Marine infantryman to SEAL officer, and why he believes boots on the ground in Iran could turn into another Middle East disaster. The conversation gets brutally honest about what veterans understand about Iran that politicians don't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Randy Rozzell returns to close out his conversation with Mike Ritland, pulling back the curtain on what it took to rebuild Naval Special Warfare's combatives program from the ground up. From hand-to-hand fights for his life on deployment to standing in front of admirals and master chiefs and admitting the Teams sucked at close-quarters combat, Randy held nothing back. He also opens up about life after the Teams — navigating the Covid fallout inside San Diego Fire, his journey to black belt, moving to Texas, and why he finally wrote the book he never thought he'd write. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Randy Rozzell—retired Navy SEAL, 22-year veteran, and former Chief of Naval Special Warfare Combatives—goes deep on the missions that defined his career. From a grueling five-day firefight in Marjah to covert operations he still can't fully detail, Randy pulls back the curtain on what it truly means to serve at the tip of the spear. He also wrestles with the harder questions: the cost of war, the weight of leaving Afghanistan the way we did, and whether it was all worth it. Raw, honest, and unapologetic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Randy Rozzell is a retired SEAL Chief with 22 years in the teams, multiple combat deployments with Team Seven, the guy who rewrote how Naval Special Warfare teaches hand-to-hand combat. A small-town Texas kid who ran away from home at 14, fought his way into and out of BUD/S more times than most guys even attempt it, then went on to build one of the most operationally relevant combatives programs in special operations history — Randy's story is one of the most raw, honest, and flat-out relentless journeys I've had the privilege of putting on this show. This one's worth every minute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MACV-SOG operator Travis Mills continues sharing his extraordinary journey. He discusses running the One-Zero School at Long Thanh to train new SOG team leaders, the profound sense of purpose that emerged from surviving the FOB 4 sapper attack, his transition out of the Army, and decades of post-service work—and shares his straightforward views on current threats like Iran, nuclear proliferation, and the need for clear military objectives backed by decisive action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vietnam War veteran and former MACV-SOG operator Travis Mills shares raw, firsthand accounts from his time with the elite Studies and Observations Group. He details the extreme challenges of small-team reconnaissance insertions deep into enemy territory, the silent movement techniques essential for survival against overwhelming odds, high-risk missions blocking North Vietnamese supply routes, a harrowing first recon extraction under fire using McGuire rigs, and his intense personal experience surviving the devastating sapper attack on FOB 4 at Marble Mountain on August 23, 1968. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is a man who existed in the shadows of one of the most classified units in American military history — a Vietnam-era Green Beret named Travis Mills who helped build the legendary MACV-SOG one-zero school, ran recon deep into Laos when we "weren't there," got shot multiple times during one of the deadliest single-night attacks ever to hit Army Special Forces, and lived to sit across from me and tell the whole story. This is the kind of conversation that reminds you what the word "operator" actually means before it became a hashtag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of Episode 288 on the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland continues his conversation with retired Army Ranger and jiu-jitsu academy owner Greg Anderson. They dive into Greg's upcoming 3,100-mile unsupported ocean rowing expedition from Washington to Maui, including boat logistics, team dynamics, extreme endurance challenges, and the personal drive behind pushing human limits. The discussion also covers his book Courage Through Adversity, lessons on leadership, ownership, and becoming a better man, plus reflections on writing, self-publishing, and inspiring the next generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part 2 of Episode 288 on the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland sits down with retired Army Ranger Greg Anderson. They discuss America First foreign policy, skepticism toward endless wars and foreign aid, reflections on World War II and government trust, and when (if ever) the U.S. should get involved overseas. The conversation then turns to Greg's work building community through jiu-jitsu, the five-day dry fast he completed, and his upcoming 3,100-mile Pacific rowing expedition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg Anderson returns to the Mike Drop Podcast. The former Army Ranger and U.S. Marshal breaks down the conflict with Iran, the strategic ripple effects, and what's really happening in the Strait of Hormuz that isn't being talked about. He also explains why he wouldn't want his kids to join the military—and why he believes U.S. foreign policy needs a serious shift. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe England (The Stoic Viking), shares unfiltered insights on the current conflict with Iran. He breaks down the strategic realities of the Strait of Hormuz, the challenges of regime change, shifting alliances, and why boots-on-the-ground solutions remain extremely risky. He also discusses the long-term threat of China's global influence, the dangers of unchecked conspiracy thinking, and how stoicism and warrior philosophy helped him rebuild after hitting rock bottom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe England (The Stoic Viking) delivers a firsthand account of life inside America's most secretive intelligence unit, Task Force Orange (Intelligence Support Activity/ISA). He details attachments with Delta Force and DEVGRU SIGINT operations in Iraq and beyond, working against Iranian Quds Force elements during the rise of ISIS, and the challenges of clandestine missions under alias across multiple continents. The conversation also covers his transition out of the unit, rock-bottom struggles with identity and loss, his path to becoming a Black Hawk pilot, and how stoicism helped him rebuild purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe England—aka Stoic Viking—shares his incredible story of survival, resilience, and purpose. After a near-fatal car accident that changed everything, Joe opens up about rebuilding mentally and physically, his drive to serve, and the mindset forged through adversity. The conversation also dives into hard geopolitical realities, including a raw discussion on Iran, global conflict, and what many are missing about the threat landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clint Bruce weighs the strategic realities of the U.S. strikes on Iran, the regime-change question, nuclear risks, and potential boots-on-the-ground scenarios, while drawing directly from his combat experience and command roles. He also breaks down the conviction and selflessness that define elite SEAL leadership, his own transition out of the military, and the companies he built—Trident Response Group, Carry The Load, Hold Fast, and Windage—to train civilians, families, and organizations in personal readiness, global security, and high-performance mindsets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clint Bruce, former NFL linebacker who walked away from the league to become a Navy SEAL, completed multiple combat deployments, and now leads Trident Response Group while co-founding Carry The Load to honor our fallen, sits down for a powerful conversation on leadership and resilience. From the intensity of competing in the NFL to the unforgiving demands of SEAL training, Clint shares hard-earned lessons on conviction, discipline, and doing what's difficult when it matters most. This is a raw, unfiltered discussion about mindset, purpose, and what it truly takes to earn your place among the elite. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Australian 2nd Commando Regiment officer and combat veteran Heston Russell opens up about his personal journey, including coming to terms with his sexuality while serving, family reactions, and the cultural differences in veteran support between Australia and the United States. He details his exchange posting with the 75th Ranger Regiment, a later deployment to Iraq in a joint special operations planning role, insights into high-level interagency operations, and the challenges of transitioning out of the military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Australian Commando Heston Russell continues his detailed account of life inside Australia's elite special forces. He covers domestic counter-terrorism readiness, high-stakes training exchanges with U.S. DEVGRU and FBI HRT, protecting the Prime Minister in Afghanistan, and leading intense combat operations during his 2012 deployment—including 67 missions, significant insurgent casualties, and the loss of a teammate to an IED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heston Russell, former Major with Australia's 2nd Commando Regiment, multiple combat deployments. We're going deep on what commando selection actually does to your mind and body, how he built and led teams through Afghanistan and Iraq, and why he's now on a mission to fix veteran support back home. We also discuss the Iran war and Australia's stance in the midst of the the conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former intelligence officer, NGA Chief Technology Officer, and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Dr. Anthony Vinci joins Mike Ritland on Mike Drop to explore the new frontiers of espionage in the age of AI. They break down honeypot traps and modern recruitment risks, how social media and AI-powered disinformation have transformed propaganda, why teaching civil society to “think like an intelligence officer” is critical, and the looming threats of a digital Pearl Harbor, drone swarms, and economic warfare with China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former intelligence officer, NGA Chief Technology Officer, and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Dr. Anthony Vinci joins Mike Ritland on Mike Drop to break down the Iraq War's long-term consequences, the power vacuum that empowered Iran, and the risks of current U.S. strikes escalating into another costly entanglement. Vinci weighs whether boots on the ground will be needed, the danger of prolonged insurgent warfare, economic fallout from the Strait of Hormuz, and how modern espionage has been transformed by ubiquitous technical surveillance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices