There Will Be Bourbon

Lafayette Lee is a contributing editor at IM 1776, delivers excellent written works on his Substack, and also can be found on X @ Partisan_O. Lee dips into the virtual bar this time discussing the assassination attempts on President Trump, why Congress, no matter who is in charge, is the way that it is, if Vladimir Putin is stuck in Ukraine, and much more bourbon sipping worthy takes. Grab a glass!

Retired Sergeant Major and the man behind US Army WTF Moments along with other military pages collecting the most absurd true stories, as well as breaking some of the most poignant news impacting the force returns to the virtual bar. We are talking all things DoD including the new SecDef Pete Hegseth and just where we think his attention should be focused, plus much more. Grab a glass!

Buck Shamrock of X stops by the virtual bar to discuss his 30 year career in law enforcement from time in the jail to tactical teams on the street. We discuss the biggest changes and challenges he sees with the new hires joining the force, the "recipes" inmates cook in jail, the George Floyd riots, as well as sharing his unique takes on a variety of issues currently unfolding in the public space. Grab a glass!

Retired Army Warrant Officer Sam Shoemate stopped by the virtual bar to discuss the inspiration behind the viral Instagram account TerminalCWO, his work exposing the abhorrent behavior at the 101st Airborne Division during the Covid lockdowns as well as elsewhere in the military, the unlawful Covid-19 vaccine mandates, his work along with others ongoing to affect the DoD's acknowledgment of an unlawful order, the policy allowing wrongly discharged service members to return, as well as some hilarious banter regarding the Command Sergeant Major rank in the Army, and much, much more. Grab a glass! 

Jeff Young from Around The Foghorn returns to discuss the 2025 San Francisco Giants. 

Chief Cope stopped by the virtual bar to discuss in depth the logistics that went into supplying the Afghan National Army, the current state of the challenges facing the logistics chain, the struggle behind teaching the ANA, General Milley, and the potential for positive change throughout the DoD moving forward with the new Secretary of Defense. 

"Viking Rob" joined me to discuss the early years of the Iraq War, including all of the maintenance and defensive innovation like the counter-EFP (Explosively Formed Penetrator), the current logistics and supply chain issues, the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and the NFC North, and wrapping with a spirited discussion on music. Grab a glass!

Jesse Kelly returns to the virtual bar for a happy hour discussion about his recent book "The Anti-Communist Manifesto", the feeling of positivity in the air following the 2024 election, where we are culturally as a society, and just who is going to fight the next great war. Grab a glass!

Steve is a 23 year veteran of the United States Army and a newly published author. We talked about his "significant emotional event" that led him into the Army, growing up in a small town in Southern California, Iraq, Army recruiting, music, movies, and just what the hell happened to Metallica. Grab a glass!

"@BuffaloRon" of X stops by the virtual bar to tell his unique story about how he went from a chef and owner of several restaurants to becoming a Bison farmer and making socks from their wool. Ron is a really sincere and genuine guy with a wonderful message on the need to just go for it and to never wait for the perfect time; there isn't one. Grab a glass!

A conversation with Terry Schappert on his involvement with Task Force Dagger and a dive recovery operation he recently participated off the coast of Portugal for a downed B-24 from 1943. From there we discuss his role in the upcoming play for Stephen King's "Misery", the type of men America has produced and forgotten, Catholicism, memory holing the GWOT, and so much more. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! 

Clay Martin returns for his annual appearance at the virtual bar to discuss the multiple assassination attempts of former President Trump, the credibility lost by the Secret Service, where we are in societal decline, his prediction for the presidential election, and a reminder that you don't mess with former President Obama because he will "Drone strike your wedding." Grab a glass! 

King Mac from X stops by the virtual bar to talk all things Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, moving on from Justin Fields, predictions for the upcoming season, Chicago White Sox and baseball, as well as my latest theory on which sport the best and the brightest athletes actually play. Grab a glass! 

Travis served honorably and valorously in the Marine Corps and the US Army in Afghanistan and multiple times in Iraq. He shares some vivid personal stories of combat as well as his thoughts on the candidates in the upcoming election, being a father, weightlifting, and more. Grab a glass!

Rob Province returns to offer his unique takes on assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, the current President dropping his reelection bid, Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, and the cultural shift taking place in the United States. Grab a glass! 

Brink; an Army veteran, co-founder of MvrderCvlt, and former US Secret Service Special Agent stops by the virtual bar to discuss the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. 

Former US Air Force Veteran and Blackwater contractor Morgan Lerette joins me to discuss his unusual path into the world of contracting for the legendary Blackwater organization in Iraq. After serving in the Air National Guard overseas immediately following 9/11, a friend convinced him to tryout for Blackwater and go back to Iraq to protect US Diplomats in the early days of the war. Morgan has a sharp sense of humor and wit all while understanding how to keep even the darkest moments light enough to let the listener and reader of his book, "Guns, Girls, and Greed" in and keep the story moving. His candor and brutal honesty regarding the contractors in combat zones and the stunning failure to plan at the highest levels of our government gave life to Blackwater and many others. Morgan shares his best and worst days during his 18 months there and talks about how he left, eventually commissioning in the US Army and returning years later. You can grab his book at the link below.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7P83DL6

Benjamin (@BenjaminPHLN23 on X) stopped by the virtual bar for a remarkably insightful discussion. He recalls his miraculous (my words, not his) recovery from a heart attack and a loss of a limb as a teenager before delving into his philosophical endeavors in college. Eventually when writing for his Masters, he was asked to leave a university due to his paper on abortion and unwavering stance in the face of threats. We discuss his views and he articulates the Catholic position against the extreme while having compassion. We talk further about the loss of community among younger men and Catholics, how to bring young families and singles into the Church and keep them there, as well as conversation regarding the occult, forces beyond our control, and the future of AI. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. And Catholics!

Lafayette Lee is a contributing editor at IM 1776, delivers excellent written works on his Substack, and also can be found on X @ Partisan_O. Lee joins me this time to talk about the speed at which our cultural shifts have seemingly increased, the ongoing conflict with Israel and Hamas and America's role in the present and future, his take on witnessing a foreign nation's flag being waved by members of Congress on the House floor, the divide between sovereignty of Americans and Washington, DC, as well as where the real fight is still to be had. Grab a glass!

John stops by the virtual bar to talk about our time playing together at Poinciana High School; clearly a formative moment in his professional baseball development! We go on to discuss his time at Auburn, becoming an All-American and eventually getting drafted by the San Diego Padres and making it to the Triple A level. Along the way he figured out the mental aspect of the game and what is required to get the absolute best of yourself not just on the mound, but in life. John has taken this approach and packaged it into his successful baseball program you can find at yougoprobaseball.com. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon!

The sequel is real! And so is Mark Sibley's return trip to the virtual bar to discuss his new book "A Dance of Devils", the sequel to "Mongol Moon". Picking up where MM left off, WW3 is hot and underway with new storylines, characters, and remarkably well researched plot lines, scenarios, battle scenes, and one helluva play list! Mark shares his creative process and gets into expansive detail on where the Mongol Moon series is headed, what's next, when we can expect the third book, as well as some insight into how this story could truly come to life leading up to the election. Grab a glass! And the book!

"Gruntpa" returns to the virtual bar for a discussion on the mentality required to succeed in the worst possible scenario, and why most don't have it and never will. Having spent time in Iraq, we revisit some of our time there and the evolution into a more anti-war stance and why. We talk about Russian President Vladimir Putin's appearance recently with Tucker Carlson and what the end state of the war in Ukraine will have to look like, along with much, much more. Grab a glass! 

Michelle Vogt is one of the Twitter OG's and supplied her unique takes on everything from politics to fashion in the late 2000s and early 2010's. Diagnosed with a brain tumor and the incurable conditions Trigeminal Neuralgia, Anesthesia Dolorosa, and Occipital Neuralgia, she's set out to raise awareness and has connected with others who suffer from the diseases through the rarediseasewarrior account on IG. Still as sharp and witty as ever, Michelle shares her early life and what led her from NJ to LA, her experience with starting and selling a small business, learning of her diagnosis, along with her unique takes on the current political climate. Grab a glass! 

Dale Stark is a recently retired A-10 Pilot and veteran of over 20+ years. He flew combat missions during multiple deployments to Afghanistan and finished his service to country instructing for the Air Force in Tucson, Arizona before returning home and retiring to Oregon. Growing up in a small town and moving from home to home, Dale didn't necessarily take the traditional route to becoming a pilot of one of the most revered and desired combat aircraft in America's military history. After leaving college the first time, Dale found himself as a maintainer for the C-17 with the goal of becoming a pilot, but not just any pilot; he wanted to fly "The Hog". Armed with a renewed sense of purpose, Dale committed himself to returning to school just before 9/11 and earned his way into the cockpit of the A-10 where he would go on to fly throughout his career executing Close Air Support (CAS) missions in Afghanistan. Upon retiring, he returned to his home in Oregon where his wife and children currently raise ducks, cattle and llamas. Dale has a great American story and how he found his way in the military will speak to many GWOT era veterans. Grab a glass! 

Picking up where part 1 leaves off, we continue discussing how current foreign policy goals are achieved while dealing with recruiting shortages and a newer, less willing to serve generation. There is still a road to victory against geopolitical rivals like China as Ross lays out. We then get into a theological discussion of Antichrist AI, Roko's Basilisk, as well as some light hearted hope in that Keanu Reeves and Tom Cruise will save the world some day as only they are best equipped with the Hollywood experience to do so. Grab a glass!

Ross Kennedy identifies that logistics is a map of human intent, which will inevitably reveal the intent and needs of the stakeholders. In Part 1  we discuss how China became the manufacturing engine of the world, what a conventional war with China might look like, the motivation behind the calculated weakening of the West, and just who would want to sign up to carry out this new era of policy. Part 2 coming. Grab a glass!

My favorite member of the San Francisco Giants media, Jeff Young, stops by the virtual bar. Jeff shares his insight into the recent hiring of Bob Melvin as the Giants manager, the loss of Gabe Kapler, the potential for Shohei Ohtani, an update on Bryce Eldridge and Reggie Crawford in the Giants farm system, as well as how he thinks this roster will look when the Giants take the field in 2024. Grab a glass!

Jessica Fenske stops by the virtual bar to tell us why she hates government and is seeking to be in government as the Libertarian candidate for Arvada City Council in Colorado. She also makes the case for Libertarianism and why your focus should be on the elections at your local level. 

Terry Schappert returns to the virtual bar for a conversation about everything unfolding in the Middle East, Catholicism, and where does our loyalty lie; to government, religion or our neighbors. We also explore the current respect for institutions, or lack thereof, and ultimately what comes next. Do we even know?

Demp returns for his third appearance at the virtual bar. He tells us about his newest role as the social media manager for War Gate Books, plus some good, spirited conversations about dudes being dudes, fatherhood, protecting others, and wherever else the bourbon takes us. Grab a glass!

Clay Martin returns to the virtual bar to discuss the evolution of fighting styles in the UFC, whether the policies coming from our institutions are believed by those putting them out, thoughts behind renaming military bases and the dangers of looking back at history through the lens of today in general, Andrew Tate, Donald Trump, and what he sees playing out in the US General Election in 2024. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's fuel: Angel's Envy Barrel Pick from Lawler's in Napa, CA.

Joel Gaines stopped by the virtual bar. He is a former Army Intelligence Expert with a Russia area of focus, author of Chaos Terrain, and helps run War Lizard Tactical. Joel shares his experience coming up during the Cold War era inside the US Army Intelligence community, as well as the shift to Desert Storm and his involvement. Joel gives some unique insight into the Russia-Ukraine war, the issues plaguing Russia's military, and what the inevitable outcome might look like. We also get into the psyche of Saddam Hussein and theorize why he took the actions he did following the Iran-Iraq War. We also get into his personal inspiration for War Lizard Tactical as well as the concept behind Chaos Terrain. You can follow Joel on Twitter @joelgaines and visit www.warlizardtactical.com. Tonight's fuel behind the discussion: Benchmark Bonded courtesy of Buffalo Trace. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon!

Alan Morte stopped by the virtual bar to discuss Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) and why it has such amazing potential for both good and bad actors. We get further into its national security implications, what the US government should be doing with the technology, why Americans should care and be concerned, as well as an expansive conversation on our risk-averse culture and its impact on American society. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's selection: Knob Creek 18 Year.

Braxton McCoy came back to the virtual bar, this time to discuss brands and their involvement in cultural and political issues, our political class and potential military involvement overseas, the UFC, and a ton of baseball talk. Mostly from me. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. This episode fueled by Baker's 7 Single Barrel. 

Curtis - @notwtfomgbbq from Twitter stopped by the virtual bar to talk what he means by a 2nd Amendment absolutist, navigating government regulations and interference in the oil and gas industry, and shares an incredibly frustrating story about the COVID pandemic and its impact on his business. Hearing stories from one of the more isolated areas of the United States shows just how differently people across this vast country live and the far reaching arm of government enforcement. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's discussion fueled by Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Todd is a good friend of mine and one of the funniest guys who I knew would be great in this space. This conversation mirrored so many of ours together without the cameras present. Todd shares his path into the Napa wine world and tells the story of the Bolivian wine he now imports. We also discuss eating in Michelin starred restaurants and review some of his favorites. Check out Llama Wines at www.llamawines.com. Fueling tonight's discussion: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon

"Johnny Tyler" of @GFYGardenCenter stopped by the virtual bar. This is one of my favorite accounts to follow on the bird app. Over the last 75 weeks he's become sober and lost over 140 pounds. A former Army Intel guy, we were in Iraq around the same time in 2003 and watched the evolution of the insurgency and the growth of AQI (Al Qaeda in Iraq). He talks about his time there attempting to inform leadership on the hazards of dissolving the Iraqi Army as well as some of the food gems of the Middle East. He is also an avid Vegan disrespecter and post Libertarian. We get into his utter contempt for the vegan cult and the issues he has now with the Libertarian movement after rescinding his support for them. There is also a healthy amount of food and cooking chatter. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. Tonight's discussion fueled by: Makers Mark 46 French Oaked. 

Claude Krause stopped by the virtual bar slinging his classic Twitter (@ClaudesBBQ) style of takes and insight. He offered up two memorable quotes that really speak to his evolution as a person and his own self-awareness to get his life turned around. "Tell me your problems and I'll tell you why they're your fault" and "I remember all of my life, I just don't remember the order." Claude has one of the most interesting accounts on the bird app grounded in authenticity and amazing food and hot sauce! We got into a great discussion regarding the concept of hard work and how far it can take you, the proliferation of student loan debt, cultural decline and its origin in America, his great American hitch-hiking tale, Farmageddon, as well as personal stories from his time living inside some of America's most seedy sub-cultures. There are some great life lessons shared and I look forward to having Claude back to get into even more about this fascinating man. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's discussion fueled by Flying Ace Blended Bourbon.

Born in a small town in Kansas, Kay continues a legacy of veterans in America from rural areas who seek the opportunity to serve and lift themselves out of poverty or situations with very few options. Her service began at a time when the military was facing a wave of social media criticism from leadership issues to new physical fitness tests. A lot of this originated with the Junior Enlisted Soldiers like Kay. A veteran of two Middle East deployments, she served nearly 8 years in the Army at ARCENT and 3rd Special Forces Group. She stopped by the virtual bar to discuss the lingering issues regarding the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the lack of willingness to dedicate time and effort to self-improvement both physically and mentally, as well as her transition into civilian life. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! This episode fueled by Hotel Tango Reserve Bourbon. 

Morgan Hancock stopped by the virtual bar. She is an Army veteran, commercial real estate agent, entrepreneur, bourbonista, and passionate advocate of the arts. Morgan created Bourbon with Heart as an opportunity to fundraise, bring awareness, and to give 20 local artists from Kentucky the chance to have a used bourbon barrel as their canvas. Morgan joined me to talk more about how she came up with the idea, some of her own Army history, as well as shared her personal story about early life adversity and not letting that define who you become or stand in the way of achieving your dreams. There is a current call for local Kentucky artists for her upcoming event. You can find more information at www.bourbonwithheart.org as well as vote for your favorite bourbon barrel artwork at www.bourbonwithheart.org/vote. Grab a glass!! This episode's fuel: Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond.

An accomplished shitpoaster, part time shooter, full time autist, Louisvillegun has been active in the 2nd amendment scene since the early 90s, way back to when people were yelling at each other on USENET. Today he is an ecommerce business owner and fulltime dork on the internet, capitalizing on his 90s peacetime Army experience to lend his expertise to modern political and social problems. He joins me for a spirited, bourbon fueled discussion on the evolution of the internet and social media, gun legislation, the homeless and mental health crisis in American cities, and much, much more. Grab a glass! Tonight's Bourbon: Weller Full Proof Single Barrel Store Pick.

Jesse Kelly is a former Marine, candidate for Congress, and currently hosts the nationally syndicated "The Jesse Kelly Show". Jesse stopped by the virtual bar to discuss the return of Brittney Griner, the decline of Western leaders values, and the reminder that we are not entitled to live in the same country as our predecessors. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. For me: Elmer T. Lee. For Jesse: TX Bourbon.

Brian Morgenstern is the former White House Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Communications Director, as well as a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Trump administration. His new wife, Teresa, returns to There Will Be Bourbon, and she is the former Senior Communications Advisor at the White House for Operation Warp Speed and former Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary during the Trump administration. Their new book Vignettes & Vino - Dinner Table Stories from the Trump White House with Recipes and Cocktail pairings is a wonderfully entertaining trip through their time in the Trump administration, surviving with each other during the pandemic, insight into major events during those 4 years, as well as easy to follow recipes for you to eat and drink along with them. Grab a glass! Bourbon: Wyoming Whiskey Private Stock Bourbon store pick from Bounty Hunter in Napa, CA.

Rob affectionately runs his cat's account on Twitter as we say. But it's really just him who happens to know a lot about guns and medical stuff. Rob and I get into his gun collection, the best weapon for home defense, his heartbreaking story that prevented his dream of military service, just what happens when the government tries to do something to address public outcry, COVID response, as well as what was a bigger failure; Prohibition or the Global War on Terror. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. Tonight's selection: Rabbit Hole Heigold Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

John Phillips is a talk radio show host in Los Angeles and a columnist for the Orange County Register. He also regularly makes Cable News appearances supplying his trademark wit and insight. John and I discuss the ongoing homeless problem plaguing Los Angeles, San Francisco and much of the Pacific Northwest. We also talk about the continuing missteps of government as it relates to shutdowns, crime, the current climate surrounding Monkeypox, and what ever happened with the shooting in Las Vegas in 2017. Grab a glass! Source of Conversation: Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Red is a co-founder of MVRDERCVLT and a Special Forces member. We discuss the back story of MVRDERCVLT, the failure of police inaction in Uvalde, TX, the heroics in Greenwood, IN, what the media portrays to the public inaccurately about the AR-15, common shooting errors with rifles and handguns, the importance of fitness in shooting and combat operations, and a conversation about the value of the Global War on Terror. You can follow Red on Twitter at @Snakeeater36. Grab a glass!

The Gruntpa of Twitter stops into the virtual bar. Gruntpa is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and is now what he describes as a "breaker of people, processes, and technology". We discuss an idea of his I've always wanted to delve into more with the invasion of Mexico and how that would look and why. We then discuss a lot of his time in Afghanistan and Iraq especially, with insight into the unit level responsibility and what success looked like. Gruntpa provides and extremely thoughtful and nuanced discussion I think everyone will like and appreciate. Grab a glass!

Demp McGee, one of Twitter's most unique, authentic, and popular accounts returns to the virtual bar. A lot has changed in the last year and a half, notably gas prices which we get right into from an insiders perspective. Is this the new normal? How did they get so cheap during the pandemic? When will we see a drop? How does a future with electric vehicles look and is that possible given how reliant the world economy is on diesel fuel? We also take an emotional look at the shooting at Robb Elementary and discuss the deadly inaction of the Uvalde police department. Bringing the mood back up, we chat about Farmageddon and his role in it, as well as the medic services he provides and trains people up on there and elsewhere around the country. This is a fun one so grab a glass!!

Mark Sibley is the author of Mongol Moon and a career Crisis Management Expert. The book Mongol Moon explores the detonation of an Electronic Magnetic Pulse attack over the United States and Europe and details the involvement of characters from Iran, China, Russia, the United States, Scotland, and ties in other nations pulled into the attack. In addition to that, he's been a crisis management expert conducting war games for corporations and other entities for years. We explore the book as well as the possibility of an EMP in America, why it hasn't happened yet, what is on the horizon in terms of global security, if it is purposeful or due to negligence, and much, much more in one of the most telling and informative discussions I've had in this space. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon.

Brandon Neely is a former US Army Military Policeman with tours in Egypt, Cuba, and Iraq. Once falsely accused, he was one of the first to speak out against the charges stemming from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. He went on to serve during Operation Iraqi Freedom 1 in Iraq. Brandon has since discovered the magic of bourbon and we discuss price gouging and the thrill of the hunt. Brandon is also very well immersed in the exposure of Stolen Valor on Twitter and has done amazing work in the field to bring honor to those deserving of it. We wrap things up with a discussion of the ongoing situation in Ukraine and how our current elected leaders may be leading us astray. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon.

Chef Gruel is the founder and CEO of Slapfish, a sustainable seafood restaurant franchise based out of Huntington Beach, California with locations all over the country and in the UK. During the Covid shutdowns, restaurants were the hardest hit, especially the employees. Chef Gruel talks about how restaurants are naturally built to better handle health issues than most, how he started a relief fund to help restaurant workers who lost their jobs, the issues we face in schools, and government inefficacy as whole. We also talk sustainable seafood and how rising costs are going to impact it. Grab a glass! It's Happy Hour! There Will Be Bourbon!